The Bronze Swords Living Through the Ages
Other than casting sacrificial bronze sculptures, the bronze is also the primary metal to produce the weapons. The presently known earliest bronze weapon is a sword unearthed in Gansu, dating back to 4800 years ago. In all the bronze weapons, the bronze sword is hold in esteem and together is many touching stories and legends handed down and have been talked with interest until now. The technique to cast sword in Wu state of the Spring and Autumn period has reached the peak of perfection. The celebrated sword casters are Gan Jiang, Mo Ye, Ou Yezi, ect. The noted sword, one kind of bronze sculptures have Yu Chang, Chun Jun, Sheng Ye, Zhan Lu, Ju Que, Pan Ying and so on.
Speaking of the bronze sword, the best known bronze sword among the collections in the Chinese museums should be the Goujian (King of Yue state) sword dug out in the noble tombs of the Spring and Autumn period in Wang mountain, Jiangling, Hubei in December 1965. It is placed in a black lacquered scabbard with a whole 55.6 cm length. The body of the sword is 45.6 cm long and the handguard is 5 cm wide. This sword, a bronze sculpture fits closely to the scabbard. When it is drawn out, it sends cold and magnificent light. More importantly, the sword has not a bit aerugo but totally hard-edged. The blade is covered with black dark crinkles while the back and front side of the handguard are respectively inlaid with blue glaze and turquoise and the hilt wrapped by silkworm. Experts agree on that this bronze, the Goujian sowrd has arrived at the highest peakedness in the midst of Chinese ancient swords.
In October 1995, the famed archaeologist Ma Chengyuan through the favor of his friends bought back a bronze sword Yue Wang Zhe Zhi Yu Shang in Chinese by a miracle. Despite the distance of 2400 years, it is still intact, and not rusty. Blade is as glossy as new, shining and flashing. The whole sword is 52.4 cm long. The double edges curve and narrow near the joints with a raised line as the ridge. The hand guard is made to be concave shape. The handle is solid and becomes thick toward the tip, ending in a trumpet form. Two protruding hoops on the handle are coated with fine and deformed kui dragon pattern. On both sides of the hilt are eight words. Between the Chinese characters are embedded with turquoises, some of which has fallen off. The hilt is wound by silkworm. This bronze statue is also attached with undamaged lacquered scabbard.
Professor Ma Chengyuan thought that only the Goujian sword among the thousands of pieces of swords can be on a par with it. This sword can be ranked as the two superb bronze in the midst of the swords of Yue, known as the priceless national preciousness. According to scientific measurement, the main ingredients of the Goujian sword and the one in question are chinese bronze and tin, also s a small amount of lead, iron, nickel and sulfur. The black diamond patterns on the blade are the vulcanized result. The level of the accurate grinding technique adopted by the sword blade can compare favorably with the products made by the accurate grinding machine. These bronze dragon swords, the past artworks of bronze sculptures have fully manifested the superb skill of the Chinese ancient craftsmen.
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