[Peter Bosman]

Ah , small wonder I did not get your wobbly point then

Back on the thread of rigidity and fullers (which does address blade types) in jians I suspect the most common jian blade design represenst the formost importance of a sword not breaking.

The very informative and interesting myArmoury feature article on blade metallurgy comments on this too.

peter

[Bennison N]

Kenneth,

I have a Han Jian, 32000 layer Sanmai, 80cm blade, 23cm handle, in black rayskin with iron fittings. It is my pride and joy, and has won a lot of matches in China, Korea and Japan. I courier it to myself... Right now it is in my parent's safe, as my girlfriend has demanded I do not travel to match, and only match with wood for a while. I told her I hurt my foot on Berry Sione's unstable staircase, not his mujian...

I also intend to get another Han Jian from Masterforge, 4000 layer twistcore, the same proportions, but with both handle and scabbard wrapped in white rayskin with green jade fittings. I have the proforma invoice for this work already, but haven't made a payment yet. I intend the two to make a set. Han Jian are my duelling blade type, I discovered that long ago. I originally purchased the one I have now because I thought Han Dynasty decoration was pretty... I consider every other jian I own or have owned to be disposable by comparison. The only sword of equal sentimental value to me is my 1804 Suishinshi Masahide 1st Generation Katana.

But my special (expensive) non-historical over-sized replica of a Spring and Autumn Period sword from Jot Singh Khalsa comes first. He has already been very patient with me over my design decisions and the wait for me gathering the funds so my girlfriend won't see it... And me convincing my American family members (Detroit on my Mum's side...) to watch the finished product until I come to fetch it personally.

I do like the waisted blades... I had already discussed that with the smithie. I also wanted very good steel, possibly pattern welded, with a pattern over the top, possibly tortoise shell, as I imagine the Ganjiang Yang sword. I also wanted my personal symbol etched on the blade. The hilt, handle and pommel was to be carved, in my understanding, from a piece of green jade. The pommel is simply to assist with the tang in the handle, and was not to be obvious at first glance.

I will look into the Qin and East Zhou examples, but I wanted a Spring and Autumn Period design because I am in love with the Hubei Museum Gou Jian sword. I've jokingly tried to figure ways to steal it every time I've been there. (The one found in 1965.) I'd base it on the Taia (Tai'e) sword if I knew what it really looked like...

[Peter Bosman]

My antique Long Yin jian should arrive in 2-3 days. Should as it usually takes abit longer to get up here and since it is Semana Santa (Holy Week) next week, I will be lucky to have it NEXT weekend

Anyway, step one nearly taken.



Better fotos when I have it here.

Peter

[Peter Bosman]

Just like I expected it arrived first thing AFTER Semana Santa

Before the morning coffee there was the bronze knocker sounded hesitantly on the door: the local courier had left his van at the pilars at the entry and had walked up the path: yep the sword!!!!!!

Out with the navaja and very carefully removed the packaging material that came in very handy as the stove needed a new log and some easily ig ited material helps that underway.

The sword is..... authentic. It has a whole life of patina and is less 'restored' than I expected.

The overall length is 96 cm., the blade is 75 and it weight 785 grammes.
The construction is tight and the tang peened cleenly and unobtrusively into the pommel.

The hilt is impressive: the extremely tight winding has fused over time to look almost like pressure moulded plastic although it clearly is old organic binding.
The fittings are probably cast but do not show any trace of this and the carving is nicely deep and elegant. The bronze has not been overly cleaned and although there are traces of cleaner retaines a dark patina.

The blade is.... something to get accustomed to.
It is quite thin and thus not rigid yet less flexible than it 'should' be becuase of the very nice geometry. The sanmai blade is very resilliant with the small bronze inlays very close to the centre: they are there but obviously not at flashy ornamentation.
I will need to do the measuring but quick and dirty the p.o.b. is about 5" from the hilt and the c.o.p. appears to be nearer 3/4 than 2/3 up the blade.
It feels 'heavier' than it is yet can be moved unexpectedly easy, surprisingly lively. It feels quite serious.

It has not been sharpened for quite some time and the cutting edge has the same patina as the rest of theblade apart from some difference to the sanmai construction. It still holds enough edge to unintentially cut through the bubble wrap that protected it.

I like it

My wife thinks I should leave it as it is but there are some old fingermarks on the blade that need attention. I guess I will have to think a bit about the least intrusive approach.

peter

peter

The condition of the blade is 'well used'. It has been straightened and resharpened yet has no deep nicks.

[Peter Bosman]

I took the sword to taichi lessons and the teacher when lyrical
He was not so much impressed with the looks as with the handling: he was SPEECHLESS at first and then could not stop
The guy is GOOD and it realy amazes me how many advanced taichi practicioners have never handled an authentic blade.
I mean, this man LIVES taichi, it is what he does. He does hardly think of anything else and even then it is usually in the light or context of taichi yet he never thought of buying a blade that would complement his effort in sword forms

Meanwhile the skin of this

pig which I stripped off at the matanza is nearly ready. I have tanned it to retain the red coppery hairs and it is nearly dry: quite heavy work on the fingers and pectorals to 'break' and stretch it. I think it will be ready in two days drying/stretching more. I plan to cut a strip to dress a sheeth for the jian with.

