"Ishi Sashi" Martial Arts Weight with Blessings

Ishi sashi are hand-held weights used in the most intensive Martial Arts training, and traditionally made of stone. The blocks are shaped like ancient Chinese locks, but the function and method of lifting are similar to modern dumbbells: Martial arts students grip Ishi Sashi and either swing the weight around or hold them out and extend. This weight is incised with Chinese characters that relay wishes for luck, safety, happiness and prosperity. It was carved out of a solid block of limestone in Shanxi, China during the 18th-19th century, although the practice of lifting is many centuries older.