| Gichang | |
 | |
| Korean name | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 기창 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gichang |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kich'ang |
The gichang (Korean: 기창) is a Korean weapon which is first described in the Muyesinbo, a Korean martial arts manual published in 1759. It later also found its way into the Muyedobotongji (1791).
The weapon is a spear with a flag attached to the pole. The gichang is also called danchang (단창), which means 'short spear'. It is typically around 2.75 m (9 ft 0 in) long. The blade measures about 23 cm (9.1 in) in length. These spears were generally used for ceremonial or escort purposes.[1]
Another chapter in the Muyedobotongji is also called gichang (騎槍), but deals with techniques for using the spear from atop a horse. The hanja is different, 旗 refers to a banner or flag, whereas 騎 refers to riding a horse (i.e.. cavalry vs. infantry).