The Zhan Guo Ce (a book about as the Strategies of the Warring States) mentions of Han made the best weapons, capable of cleaving through the strongest armor, shields, leather boots and helmets.
Archaeological findings show that a Han Jian in the ancient times measured around 86 to 114 cm in total length. The longest archaeological Han Sword ever found was 146 cm in total length.
With respect to ancient martial arts forge traditions we showcase this particular hand-forged Tai Chi Han Jian in our Wudang-Store, a replica hand-made up to old standards.
The jian was mentioned as one of the “Five Weapons” during the Han dynasty. The sword was a popular weapon during the Han era and there emerged a class of swordsmen who made their living through fencing, it was a popular pastime for aristocrats as well. The han jian was called the “horse beheading sword” so called because it was supposedly able to cut off a horse’s head. On the other side some historical sources say that it was an execution tool used on special occasions rather than a military weapon.
During the Han Dynasty very high popularity found Daos with ring pommels, they also became widespread as a cavalry weapon during that era. The Chinese Dao had the advantage in contrast to the Jian of being single edged, which meant the dull side could be thickened to strengthen the saber, making it less prone to breaking. When paired with a shield, the dao made for a practical replacement for the jian, hence it became the more popular choice as time went on. After the Han Dynasty, sword dances using the dao rather than the jian are mentioned to have occurred. During the Han Dynasty the very first single-edged weapon was created, it was the founding of the Chinese Saber – the Dao.
We introduce more than 100 pieces of Hand-Forged Tai Chi Swords by Master Huang located in Wudangshan and by other Masters all over China. Subscribe to our Wudang Blog for more interesting facts about Chinese Culture, Wudang and Martial Arts.
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