History of Sword

As one of the most common weapons in ancient China, the history ofsword can be traced back to Chinese Bronze Age (more than 3000 years ago). The most eminent bronze sword is the Sword of Gou-jian, which belonged to the King Gou-jian (??? �? 465 B.C.) of Yue Kingdom. This Sword was unearthed in 1965 and created a stir in the world. Because after being stored in water for more than 2400 years it was still bright, without rust, andcapable of cutting through cardboard!

Much later, during a period of war (475 B.C. �? 221 B.C.), armor and shields became too strong for the bronze sword, and steel weapons began being made.

The Han Dynasty (202 B.C. �? 220 A.D.) forced the development of cavalry, due to unrelenting invasions from the North. Curved blades were found to be more suitable for cavalry, as straight edged swords could break during impact or even jar the riders arm when striking at speed. Straight swords became obsolete and were gradually phased out.

However, the meaning and symbolism of swords became legendary. Emperors, nobles, and errants chose swords as their weapons.