Who knows the real data of ancient Chinese battlefield swords?

In ancient China, a wide range of various types of weapons, the sword has the longest history, in 1961 from the Hebei Qinglong and other places in the Shang tombs unearthed in the Tongjian, it has been proved that more than 3,000 years ago, and from the Majiayao and Mafang cultural sites in Gansu unearthed the copper knife, the time is more distant, almost 5,000 years ago from the present is the earliest bronze found in China.

Early swords and knives due to the size of the body are very small (length are between 20 and 40 centimeters), generally can only be carried for self-defense and body protection, or sometimes used as a daily life utensils and repair tools (mainly knives). Zhou Dynasty, the development of the sword is very rapid, the Qin and Han Dynasties, most of the length of the sword have been about one meter, and in the casting technology, processing technology and other aspects of the perfect realm, the sword at this time has become in addition to go, halberd and other long weapons other than the main weapon. But the knife is not valued at this time, because in this period of unearthed artifacts, the knife is extremely rare, until the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, the invention of the iron ring head knife to change this phenomenon. Ring head knife both in ware? #124; and length can be comparable to the bronze sword or beyond it. After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the knife became very popular, although until the Qing Dynasty, the sword as a common weapon still exists, but its popularity has been far less than the knife (and this does not include those belonging to the long-handled weapon of the big knife, only refers to the knife).

The difference between the knife and sword, the most basic feature is to see the double-edged or single-edged, general knife is single-edged, while the sword is double-edged, but there will be some special exceptions. Such as from the appearance of the Shang Dynasty, the knife body slightly curved, the tip of the knife up, the sword body are relatively straight. Two Han, Wei Jin North and South period of the sword, the body is all straight, into the sheath is difficult to distinguish. After the Sui and Tang dynasties, swords and knives gradually restored the characteristics of the Shang Dynasty, until the modern era has not undergone new changes.

Sword in ancient times why the use of both long and common, not only because it is easy to carry weapons, but also because it is a feudal bureaucrats, the scholarly community status, identity symbols, "the positive to" said: "Spring and Autumn officials each get to bring the sword." The Book of Jin? The system of public transportation and clothing", "the Han system from the Son of Heaven to the hundred officials, all do not wear a sword, and then only the dynasty with a sword. The "Shuo Wen" also recorded that "in ancient times, the son of heaven twenty and crown with a sword, the vassal thirty and crown with a sword, the great doctor forty and crown with a sword, the subordinate shall not be crowned, the common people have something to do with the sword, no matter shall not be with a sword" (here, something, should refer to the war). And with the sword in length and weight, are due to wear the person's title high and low and different, "body long five of its stem long, heavy nine (ancient unit of measurement, about six two), said on the system, on the sergeant's service; body long four of its stem long, heavy seven (Hundredths of a unit of weight), said in the system, the sergeant's service; body long three of its stem long, heavy five (Hundredths of a unit of weight), said that under the system, under the sergeant's service. " ("Coworker's Record") sword not only in the length, weight, there are grades of points, but also in the manufacturing, processing and decoration aspects of the selection of materials, materials, craftsmanship on the fine degree of disparity is also very large, many unearthed copper, iron sword passes on the body below the fine carving, inlaid gold inlaid with jade, so that a murderer has become a beautiful, beautiful, valuable art treasure, which is to show off the user's illustrious identity.

Sword with knife in the long process of historical development has produced a lot of different styles, these styles generally have a strong regional and national cultural characteristics. Different styles in the same region, often also form a system. At the same time, different styles of swords, because of the characteristics of the artifact itself and different nationalities and clothing habits and preferences, will produce a variety of different ways to wear. If we compare and contrast the differences and similarities between the typical styles of these belts and swords in each system, we can find a lot of mutual influence and mutual penetration. Some wear method and style also spread to foreign countries, for other nationalities accepted,? #092;Use, with this hearing, but also the introduction of the absorption of Eurasia and other places in this area of advanced methods and styles, this internal and external exchanges, in various historical periods has been continuous.

