Chinese Sword Worship Culture
Although the practical value and prominent military status of the sword only existed in the Bronze Age and the early Iron Age, the influence of the sword in traditional Chinese culture has Never weakened, the style of swordsmanship developed into replacing "martial arts" with "sword", and later combined with the chivalrous culture to form a unique sword culture.
In the early days, casting swords was more difficult than casting other weapons. In particular, casting swords that required special craftsmanship was more time-consuming and labor-intensive. Therefore, only powerful people could obtain swords, and swords became a symbol of power and majesty for emperors and monarchs. symbol.
Among the eighteen traditional cold weapons, the sword is called the "King of a Hundred Blades" and the "Commander of a Hundred Soldiers." In martial arts, swords are mostly used as self-defense weapons. Because they are beautiful to carry, celebrities and nobles often wear swords. Over time, swords are regarded by the public as weapons with wisdom, connotation, and status.
In most martial arts novels, upright heroes from well-known families always use swords to distinguish them from the heretics who use hidden weapons and poisons; the knights with negative swords mean that they are willing to take revenge and revenge openly. Only the elegance of the sword and the performative nature of sword dancing can best provide space for martial arts writers to create their poetic world.
The slender and smooth shape of the sword is quite elegant. It has been favored by literati since ancient times. They not only used the sword to express their feelings in poems and chants, but also wore it for practice.
Li Bai kept his sword box with him all his life. He learned swordsmanship in Emei at the age of fifteen. He claimed that "I have a long history of using Qinggan swords," and "the sword cannot be defeated by ten thousand people, and the writing is famous all over the world." Du Fu started wandering around the world with a sword at the age of 20, expressing his spirit of "drawing a sword to fight with dragons and tigers".
After the deification of Taoism and the freehand brushwork of literati, the sword is no longer a simple weapon, but has been endowed with the moral and ethical color of justice and righteousness. In the Tang Dynasty, when everyone wore a sword and every household hung a sword, the emergence of swordsman novels integrated sword culture and chivalry culture, and the image of a knight carrying a sword became deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
Since the development of sword dance in the Tang Dynasty turned swordsmanship that focused on actual combat into a performance with acrobatic elements, the descriptions of swordsmanship in novels at that time were also magical: "Nie Yinniang" in "Legend" depicts three Swordsmen's sword fighting scenes: they can float into the air, fight with each other in the belly of a living person, and even fly thousands of miles in an instant. This kind of fantasy description continued in subsequent martial arts novels, thus creating countless romantic swordsman swords
Sword Culture
Sword Culture
Swords, An ancient holy product. He is the ancestor of short-range weapons, a weapon of close combat, and his Taoist skills have made him into a mysterious legend. In fact, because of its lightness to carry, brilliance in wearing, and quickness in use, princes, emperors, scribes, knights, merchants and common people throughout the dynasties all took pride in holding it. Since ancient times, swords and arts have been used to dominate the battlefield, dominate the martial arts world, build a country, and act benevolently and righteously. Therefore, it has been passed down to this day and is still loved by the world. It has also been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people with its glorious history, and it can be passed down from generation to generation.
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The history of the sword
The origin of the sword can be traced back to the time of Emperor Xuanyuan. . According to "The Chronicles of the Yellow Emperor": "The emperor cast swords from copper from Shoushan Mountain and inscribed them with ancient astronomical characters"; and "Gold came out of the mountains of Xige Tianlu, and Chiyou took it and made it as sword armor." explain. This record shows that the era of Huangdi and Chiyou was Ya?Xinsi! The temple was built in 704, and the name of the country was Xiong. At that time, the fashion system had just entered the Bronze Age. However, it can be inferred that the sword was very ancient and had a long history, so later generations called it "the short weapon". Well deserved.
