Overview
Shaolin were Buddhists, mainly. This really did not allow them to use weaponry; not just against people or anything living, but no items which primary function is to kill living beings! Yet they trained with weapons! How could this be?

Shaolin main aim was to achieve enlightenment, preferably in the current lifetime as Lord Buddha did. This requires prolonged periods of meditation, preferably between 2 to 6 hours daily. Unfortunately, this amount of inactivity can cause the Organs, Circulation and general health to collapse. To prevent this, internal Chi h ad to be strengthened in order to fill your body's reservoir of postnatal Jing (Life Force)! To be able to do this, three types of exercise were developed, that originally were one; Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Chi Kung.

Yet, as the saying goes, 'the capitol is far away', meaning that safety was always an issue. Even though they were not able to use weapons against others, they trained weaponry to understand it and to be able to counter it bare hand. And that is the major reason for Shaolin Weaponry training.

Although they trained with Weapons, and became very proficient averaging 4 hours of training a day for 20 years or so (which would equal 40 years of training 2 hours each day or 4 hours every other day). yet, to stay fit and to have variety, they developed many interesting aspects of physical training. It is speculated that each Monk would be proficient in 18 weapons (not all the same 18) some specialising further in Projectile, flexible or hidden weapons to be able to recognize and counter these bare handed. But even the best sometimes need some 'tools' and the Shaolin developed non- weapons as these tools.

Some of the more famous of these are;

Monks Lantern Monks Spade Walking Staff Monks Kane		Chan

Over the many years, many weapons have been picked up and called Shaolin. But in reality not that would cut, kill or cripple would be used. Everyday items, commonly available or usually around would be favored. In recent years the Bench has come to prominence (in modern day stool, chair or such). Yet, traditionally, everyday items like a Sash, Pen and Chop Sticks could be effectively used as weapons of defence.

Sash Bench Chopsticks Iron Comb Flute Iron Ring Iron Ruler Iron Smoking Pipe Iron Toad Mandarin Duck Spade Monk Cudgel Whip Chain Rake Ring Wheel Scholar's Brush Pen Steel Fan Hoe Flail Rope		Ban Deng Tie Kuai Zi Tie Su Zi Tie Di Shuo Huan Tie Chi Tie Yan Dou Tie Chan Chu Yuan Yang Chan Chan Zhang Qi Jie Bian Pa Lun Pan Guan Bi Bi Tie Shan Chu Tou

So, why the Yin/Yang Symbol for the Weaponry Symbols? because there are two halves to Shaolin Weaponry training, the simple is to Learn to use and be proficient with the weapons; the second to lay the weapon aside and be able to effectively, safely and without causing harm, disarm the weapon wielder and stop them from hurting anyone!