One, the Western Zhou to the Western Han pre-sword type

Pre-Qin period, China's weapons are generally cast in bronze, although according to the unearthed objects show that there are a small number of jade and jade weapons in the late Yin Shang, but these weapons are no traces of the use of the phenomenon of the articulation of the copper and jade is very easy to come off the analysis of the phenomenon, it is likely to be a number of ritual rituals with rituals, rather than a real combat weapon, the actual combat with the copper weapons, especially the copper weapons, the copper weapon. are copper weapons, especially the sword. A huge number of unearthed objects confirm that the history of bronze sword casting has been to continue to the pre-Han period, although iron in the late Western Zhou Dynasty has been introduced, but from the Terracotta Warriors and horses of the first Qin Emperor pit and the pre-Han period of tombs unearthed in the vast majority of the bronze sword, it can be said that in this long period of history, is the bronze sword reigns supreme. According to the physical objects unearthed all over the country, summarizing and analyzing their lengths, appearance characteristics, decorative patterns and floral features, they can basically be divided into several systems as follows.

Central Plains system

Chinese history of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River region customarily known as the Central Plains, the scope of the big finger including Hitchcock's Henan, Shan? #124; and the regions of Shanxi and Shaanxi, which in ancient times were the main settlements of the Han nationality. In these areas within the excavation of a large number of bronze sword, have different from the Yin Shang period of the northern steppe nomadic people popular features, the academic community as the ancient sword of the Central Plains. The ancient swords of the Central Plains began in the Western Zhou Dynasty, with the original shape of straight body, flat stem and sharp edge, no sword grid between the stem and the body, and the hilt needs to be installed separately. Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, this kind of sword began to change, tartar chaff paper Y structure is becoming more reasonable and perfect, and gradually formed a round head and round stem, stem sometimes have a hoop (hoop is in order to facilitate in the hilt wrapped silk rope, grip more comfortable and favorable), stem and body between the sword grid, the sword body is straight and in the middle of the ridge, the sword body of the cross-section of the flat triangular, the blade of the round tip of the standard is Yang. This kind of sword of another kind of style is maintained in the western Zhou Dynasty flat stem without the characteristics of the grid, the front part of the sword body some also slightly thin, the sword spine sometimes appear two or three, the sword section for the flattened or rhombus, with this kind of sword often also unearthed at the same time a lot of beautifully carved jade products, after research and restoration, all the sword and scabbard decorations, this kind of jade parts for decorative swords known as the sword of the jade, in the han dynasty is very prosperous. Most of the jade swords are still bronze swords, and a few of them are iron swords or copper-handled iron swords.

The Central Plains system, in the process of its formation, may have been influenced by the northern system and the ? #124; the influence of the sword type in the south. After it was finalized, it in turn influenced the changes in sword styles in the southwest and the above regions.

Northern System

The bronze swords of the northern system were distributed in quite a wide area, in the present day from Hebei in the south to Jilin in the north, ? #124; from ? #124;? #124; Peninsula, west to Inner Mongolia and northern Shanxi and other regions have belonged to this type of excavated objects. This system of swords within the more varied, in accordance with the appearance of the characteristics of the differences are more significant, can be divided into three major types, each large-scale can be divided into several types or several sub-types.

Type 1: the curved hilt sword. The body of the sword is straight, the middle ridge, curved hilt, most of the hilt decorated with geometric patterns, the head of the hilt for sheep, horses and other animal heads, the lower part of the animal head generally have a ring, the hilt and the body of the sword, sometimes on one side, sometimes on both sides of the protruding teeth, as the sword as a grid. This type of sword in kind is very little, according to the same time, other excavated bronzes, decoration, type of speculation, its age can be as early as the late Shang Dynasty, this sword may be the earliest sword in Chinese history, from the horse, sheep and other animal heads for decoration characteristics of the analysis, basically can be determined to be the northwestern steppe nomads of the goods.

Type 2: willow leaf sword. With its sword body shaped like a willow leaf and named, the blade is straight, the ridge in the ridge, the section of the sword body is flat long diamond-shaped, the same as the crank sword, the sword body, head, stem are cast at once. According to the characteristics of the sword head and stem, the willow leaf sword can be divided into two types of branches.