The design and manufacture of weapons in ancient times are still in their initial stages. "Huainanzi·Si Lun" states: "The ancient weapons were just bows and swords, grooved spears had no strikes, and halberds had no thorns. "In order to facilitate jumping and close combat in the mountains and jungles, people at that time were generally accustomed to using short weapons. The sword is a type of short weapon, derived from spear-shaped stabbing weapons and short daggers. It originated before the Yin and Shang Dynasties. It is extremely short in shape, with only a short flat stem and no barrel. The ancients used this sword to stick to their waist. It is light and easy to use, and can be used for direct thrusts and side strikes. It is essential to resist bandits and wild beasts. By the Zhou Dynasty, especially the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the sword, which was simple in structure and easy to make, had become the main short weapon and a must-have for all social classes. Even Feng Chen and Han Xin in the early Han Dynasty still carried them with them even though they were so poor that they had no food to eat.
The famous ones include Ganjiang, Moxie, Longquan, Tai'a, Chunjun, Zhanlu, Yuchang, Jique, etc. One of the Longquan swords from the Spring and Autumn Period is still hidden in the Forbidden City. It is still very sharp, proving that our country has a long history in the manufacture and use of swords. ]
By the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, the western continent was still in a barbaric period, but the copper smelting industry in China was already very developed. Craftsmen mostly made swords from copper, creating a large number of high-quality swords, and sword-making technology also gradually improved. According to records in "Kao Gong Ji", craftsmen during the Warring States Period accumulated enough experience and were able to fully master the technology of smelting bronze. According to the different uses of the appliances, the proportions of copper, lead, and tin in the alloy were also different. This smelting technology leads Western countries for nearly a thousand years.
The early bronze swords were roughly formed around the Shang Dynasty. They were initially only more than ten centimeters long, with a straight spine and double edges, a flat and wide blade, a handle bound with wood pieces, and no sword grille. Later, it developed. It has a fixed shape and is mainly composed of two parts: the sword body and the sword stem. Each part has a name. The front end of the sword body is called "front", the bulge in the middle line of the sword body is called "ridge", the slopes on both sides of the ridge are called "conong", the edge from the outside is called "e", and the ridge and the two Cong are called "wa". The handle of the sword is called "stem". There are two main types of stems: flat and round. Some of them have hand-protecting "lattice" between the stem and the body, also called "guard". There is often a rounded "head" or "head" at the end of the stem. Some have round "hoops" on the stems. The stem is often wrapped with a rope, which is called "绞", and the ring at the end of the hilt is called Duo. The scabbard is also called the "chamber". The short sword is also called "dagger". The heads and crowns of elegant bronze swords are often made of jade. This type of sword is generally called a "jade sword." In the next thousand years, the shape of this sword gradually matured and became active on the battlefield as a basic weapon for infantry.
Zheng E also explained in detail about swords. He said: People's shapes vary in size and length. Choosing different swords is not for the sake of beauty, but to make them suitable for their own use. . Therefore, it is divided into third-class sword systems to suit the third-class sword-bearing people. It is up to whoever uses which sword. The hilt is five inches long. If the sword body is five times as long as the hilt, then it should be three feet long and weigh nine qiang, which is three kilograms and twelve taels. It is extremely long and extremely heavy, so it is called superior system. Only tall and powerful swordsmen can wear it, so it is called the system of superior soldiers. The sword body is four times as long as the hilt, so the length of the sword is two feet and five inches, and its weight is seven qiang, which is two pounds and fourteen taels. The length of the sword is chosen according to the weight, which is called the middle system. It is suitable for people of average stature and strength, so it is called the sergeant's system. If the blade of the sword is only three times the length of the hilt, then it is only two feet, and the weight is only five qiang, then it only weighs two kilograms or two or three cents. It is light and short, and is called a lower system. It is suitable for short and weak people.
The above-mentioned sword systems were generally used in ancient times, and there were frequent changes in the past dynasties. From the Qin to the Song Dynasty, the changes were the most. Zheng E said: "If we compare the swords of the Qin and Han Dynasties with the swords of the Song Dynasty, the long swords of the Song Dynasty were twenty-one inches and three cents, while the long swords of the Han Dynasty were only seventeen inches and nine cents. The short swords of the Song Dynasty were fifteen inches and two cents, while those of the Han Dynasty were only fifteen inches and two cents. The dagger was only ten and a half inches long, so the swords of the Song Dynasty were longer and of better quality than those of the Han Dynasty."
