中国剑文化：千年历史 从武化文 Chinese swords : A thousand-year history from a weapon to culture
One night, about 850 years ago, famous strategist and writer Xin Qiji wrote a heroic poem, “When I am drunk, I look at my sword. In my dream, I blow a corner and camp.” Due to the dispute between the state parties, he was neglected by the emperor. He lived with no official position and power in Xinzhou, now Shangrao, Jiangxi Province. He could only often gaze at the sword that carried his heroic and patriotic aspiration and recalled the bravery in numerous battles the past years.
Throughout history, Chinese sword culture emerged and gradually enriched with time.
The sword is known as the “ancestor of short weapons.” Chinese swordstook shape in the Shang Dynasty. Until China’s Spring and Autumn Period, the sword remained the mainstream weapons on the battlefield. By the end of the Warring States Period, the improvement of smelting technology and constant “trial and error” of the cold weapon war took place. From there, the sword with a broad killing range gradually replaced the position of the sword.
The sword was a symbol of power and dignity, used by ancient kings and nobles. They often presented swords as a form of friendship. In the Spring and Autumn Period, Ji Zha of State Wu , as an envoy , visited Lu via the State of Xu. The king of state Xu fell in love with Ji Zha’s sword. However, it was hard to ask for it. Ji Zha decided to gift the sword to him. But when he returned, the king of state Xu was dead. To fulfill his promise, Ji Zha hung his sword on the tree in front of the king’s tomb. Ji Zha’s story later represented a gentleman’s trustworthiness.
In the Spring and Autumn period, an oriental version of the legend of “King Arthur and the sword set in stone” bloomed in China. The famous sword “Zhanlu” was exiled to the state of Wu after the defeat of the state of Yue. But the tyranny of King Wu made the sword Zhanlu fly to the great king of Chu. From then on, the Zhanlu sword became the symbol of justice and benevolence. It is the most mentioned and praised sword in all dynasties’ poems and articles.
In the Han Dynasty, swordsmanship culture among the literate gradually rose. They wore and danced to swords, and this showed their proficiency in literature and martial arts. It also showed their political integrity and talent. This phenomenon embodied the social values of the Chinese nation in that era. The swordsman Rangers gave the sword a unique, social significance. Jia Dao, a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote, “sharpening a sword in ten years…and eliminate injustice with the sword” . The sword became the spiritual carrier of justice and bravery, the Chinese’ people’s interpretation of the heroic spirit. History enriched sword culture. It endowed it with many connotations such as bravery, freedom, self-cultivation, and fairness. This became a unique cultural phenomenon in China.
In modern times, sword culture, as a part of Chinese traditional martial arts, faces the challenge of weak inheritance. In recent years, the rise of Chinese traditional culture ushered the new dawn of sword culture. As one of the Chinese nation’s traditional “brands,” sword culture plays a role in strengthening physical fitness and promoting virtue. 来源：中国网 长按识别二维码可关注该微信公众平台