Type A: between the sword body and the stem has two pointed flared denticles, denticles even on both sides of the blade are notched, the sword stem is flat, some have grooves in the middle of the stem, the head of the stem for the birds and beasts, mushrooms, comb teeth, three snakes and other shapes, the stem decorated with jagged, rounded square, animals, animal, kui dragons, and other patterns. The first two types of patterns on the stems are the most common, and the latter two only appear on very few swords.

Type B: Between the blade and the stem, there is a more obvious sword lattice projecting to both sides, the lattice is in the shape of rectangular, oval, half-moon, bird and animal heads, etc., and the stem head is in the shape of oval, double rings, animal faces, etc.

Willow leaf sword in the A type of most excavated in Inner Mongolia Ningcheng, Beijing Changping, Fangshan area, the age of the Western Zhou Dynasty into the early Spring and Autumn period. B type in the forties from the Inner Mongolia Erdos area once collected a large number of objects, and later in the Lingle, Hebei Huailai, Beijing Liulihe and other places have been found, after the examination of the Western Zhou Dynasty early to the period of the Warring States period of the relics. Willow leaf sword and the early form of the ancient sword in the Central Plains have many similarities, some of the stem of the animal face pattern and kui dragons on the pattern is completely typical of the bronze culture of the Central Plains, so this kind of sword is formed by the influence of the ancient sword in the Central Plains or spread to the Central Plains region, has yet to be further study.

3 type: curved blade sword. This type of sword body is wider, curved blade, no sword between the stem and the body, according to the shape can also be divided into two kinds: one is similar to the willow leaf sword, the stem and the body of the body as a whole, a casting; the other is no sword stem, the sword spine before the growth of a section of the wooden handle for the installation of the wooden handle, the wooden handle of the handle head (i.e., the stem of the head) is very wide, and the handle into a T shape, the top of the head of the handle dug with grooves, the groove embedded in the materials used in stone, hematite, magnetite, bronze, etc. Grinding Casting, or with the clay pinch burnt hilt segment weight device, also known as the "pillow" or "pillow-shaped device". Both types of swords have a body somewhat like an elongated gourd, with some having sharp corners protruding from the center of the body to the sides, and some being entirely curved. Curved-bladed swords were excavated in today? #124;northern region, dating to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, with a few possibly going back to the late Western Zhou Dynasty.

The bronze swords of the northern system, regardless of the age of early and late, the size of the vessel are relatively short and smiling, the sword body plus the stem is generally around 35 centimeters, the shortest is only 25 centimeters, and the longest is not more than 40 centimeters, and it is far behind the swords of the other systems in terms of length.

Bashu system

Today's Sichuan Basin, the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period of the existence of two slave kingdoms of Ba, Shu, its area in today's north from Zhaohua, south to Yibin, west to Lushan, ? #124;up to Wushan, including the Chengdu Plain, south of the Qinling Mountains, south of the Daba Mountains? #124;, north of the Dalou Mountains and the Kangtang Plateau? #124; part of the fringe area, popular in this region of the bronze sword that is called Ba Shu sword.

Bashu sword are flat stem without frame, stem generally have one or two perforations, easy to install the wooden handle when nailed with. The hilt is made of two pieces of wood clamped to the outside of the sword stem, nailed together with small nails, and then wrapped with a thin rope and lacquered on the outside for reinforcement. Sword identity for two kinds, a wider, the ridge into a cylindrical bulge, some of the spine side has a wider blood groove, most of the sword cast with tiger skin, semi-circular, three-petal flowers and other floral motifs and the hand heart, flowery, heads, tigers, birds and other symbols. The other is narrower, thicker, the surface of no pattern, symbols, and no spine and blood groove, some of these swords are double swords, two inserted in the same scabbard when unearthed.

Bashu sword hilt are very long, some swords unearthed when the surviving hilt up to 16.5 centimeters, it is proved that the longest up to one-half of the length of the sword, according to the "Book of Han" and other historical records, this kind of long-hilted swords not only can be held in the hands of the stabbing, and when necessary, can also be thrown like a shuttle dart hit.

Bashu sword type and the early form of the ancient sword in the Central Plains is very close, if only to the unearthed objects based on the age, can be made from the Central Plains passed on the conclusion, but this is related to the cultural origin of such a complex issue, only one or two based on the judgment of a loss of rigor, and therefore how to determine the conclusion of the need to be further demonstrated in a comprehensive manner.

