Superior Sword Of Goujian: Jian Weapon And Legend Of Immortal With Good Advice

A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com - Goujian's sword, surprisingly rarely mentioned, belongs to the most valuable artifacts of the ancient world. Legends surround this weapon, and one of them tells that this amazing sword helped to restore a defeated state.

The sword is associated with China’s serious conflicts involving power struggles and impressive and long-lasting craftsmanship.

Sword of Goujian. Image credit: Siyuwj - CC BY-SA 4.0

It has survived to modern times and is still in almost perfect condition. The Chinese swords represent two types: the jian and dao. First Jian swords appeared during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC). It is the classic single-handed version of the Jian featured blades that were up to forty-five to eighty centimeters in length, with an average weight of about 1.5 to 2 pounds.

At first, the jians were made from bronze, later shifted to steel and wrought iron. The Jian’s blade often measured around 28 to 46 centimeters in length. By the late, Spring and Autumn Period (771 to 476 BC), the length of the Jians increased and measured around 56 centimeters

The sword of Goujian can still cut a pile of 20 sheets of paper, which is a weapon sharpness test.

Outstanding Casting Of The Sword

The casting of the sword is exceptional. It owes its durability above all to an almost air-tight scabbard, in which this weapon is stored, and to its excellent chemical composition. The sword is made of an alloy of copper, tin, and small amounts of nickel, sulfur, and aluminum.

The proportions vary depending on the place: the copper covering the stem of the weapon gives it hardness; the tin on the edges makes it sharper, while the beautiful floral designs contain sulfur, resistant to the passage of time.

The object in question is the oldest known Jian weapon, a double-edged, one-handed sword, intended only for noble families. In Chinese culture and art, it was often compared with a stick, a saber, and a spear.

Combat using this type of weapon was based primarily on cuts and thrusts, but it was possible to use it in many different ways.

In modern times, the Chinese Jian swords are used for sporting and entertainment purposes.

Origin Of The Sword Was Long Debated

The sword of Goujian is 55.7 centimeters (21.9 in) long with a 4.6-centimeter-wide blade at its base. Its handle is 8.4-centimeters (3.3 in) - long handle.

Each side of the blade is decorated with turquoise and blue crystals. On the blade near the handle, eight seal characters have been translated to:

“The Sword belongs to Goujian, the King of Yue State.”

The sword weighs 875 grams (30.9 oz). The decoration of the sword includes blue crystals and turquoise and a repeating dark rhombi (parallelogram) pattern on both sides of the blade.

Goujian's sword was discovered in October 1965 while working on creating a reservoir on the Zhang River in Jiangling District in Jingzhou Prefecture.  According to experts, the sword belonged to the alleged Chinese leader Goujian (Gou Jian), the King of the Yue State in the Spring and Autumn Period. He ruled the State of Yue in the years 496 - 465 BC and was continuously involved in the wars with the Wu kingdom. Relations between the two states already deteriorated significantly during the reign of his father, Yunchang.

Finally, Goujian was defeated, but he did not give up.

Goujian’s Sword And Legend Of Immortal

In 494 BC, Goujian was captured by the state of Wu and served as a servant to its king for three years before being released. Returning home, Goujian resumed his reign, but it was no easy task.

Surrounded by very experienced politicians as advisers, the king determined to take his revenge. At first, however, he needed powerful weapons.

Hearing of Goujian’s plan, an older man named Ouyezi started trying to make swords but unfortunately failed. One night, he dreamed of an immortal who suggested going to Qinxi Mountain where gems and magic water were available. With this unusual inspiration, Ouyezi cast five rare swords:  Zhanlu, Chunjun, Shengxie, Juque, and Yuchang.

The Sword of Goujian, according to experts and available descriptions, is similar to the one called Chunjun. After ten years of reforms, a significant strengthening of his kingdom, and taking advantage of the external and internal conflicts devastating Wu kingdom, Goujian again joined the war; he still wanted to take revenge, and this time, he was victorious.

Legends say that the famous sword accompanied the ruler at the time of triumph.

Written by – A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

Updated on June 30, 2021

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