I do not see too much of a problem in making the wood core (I already have the wood cut in the correct dimension and halved) but the rather thick pig skin will make blind stitching impossible so I am still thinking about that.
I am still hoping to source bronze jian scabbard fittings but if that prooves too difficult will think of something complementing the binding of the hilt. Thus any source suggestions are wellcome!

I have tried to make a tracing of the design of the carving in the pommel as I cannot figure out what is is or depicts but that did not shed any light on it either.
I will try to make a foto of it. Sofar the contrast is insufficient. Tomorrow I will try outside with a low evening sun from the side.

peter

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Thomas Watt]

Congratulations on the receipt of your fine purchase!

As to the treatment... I belong to the school of "do no harm" and subscribe to the notion that treating the sword, cleaning or otherwise making any "improvements" should only address things that may cause harm to the sword if left unattended.
I can understand your response to the fingerprints... but are you sure they are not the fingerprints of the original owner? Perhaps even a famous warrior?
I just like to move cautiously with something old when it comes to doing something that cannot be undone.

[Peter Bosman]

[Peter Bosman]

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Bennison N]

[Peter Bosman]

[Peter Bosman]

Back to the jian I have figured out what the engravings depict:
- On either side the pommel has a traditional chinese horned dragon with a curled body.
- The ferrule has the same type of dragon stretched out with the two on either side 'chasing' eachother.
- There is no other thematic element; only the dragons.

Same dragon thing the guard which is the head of a hornless dragon with the blade coming from it's open mouth. The latter may represent the HuangLong which is associated with the chinese emperor.
I am not sure if the mouth has tusks yet. Those would make it something else, but not a typical HuangLong. There is a small rectangular 'lip' markedly protruding from the mid of the upper lip which is very much intentional. I cannot yet place either what is represents, nor what it means.
Maybe a little gentle grime removal will add information but I am not ready to do this yet. The first step is to take pictures as is.

What is clear is that it is an all-dragon sword with NO other theme or signs.

Bennison, what do you know about the 'seventh dragon son', the Yazi?

peter

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Bennison N]

睚眥, Yazi, the Seventh Dragon son, likes to fight and finds pleasure in killing. That is why he has become the totem and symbol of the Nine Dragon Children most found on weapons. His prize has apparently never been touched by another (living, he kills them...) soul. I have more notes, please give me a day or so to dig them up...

Interestingly, you have described your sword dragon as being hornless. That could possibly make him/her from one of the classes of Dragon known as Jiao or Li Long. (Please advise as to whether there is tusks, and if possible, how many toes the dragon has.) Jiao Long are sometimes said to be female (and evil), Li are the yellow-coloured Jiao... We know the significance of yellow. This is interesting, as generally the female of the higher classes are Fong, or Phoenix, the Fire Bird. Hence the traditional depictions of Long and Fong at Chinese weddings. You also said previously, although I may not remember properly, that your Jian was a Yin Jian, making it likely you have a female sword... Very good. Yin is the Dark. A swordsman of the light (nothing you have ever said has led me to believe otherwise...) with a sword of the dark is a very good omen. Balance, you see?

It seems, that with your question about Yazi, and your Yin, possibly Jiao Jian, that you have a very powerful (and somewhat arcane) weapon there, mate. It seems more and more likely (to me, anyway...) that the offending fingerprints may very well be the lingering souvenir of a death by your Jian. I don't know what you paid, but it was a good deal. If you ever feel the need to sell it...

Personally, I would never use this Jian in a match or fight, unless your life is threatened. As we know, a good sword makes a good swordsman near invincible. Who knows what a sword with so much (possibly) dark and/or powerful imagery can do for a student... Your teacher sounds like he may have become sensitive to Qi... Ask him if he feels anything from your sword. Even the enjoyment felt by all (even those opposed to violence) at the mere use of the sword may be a sign.

I know this sounds like a rant of Taoist superstition, but these traditions don't survive this long, Lao Zi (Lao Tzu) having lived at roughly the same time as Kong Zi (Confucius), 400 or so BCE, by being TOTAL nonsense...

On a lighter note, my Taiji Jianshu (originally, I have modified it after using it in matches, I still, of course, know the original form...) is of Chen origin... It is not THAT different from Yang, just a little more adaptable to combat.

Symbolically speaking, it won't change your path or destination at all, merely your method of travel. It's about intention...

[Bennison N]

A bit more about Yazi... Not much unfortunately, but I have yet to find the box containing the book containing the information about the Nine Dragon Sons.