Southwest Barbarians

The name "Southwest Barbarians" is taken from "Records of the Grand Historian". The name "Southwest Barbarians" was taken from the "Records of the Grand Historian". Warring States to the middle of the Western Han Dynasty, in today's Yunnan Dianchi region (mainly refers to the Jinning, Kunming, Kunyang, Haikou, Fumin, Danying, Chengjiang, Wanhai, Qujing and other areas) and the Erhai region (Lancang River, Jinsha River Basin) is the Southwest Minority Yelang, and the Lan, Dian, Jung, Kunming, Qiongdu and other nationalities of the settlement in the two areas, including the neighboring Xichang in Sichuan Province, the three autonomous regions of the Yi ethnic group in the Liangshan Mountains, Ganzi, and Aba Tibetans As well as within the fringe areas of Guizhou, had unearthed a large number of beautifully crafted, intricately patterned bronze swords, these bronze swords are colorful, with a strong regional ethnic cultural characteristics.

Southwest Yi sword according to the appearance of the characteristics can be divided into many subtypes, in order to facilitate the elaboration of the small secondary features to be summarized, discard, take the most significant differences in the characteristics can be divided into three categories: 1 type, no sword grid; 2 type, a word type sword grid; 3 type, in the body of the sword and the sword stem between the ridge ridge with trigeminal type. These three branches of the sword, sword stem and sword body are cast in one piece, most of the stem for the cylindrical, a few are flat stem, the shape of the sword stem varied, some directly with the image of animals and people, in the sword stem and the sword are generally engraved with tigers, leopards, monkeys, snakes, frogs, flowers and plants, people and beasts fighting and other typical Dianchi region of the Bronze Culture pattern pattern.

Southwest Yi sword, in addition to the bronze sword, there are a large number of copper handle iron sword, copper handle iron sword size is generally longer than the copper sword, the head of the sword Yuzhongyuan ancient sword is very close to a section of the copper sword between the stem and the iron sword body and the copper sword body, this copper sword body some made into the sharp teeth of the sword grid, some cast on both sides of the nipple and a small circle, the surface of the casting pattern, the role of which is likely to be in order to reinforce the iron sword body and the copper sword hilt Its purpose was probably to strengthen the connection between the iron sword body and the copper hilt, so the length sometimes exceeded the sword stem.

Some of the styles of the Southwestern barbarian swords can be clearly seen to be influenced by the Central Plains swords, especially the southern Wu-Yue-Chu copper swords.

Wu, Yue, Chu copper sword

Yue is the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period of the famous sword-making vassal states, history records that the two countries had a large number of production of "Bianzhu of the sword" and "Buguang of the sword," both of which are known for the excellent and outstanding sword. After the destruction of Wu, Yue was destroyed by Chu, but the technology of sword casting was passed down from generation to generation, and the influence was very extensive. In the seventies in zhejiang changxing, pheasant city, lijiaxiang, wushan area had unearthed a large number of wu yue chu copper sword, most of this batch of copper swords are well preserved, some of them although in the ground buried more than 2,000 years, but still glossy such as the new sharp, exactly as the history of the "sharp eagle edge, in order to stab stab, in order to hit the broken".

Wu, Yue, Chu copper sword according to its appearance can be divided into three major types:

1 type: in the sword body, sword stem and the sword grid are cast with patterns, the sword grid into a square or double ear shape, some close to the Central Plains sword grid, the sword has two kinds of a straight line from the top to the bottom of the thin, a wider middle, slightly narrower upper. Some of them have ridges in the middle of the sword, and some of them have ridges that become square ribs. This type of sword has many similarities with the Southwest Yi sword.

Type 2: the appearance is exactly the same as the Central Plains sword, but the sword grid is more ornate decoration, the sides of the spine of the sword with blood grooves, or double spine.

Type 3: With the one-character sword lattice of the Southwestern barbarian sword, these swords have a plain and undecorated appearance.

From the Spring and Autumn Period to the Western Han Dynasty, the Wu-Yue-Chu region has been one of the more economically and culturally developed regions, with frequent exchanges with the outside world, which can be reflected from the phenomenon that the three types of branch type swords of Wu-Yue-Chu have a lot of the same and similarities with the swords of the Central Plains and the Southwestern barbarian swords, respectively. In contrast, the northern system of the sword instrumental shape appears to be more independent, the lack of change, perhaps this is the lack of regular exchanges with the Central Plains and the South and the consequences of the formation.

