In the Southwest Yi region, there are two swords with similar shapes. One is called the shanzi grid copper handle iron sword, and the other is called the Yunnan Western style bronze short sword. Although one of these two swords is a bronze sword and the other is an iron sword, but the shape is very similar, scholars believe that there is an inseparable relationship between the two swords, that is, one of them is developed from the other, and then in layman's terms, these two swords, one is the ancestor, the other is the grandson. So the question is, who is the ancestor? This is debatable.
Some scholars believe that there was the Western Yunnan Sword first, followed by the Shanzi Sword. The reason is what, first, the Southwest Yi region has a copper sword first and then an iron sword, so the possibility that the copper sword is the ancestor is naturally great. Moreover, judging from the excavated cultural relics in the Southwest Yi region, there are still some sword types between the Western Yunnan Sword and the Shanzi Sword, and scholars believe that these sword shapes are the shape of the Western Yunnan Sword before it has developed into the Shanzi Sword.
In addition, Deqin Yongzhi unearthed a short sword, which is rough in craftsmanship, with a pattern similar to the mountain character grid at the base of the blade, and a short stem at the end. According to common sense, when this kind of sword with a sword stem at the end is used, it is necessary to clamp the short stem with two pieces of wood, and then tie the wooden strip tightly with a rope. Some scholars believe that this sword is the ancestor of the Western Yunnan Sword, because his mountain character grid is very similar to the Western Yunnan Sword, and the spiral pattern on the handle of the Western Yunnan Sword is the imitation of the entanglement rope on the handle of this sword. In other words, this view holds that the Western Yunnan Sword has evolved into a mountain character grid sword, and the Western Yunnan Sword also has its own ancestors, and the whole evolution process is very complete, simply perfect. However, some people do not agree with this view, and some scholars believe that the mountain character sword is a sword shape created by the northern steppe peoples, and after it was introduced to the southwest region, the local residents imitated the Western Yunnan style copper sword according to its style.
To say that this mountain character sword, but not only the southwest Yi, Gansu, Ningxia have unearthed the mountain character sword, of which the earliest date of manufacture is not later than the Spring and Autumn Period, and the southwest Yi region of the mountain character sword, the earliest is also a product of the middle of the Warring States period, that is to say, this mountain character grid sword, is likely to be introduced from the north to the southwest Yi. The area where the Shanzi ge sword was unearthed in the north was the control area of Yiqu or Wushi, and these tribes entered the Iron Age much earlier than the Southwest Yi, and according to common sense, the route of cultural dissemination was from the advanced area to the backward area, so the Shanzi sword originated in the north and was later introduced to the southwest.
▲ Southwest Yi copper handle iron sword and embossed bull's head pattern gold sword sheath scholars also believe that the copper handle iron sword mountain grid is a useful component, it is mainly used to clamp the sword blade, to avoid the sword blade loosening, because the copper handle iron sword blade and sword handle are embedded together, objectively speaking, it is easier to loosen. The bronze sword is cast as one, there is no need for a mountain character grid to clamp the sword body, and the reason why the Western Yunnan sword is cast with a mountain character grid is that it is mechanically imitating the shape of the copper handle iron sword. That is to say, the bronze sword is the grandson, and the mountain sword is the ancestor. This kind of statement sounds very reasonable.
▲ The above two views of the mountain-shaped copper handle iron sword handle belong to the speculation of scholars, and it is not easy to say which is closer to the truth, but it can only be said that the reasoning process and evidence of Song's point of view are more solid. The joy of history lies in the infinite possibilities, and to have a firm judgment, one can only wait for enough evidence to emerge before one can conclude the conclusion. This article is the original manuscript of the Cold Weapons Research Institute. The original outline of the editor-in-chief, the author rolling, any media or public account without written authorization may not be reprinted, violators will be investigated for legal responsibility. Some of the image sources are online, if you have copyright questions, please contact us.