Wind and fire wheels

A matched set of two wind-and-fire wheels

Wind-and-fire wheels (simplified Chinese: 风火轮; traditional Chinese: 風火輪; pinyin: feng huo lun) are mêlée weapons, wielded as a pair, associated with Chinese martial arts such as baguazhang and taijiquan.^[1] Visually, they are similar to chakrams.

Each wheel is a flat metal ring approximately 38 cm (about 15 inches) in diameter. One quarter-segment has a padded grip with a cross-guard; the other three segments have protruding flame-styled blades. With one wheel in each hand, the practitioner can slash, stab, parry, or disarm an opponent.^[2]

In the mythological story Fengshen Yanyi, the Immortal Taiyi gave Nezha a wind-wheel and a fire-wheel. These were stood on whilst chanting incantations, to serve as a magic vehicle.^[3]

In popular culture

• In the video game series Dynasty Warriors, the character Sun Shangxiang uses a pair of wind and fire wheels, apart from her appearance in Dynasty Warriors 6, in which she uses a bow and arrow.
• In the TV show Star Wars Rebels, one of the Imperial Inquisitors' ring-shaped double-bladed lightsabers can be converted into a wind and fire wheel when deactivated, as seen in the second part of the season 2 finale, "Twilight of the Apprentice".

References

1. Sun, Steve L; Tai Chi Chuan Wind and Fire Wheels, S L S Publication Center, 1998 ISBN 978-0-9671182-0-8
2. Sun, Steve L.; Advanced Tai Chi Chuan Wind and Fire Wheels, S L S Publication Center, 1999. ISBN 978-0-9671182-1-5.
3. Liu Ts'un-Yan. Buddhist Sources of the Novel Feng-Shen Yen-I. p. 92.