Yazi, as said before, is the most warlike and fearsome of all the Nine Sons. He always has a very intense, somewhat hateful scowl on his face. When depicted on weapons, he almost always has his mouth against the blade (sometimes it's his tongue) or business area of said weapon (I've also seen a pair of short Axes (they use them in advanced Monkey Fist), and he may also be on an extremely heavy Guan Dao (I'd estimate 20kg) I've held). His visage represents increased ability and morale of combatants, and of course victory. He is put on weapons as a supposed sign that the warrior carrying him will prevail.

In truth, if I remember correctly, Yazi is a heartless and bloodthirsty killer, and capable of the massacre of any living being on the planet if provoked. No fear, no conscience, no nonsense. He was never tamed, like so many other Dragons were (some people say that the nine sons weren't actually real dragons), and touching his prized possession (all dragons have one) was said to be a form of suicide. That's why he's the patron son of fighting and battle... He symbolizes the ability of Man to kill.

That's all I have for now...

[Peter Bosman]

Thanks for the info and yes you can use all the time you need to dig up some more.

As perception is reality a sword that feel right, menacing, weightless, whatever will BE like this for the owner, transmitting/'transforming' it into fact for the one handling it. It may be in the mind but the effect is just a real. If the swordsman thinks his sword gives special courage, it does

This sword feels instantly 'potentially lethal'. This is what my teacher also inmediately felt and used in the lesson to explain that taichi is not a form of psychadelic aerobics but potentially dangerous. It was actually very funny as he was notceably reluctant to let go of it and actually said he WANTED it.
This sword may be very elegant and light, it leaves no doubt about what it is when you grip it.

I have taken 'waterproof' on a block to the blade and needed to discard the block and change to 1500 grade to make an impression on the small areas of appearantly christallized oxidation.
With a very light rub using broken in paper and ample oil I VERY lightly reduced the most active bits.
The fingerprints are now faint black residu.
The whole blade presents a more homogenous appearance now and I will not touch it any further; the blade is now dark grey with black accents with the bronze dots standing out more noticeably.
The sanmai construction is more visible although without etching not appearant to the layman unless pointed out.
The point markedly had the most christalisation and I have not cut down to the metal so it still showes the most blackened surface.

Ok, take this point. It was the only part of the blad that had christallisation instead of just oxidation. THAT is fact and going beyond this obviously treading the realm of fiction
I would however not be surprised if the type of 'erosion' is linked to organic fluid residu: the stuff that showes up under luminant light even after cleaning
The geometry of the point is something that surprises me a bit as there is so much metal behind the tip and cutting edge.
The blade has very subtle taper and distal taper and the last 2 cm. of the blade changes rather brusquely into a fairly acute point while retaining the central thickness.
The actual edge is as the rest of the blade but the tip has more metal directly behind it and will be VERY resistant to damage. This thing is designed with a tip meant to cut and trust and the cutting with the tip is very much in line with sword effectiveness.

The black in/on the bronze fittings is very hard. I have removed the pollish residu and could dissolve some of the black but any more would require abrasive and I stop at that.
The pommel and ferrule now show the dragins quite clearly and the ones one the pommel have 5 toes.
The two dragons on the ferrule do not follow eachother like I wrote earlier but are facing eachother.

No tusks on the four dragons nor on the guard monster.

About the monster head forming the guard I am still in a muddle: It looks most like an angry demon and the protrusion I mentioned are it's nostrils and yes the blade comes from his mount. The mouth being the hollow guard in which the scabbard enters several centimetres. Very much the way you describe a yazi.
I will try to take a foto with contrasting light.

As I write this it seems rather silly to myself but the carvings are so stylised that it is not at all obvious to figure out what you are looking without knowledge of the subject and I am no expert

peter

[Bennison N]

5 toes are Imperial Dragons.

Full frontal Dragon faces are Imperial as well. Lower classes only get profiles.

Yazi has horn-like protuberances that seem to grow back along his head from his eyelids. I've seen Qing Dynasty Jian dragons with tusks, I believe they may be Jiao Long representations. In both cases, the pommel had a yin yang with ba gua on it. They were both in the same rack in the Hall of the 3 Masters at Huanglong Guguan in Guangdong Province. It seemed to me that they hadn't been used for some time, but somebody had been taking good care of them. They were very short. I passed this off at the time as Guangdong residents, or Southern Chinese in general, being smaller in stature by comparison to the North. In retrospect, it may just have been a style of jian, or intended for women.

Only the tip has organic matter on it? So it wasn't a run-through, it was short and quick. Might be your sword was previously owned by someone with some skill.

Don't discount Taoist mythology... They are most definitely the undisputed champions of everything to do with Chinese Jian. Chinese Muslims did not use Jian as a rule, and Buddhists are forbidden to kill. The sword has only one true purpose...

[Peter Bosman]

[Peter Bosman]

Sorry for the blurryness: the camera was working hard in the striking light of the setting sun which makes all the relief very 'hard' but at least clearly accentuated.

Hope it is clear nonetheless.
The unforgiving light showed still some active oxidation. I was very carefull with the friction so will just have to give the blade another very light wipe. Better this way than too much.

peter