The purpose of the sword is not only for killing, but also as an accessory for scribes. However, after all, it is mainly for self-defense and fending off enemies. If the sword is too long, it will be inconvenient to use, and if the sword is short, it will be difficult to reach far. A sword that is too short is light and has no striking power, while a long sword is heavy and swings slowly, both of which are not suitable for practical use. In addition, ancient books say: "The emperor of the Han Dynasty conquered the world with a three-foot sword." This shows that the saying that the sword of the Han Dynasty was less than two feet must be wrong. According to the records of sword history, the length of ancient swords ranges from one foot three inches to more than four feet, and their weight is two to three kilograms.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the two countries Wu and Yue, who were feuding with each other, were both famous for their excellent sword-making. Their exquisite skills and gorgeous craftsmanship were unparalleled in the world, especially the surface treatment of the sword body. Not only does it have a mysterious and gorgeous pattern, it is still as cold and sharp as new today, 2,500 years later. This processing technology is still a mystery to this day.
In 1994, the Excavation of the No. 2 Pit of Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Warriors and Horses officially began. Archaeologists found that a bronze sword was bent by a 150-kilogram pottery figurine. The bending degree exceeded 45 degrees. When people After removing the pottery figurines, a surprising miracle occurred: the narrow and thin bronze sword rebounded straight and recovered naturally in an instant.
The "morphological memory alloy" dreamed of by contemporary metallurgists actually appeared in ancient tombs more than 2,000 years ago! Why hasn't this ancient sword rusted after being buried underground for more than two thousand years? Why is it still so cold and sharp? Through further research, it was found that the reason why the "Yue King Goujian Sword" has been stainless for thousands of years is that the sword body is plated with a layer of metal containing chromium. Chromium is a rare metal that is extremely resistant to corrosion and is very difficult to extract. However, the level of sword casting technology at this time has become a mystery. A batch of bronze swords were also discovered among them. These bronze swords have dense internal structure, bright and smooth blades, fine grinding patterns on the blades, and no interlacing textures. They have been sleeping under the loess for more than 2,000 years, and they were as bright as new when they were unearthed. Extremely sharp. After testing, scientific researchers found that there was a 10-micron-thick layer of chromium salt compounds on the surface of the sword. This discovery immediately caused a sensation in the world, because this chromium salt oxidation treatment method is an advanced technology that only appeared in modern times. Germany invented and applied for patents in 1937 and the United States in 1950.
The period from the late Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring States Period can be said to be the most developed period for bronze swords. Except for swords in some areas that reflected regional or national styles, their shapes generally began to take shape. Most of the bronze swords in the late Spring and Autumn Period have sword heads, and sword patterns are common, but there are still few with sword hoops. The length is generally above 40-50 cm. The famous Goujian Sword of Yue King, Fuchai Sword of Wu King, Light Sword of Wu King, etc. are all important works of this period. These swords are beautifully crafted and demonstrate excellent craftsmanship. Among the bronze swords of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, those from Wu and Yue were the best. "Zhou Li·Kao Gong Ji" records: "The gold and tin of Wu and Yue are the most beautiful in this material." The Yue King Goujian Sword unearthed from the Jiangling Ancient Tomb in Hubei Province is 55.7 centimeters in length. It is decorated with rhombus patterns all over the body. Both sides of the sword are inlaid with blue glazed patterns.
At this time, steel weapons also appeared on the stage. Perhaps enough knowledge has been accumulated about the forging technology of bronze weapons, or perhaps the technology of folding steel was inherited from the forging of bronze weapons. Experience, in any case, the level of steel weapons of this period was indeed far ahead of the world. Famous sword-making masters such as Ou Yezi, Gan Jiang and others have chained a number of famous swords through the ages: Gan Jiang, Moye, Zhan Lu, Even if the physical objects of Juque, Chungou, Longyuan, Tai'a, Gongbu, and Fish intestines are not preserved, their majestic names still fascinate us; "Wu Yue Chun Qiu" records that Xue Zhu commented on the Chun Gou sword: "The light is as bright as Qu Yang. "The flower is as heavy as a hibiscus growing in the lake, its writing is like the row of stars, and its light is like the overflowing pond of water." In addition, the Tai'a Sword "its majestic wings are like the waves of flowing water" and the Gongbu Sword "the writing is like the endless flow of water." ", as well as: turtle script, manli, stars, overflowing water, ice release, mountains, abyss, water waves, beads, flowing springs, etc., all refer to the folding patterns on the sword. When we see ancient swords Only when you look at the patterns on it can you realize that what the ancients said is true.
