# Sling used as a weapon in the Far East? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 3, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sling-used-as-a-weapon-in-the-far-east/277984 "2004-12-03T23:32:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gaius.Cornelius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b487fb/32.png) [@Gaius.Cornelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaius.Cornelius)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sling-used-as-a-weapon-in-the-far-east/277984/1 "2004-12-03T23:32:50Z")
Was the sling used as a weapon in the far East - i.e. China, Japan etc. I have read that this was not the case although I cannot think why. It cannot be a question of weapon status anxiety because many Eastern martial arts traditions include simple weapons such as rice flails. Also, in reading about the history of the Trebuchet, it is frequently said that the Trebuchet was invented in the far East and what is a Trebuchet if it is not a giant staff sling? However, I have not been able to find details of the very early history of the Trebuchet, so perhaps that is a red herring. Can anybody shed some light on this subject? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sling-used-as-a-weapon-in-the-far-east/277984/2 "2004-12-04T13:19:47Z")
Good question. Wish I had the answer, but I’ll bump this for you. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sling-used-as-a-weapon-in-the-far-east/277984/3 "2004-12-04T14:32:43Z")
> [@Gaius.Cornelius](#): > > Was the sling used as a weapon in the far East - i.e. China, Japan etc. Also, in reading about the history of the Trebuchet, it is frequently said that the Trebuchet was invented in the far East and what is a Trebuchet if it is not a giant staff sling? However, I have not been able to find details of the very early history of the Trebuchet, so perhaps that is a red herring. > Can anybody shed some light on this subject? QUESTION: What kind of sling do you have in mind? A stick type to throw spears, a “Y” shaped frame with elastic, or the ‘string sling’ used by David (OT)? [INVENTION OF THE COUNTERWEIGHT TREBUCHET](http://www.doaks.org/DOP54/DP54ch4.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sling-used-as-a-weapon-in-the-far-east/277984/4 "2004-12-04T16:14:20Z")
[The Sling](http://www.santharia.com/weapons/sling.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sling-used-as-a-weapon-in-the-far-east/277984/5 "2004-12-04T19:19:06Z")
Grey Elves?? Dwarven Clan??.. fantasy based on reality is fine, but very hard to take seriously… you could say the site is a bit “unrealistic” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Gaius.Cornelius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b487fb/32.png) [@Gaius.Cornelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaius.Cornelius)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sling-used-as-a-weapon-in-the-far-east/277984/6 "2004-12-04T22:44:14Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > [The Sling](http://www.santharia.com/weapons/sling.htm) Thanks for the link, but that is a little further East than I had in mind! ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sling-used-as-a-weapon-in-the-far-east/277984/7 "2004-12-04T23:51:12Z")
[This page](http://www.gotravel.com.cn/eng/briefing/wushu.asp) mentions in passing that the sling was used in ancient China. [This page](http://www.triniview.com/China/thenorthernroutepart2.html) mentions the Wardo, which appears to be an traditional Tibetan sling. If you allow the yo-yo as a weird form of sling, then you’ll be after the [straightdope](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/myo-yo.html) on it. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sling-used-as-a-weapon-in-the-far-east/277984/8 "2004-12-05T02:16:37Z")
Slings are still used today in Tibet as a weapon. Very accurate up to about 100 meters. I have personally seen Tibetans in action with slings against wild dogs. Slings are widely used by herders throughout the Himalayan region against predators, to help herd livestock, and of course can be used as a weapon.