The moon hangs in the middle of the open, and the sword illuminates the lotus. - Wu Jun
In the five thousand years of China, in this long river of history, many traces of the past have been ruthlessly destroyed by time. Those traces that have been preserved have become the best medium for people to connect with ancient times, and cultural relics are immortal treasures and the best witness to the growth of the Chinese nation.
The rise of the sword in the era of cold weapons
The sword, as a common weapon in ancient times, has a special significance for China.
Invented in China and officially arising in the Shang Dynasty, the sword in Chinese culture is not only a simple weapon, but also an ornament, a ceremonial instrument and a symbol of status. As the saying goes, the sword is a gentleman in a weapon, and what it expresses is a gentleman's realm of a scholar.
In today's British museum, there is a Han sword in perfect collection, which is the only surviving Han sword in the world.
Chinese sword tools originated in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, when bronze ware was very developed, because of the years of war, the higher the country's requirements for weapons, and the bronze sword became one of the most important weapons.
A good sword, not only sharp and straight, but also unique in design on the sword.
In the Bronze Age, craftsmen would carve a variety of fine patterns on the handles and bodies of swords, which were not much more complicated than later ones.
History is always advancing in the continuous change, the same is true for sword weapons, the era ushered in the iron sword, compared to the bronze sword, the performance of the iron sword is better, but because the iron is easy to rust, this also began to appear in the Warring States period iron sword, but the iron sword of the Han Dynasty is the most famous.
The Han sword can be said to represent the highest level of Chinese sword casting technology and is of landmark significance in history. According to historical records, the "hundred steelmaking" that appeared during the Eastern Han Dynasty explained the maturity of the sword casting process of the Han Dynasty.
After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, the Han Dynasty was established, and the iron smelting industry was in a period of vigorous development, from the early to the middle period, iron has always played a very important role in society, and it can even be said that it is related to the rise and fall of the country.
The rise of the iron smelting industry led to the forging of swords, and the Han Dynasty mastered a variety of advanced iron weapons, and the swords tempered were wear-resistant, well-lubricated, and sharp.
Among them is the sword that has been well preserved to this day.
The biggest feature of the Han Dynasty sword is not only that it completely replaced the bronze sword of the Qin Dynasty, but also because it is a steel sword, the extension of the sword becomes stronger, so the sword body becomes narrower and longer, and the sword blade is sharper.
When casting, pig iron needs to be repeatedly heated, then folded and forged hundreds of times, all the impurities in it are discharged, and finally the purest iron sword is obtained, which can be described as a real "good work exercise for several years".
In addition, people are also very careful in the decoration of the sword scabbard, the color collocation is pleasing to the eye, the pattern is exquisite and exquisite, through the observation of the existing Han sword, you can also clearly feel the exquisite craftsmanship contained in it and the unique wisdom of the ancients.
Every weapon represents an attitude, and so does the Han Sword. The Chinese sword has always represented integrity and justice, especially for sword bearers. The Han sword is straight, the blade is sharp, the sheath is simple and unpretentious, and the sheath is sharp.
A sword contains the attitude and style of the sword holder, and the Han sword can be said to be a representative of Chinese Confucian culture, exuding a humble and gentle temperament from the inside out.
From its beginnings as a personal self-defense weapon, to its later evolution into a melee combat weapon, the sword has undergone tremendous changes in both status and strength. Therefore, the actual combat ability of the Han Sword has also been enhanced, and it has since become an important fighting weapon.
The swords, now displayed in the British Museum, can reach a total length of up to 85 cm. Although it has endured more than 2,000 years of wind and rain, this sword appearance has remained perfect. The armor, sheath handle and lacquer are almost completely untouched, and the best preserved Han iron sword has survived so far. The scabbard and handle are made of bamboo. The head, the pickaxe, the barn, and the hammer are exaggerated, exquisitely carved, and the ornamentation is impressive. These four exquisite pieces of extremely rare armor are completely carved from wood, and this Han sword is completely consistent with the records of the Book of Han, and it is also the only known example of a sword, which is extremely precious and is definitely a national treasure.
Leave a message in the lower right corner and see which cold weapon you like!