In the late Warring States period, the Qin State already used both bronze swords and iron swords. At the same time, the shape of the swords also changed. The length was once increased to about one hundred centimeters. The sword body was long and narrow, and the surface was carefully ground. It has a layer of chromium salt oxide, showing a jet-black luster, which can prevent corrosion and rust. Many long swords unearthed from Qin Tombs in Shaanxi are almost like new ones.
Until the end of the 9th century, Italian bronze sword craftsmanship was still at this level
After steel weapons were officially equipped with troops, because their hardness and toughness were obviously better than bronze, and because of the strength of the cavalry, Used in large quantities, in line with the tactical needs of charging into battle and engaging in battle immediately, there are higher requirements for the strength of weapons. Therefore, by the end of the Western Han Dynasty, steel weapons had almost completely replaced bronze, entering a new era. During these hundreds of years, steel weapons had almost completely replaced bronze. The turn of the year is also the peak of the development of bronze weapons. Regardless of length, hardness, and toughness, they show their final glory on the historical stage.
After the cavalry became the main force of the army, it was followed by changes in tactics and innovations in equipment. Because the cavalry charged so fast, a long sword applied with one hand could still pierce the enemy. , causing heavy damage, but the momentum is powerful enough to pull the cavalry off their horses and into the predicament of being beaten. Therefore, short soldiers on horseback obviously have to pay special attention to their cutting performance, and strong iron weapons are also quite mature. Long swords As a result, it was gradually replaced by the long sword and completely withdrew from the battlefield at the end of the Han Dynasty.
The long swords of this period were often decorated with jade. Thousands of years later, the long swords have decayed, but the jade sword decoration has been cherished by people for its exquisite texture and decoration, and has become an indispensable item in jade. We can say: Although the sword is still in use It has declined on the battlefield, but among the people it has always maintained its status as king.
The highest level of Chinese sword craftsmanship, which is recorded in detail in historical materials, should be the "Hundred Steel Smelting" that appeared in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Hundreds of refining involves repeated heating, folding and forging a hundred times to remove all impurities and finally forge the purest steel. Unfortunately, this kind of technology is too labor-intensive, and it often takes several years to obtain three or five magic weapons. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, during the "An-Shi Rebellion", society was in chaos, and many houses were empty. The technology of steelmaking was gradually lost. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Shen Kuo, a great scientist at that time, once said in the book "Mengxi Bi Tan" that he visited the Cizhou Forge and watched iron-making, and then he came to know the so-called "real steel". He also described a sword at that time: Someone drove ten large nails into a pillar. When he swung the sword, all the nails were cut off, but the edge of the sword was intact. He bent it hard, and the sword body was like a hook, and when it was released, it made a clanging sound. , and as straight as an arrow string.
In the Ming Dynasty, things got worse every time. Qi Jiguang pointed out in "Records of Military Training·Miscellaneous Collection" that the craftsmen at that time refused to sharpen their knives properly. As a result, "the cut was not deep and the blade was bald, which meant it was stubborn."
The Qing Dynasty's Emperor Qianlong attached great importance to civil and martial arts. He especially loved swords. From the 13th to the 22nd year of Qianlong's reign, he spared no effort in manpower and material resources to produce a number of exquisite swords. Due to the emphasis of "Jin Shang", the technology of sword smelting was greatly improved at that time. Patterned steel means hundred steelmaking? Based on the rare sword writings and tomb excavations in China since the Tang Dynasty, it is speculated that the technology of steelmaking may have been lost after the Tang Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty's technology of patterned steel on the buckle sword was probably learned from Japan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and India. The best pattern steel in the world is not in China, and the casting technology of our ancient swords has not been passed down.