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J. Erb
Location: Pennsylvania, USA Joined: 03 Apr 2007
Posts: 61
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 Posted: Wed 20 Jun, 2007 8:03 am Post subject: The Jian |
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I've been doing a bit of research on the Chinese jian, as I think it seems like a nice little sword. I recall seeing something posted here not too long ago about a 'contemporary sword' someone had made, styled after the jian, but I was wondering: does anybody happen to know anything interesting about jians (if that's the correct plural  ), or have any personal experience with them? Just asking.
Thanks!
"What greater weapon is there than to turn an enemy to your cause, to use their own knowledge against them?"
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John Cooksey
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| Posted: Wed 20 Jun, 2007 10:59 am Post subject: Here's a good place to start . . . |
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http://thomaschen.freewebspace.com/
I have always found Thomas Chen's page to be enormously informative, regarding historical development of jian and other Chinese blades.
I didn't surrender, but they took my horse and made him surrender.
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Jean Henri Chandler
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| Posted: Wed 20 Jun, 2007 11:05 am Post subject: |
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Yeah that is a really good page, it's too bad he can't get on a better hosting site somewhere. It's a little hard to navigate around but there is some really well researched information there and some beautiful photos, particularly of some of the dao.
J
Books and games on Medieval Europe Codex Integrum
Codex Guide to the Medieval Baltic Now available in print
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Chris Lampe
Location: United States Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 211
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| Posted: Wed 20 Jun, 2007 12:00 pm Post subject: |
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"Jian" is simply the Mandarin word for "sword" (Gim is the Cantonese word) and it always refers to a double-edged weapon. Most of the jian available for study are from the Qing dynasty period (1644-1911) but there are a few from the Ming dynasty
(1368-1644) still around. Scott Rodell, THE source for antique Chinese weapons, has stated that there is no appreciable difference in size, weight, handling, etc... in the Qing and Ming jian. There are some differences in styles of fittings and possibly in the shape of the tip. Other than that, the Chinese jian changed very little over the course of some 650 years.
The jian seems to have fallen out of military issue sometime in the Ming dynasty and after that period was solely a sidearm primarily for nobility, high ranking officers and daoist priests. The jian has a significant importance in daoism.
All of this information has been learned from various sources including Scott Rodell, Philip Tom, SFI, GRTC and a few other people/locations.
I owned an antique jian and it was very sweet sword. The blade was flattened-diamond in cross-section and extremely stiff. The blade length was a bit shy of 28", the point of balance was 7.5" down the blade and the whole sword weighed 1.75 lbs with a 6.5" handle. This is very representative of Chinese jian.
The modern interpretation you mentioned was by Peter Johnson who designs all of Albion's swords. His version was quite beautiful and seemed to me to combine a blade form of the Ming/Qing dynasty era with the hilt fittings of earlier dynasties.
Here is a photo of the antique I owned:
and another:
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J. Erb
Location: Pennsylvania, USA Joined: 03 Apr 2007
Posts: 61
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| Posted: Wed 20 Jun, 2007 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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Very ineresting and informative, as always.
Many thanks! 
"What greater weapon is there than to turn an enemy to your cause, to use their own knowledge against them?"
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Martin Forrester
Location: Huddersfield Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 42
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| Posted: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 5:08 am Post subject: |
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My apologies if this is seen as boosting a 'rival' forum but this is where I turn for chinese sword info
http://forums.swordforum.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=17
Moderators, feel free to kill this post if it offends.
Oh, lets just pull out our swords and start whacking at each other, that'll solve everything!
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Chris Lampe
Location: United States Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 211
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| Posted: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 5:24 am Post subject: |
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I would add that the Chinese forum at SFI was split several months ago and combined with other styles of swords and swordsmanship. This means there haven't been any new posts on the old forum for some time. If you follow Martin's link and scroll down to "Display Options" and change the display options from "last day" to "from beginning" you'll get a goldmine of information.
Martin,
Thanks for posting this link! I hadn't realized the old Chinese forum was archived and accessible. It's a great resource! [/b]
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This is a standard topic