The halberd (戟 jǐ) was a common pole weapon in Han and Three Kingdoms China. It combined a spear point with a sideways blade or hook, allowing both thrusting and hooking in combat. It was also used by guards and in ceremonial contexts.
Military use
Halberds were issued to infantry and used in formation fighting. Officers and strongmen were often described as skilled with the halberd: Dian Wei was said to wield a pair of large halberds; Lü Bu was threatened by Dong Zhuo with a hand halberd and later resolved a standoff by shooting the small branch of a halberd at the camp gate. The hand halberd (手戟) was a shorter variant that could be thrown or used in close quarters.
Ceremony and status
Granting a general ‘axe and halberd’ (斧钺) or the right to bear halberds was a mark of imperial trust and authority. The weapon’s combination of reach and versatility made it a symbol of martial power as well as a practical arm of war.