The variation of the sword after the late Western Han Dynasty

The golden age of the sword in ancient China was about one thousand years before the middle of the Western Han Dynasty. In the late Western Han Dynasty, especially after the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the sword suddenly and rapidly went down, and although it has been handed down as a traditional weapon until now, its popularity is far less than that of the ring-shaped sword, which has since risen to prominence. The reasons for this are manifold, and the massive use of iron, especially iron armor, should be considered an important one.

The sword's advantage lies in the hit stab, leather armor, although there is a certain degree of hardness, but after all, it is made of leather with fibrous tissue, in the sharp object under the violent stabbing will be pierced, so the sword for the leather armor is just to play the strengths. Iron is hard and tough, iron armor precisely in the ability to defend against stabbing far better than leather armor, sword, such as iron armor, its weaknesses are exposed, so people quickly abandoned the sword and changed to use the knife, the knife can be chopped, iron armor sometimes in the violent smashing, but also will be shattered. Cultural relics excavation statistics confirm that ? #124; Han after the successive dynasties in the tomb, basically did not find the sword in kind. We want to understand the face of the late sword, can only get some from the ancient illustrations, carvings and paintings. Fortunately, the Palace Museum has collected a lot of imperial weapons of the Qing emperors, some of which are swords, so as to compare with the image data of the previous dynasty, we can understand the changes and development of the sword in the later period with more certainty.

Iron swords before and after the Northern Song Dynasty

In all kinds of paintings (e.g., temple murals, colorful paintings of tombs, etc.) and carvings from the Wei Jin to the Tang Dynasty, it has been difficult to find clear images of swords, and a few images similar to swords can be interpreted as swords as well as knives, whips, and ___ and other short weapons because of incomplete depictions, and therefore cannot be taken as empirical evidence for swords.1950 Jiangsu Jiangning excavated on the sword warrior statue, provides the image of the Five Dynasties sword, this image and the same period of Dunhuang murals in the appearance of the sword basically match. It is not difficult to find that the sword at this time, the sword body has been a straight ruler, the width of the upper and lower is the same, the middle of the sword body is still a protruding spine, between the body and the stem of the wider sword grid, which is the main characteristics of the sword in the late period.

The more comprehensive and accurate portrayal of the image of the late sword is the Northern Song Dynasty official repair of the "martial arts book of the General Summary" of the accompanying map, this ancient book illustrations and engravings are very delicate, should believe that to a large extent in the early Northern Song Dynasty sword the true face of the map of the two swords, the sword and the period of the Five Dynasties compared with the sword body appears to be short and heavy, the sword blade is square and blunt, the sword spine, some of them open a slot, the sword grid cast with flowers, certain parts are also inlaid with gems, the sword is the main feature of the late sword. Some parts of the sword are also inlaid with precious stones, and the head of the sword is flattened into a scrolling cloud pattern with a hole in the center, which is capable of hanging decorative items such as silk sashes and ribbons.

Yuan Ming period of the sword basically maintains the form since the Five Dynasties, Dunhuang Cave III Yuan dynasty murals and Datong Bao Ning Temple Ming dynasty water and land paintings on some of the sword, the shape are similar. From the image of the sword in these carvings and paintings above can be summarized 崞趧Φ陌l展趋势, is to the straight body, slender, lightweight direction, although the Song Dynasty sword is an exception, appears short and heavy, but in other aspects are still consistent, and this development trend and the late Western Han Dynasty, the iron sword to maintain the continuity of the development trend.

The Qing dynasty sword

The Qing dynasty sword heirloom physical preservation of more, which belongs to the Palace Museum collection of imperial sword is the most precious, representing the highest level of the Qing dynasty sword, such as Qianlong imperial "ground word two slash rhinoceros sword", the body of the sword with the lodging of the iron forging, the sword frame sword made of gold, inlaid with rubies and pearls, hilt wood? And pearls, hilt wood? # 124;, wrapped with yellow ribbon, in the blade of the sword near the grid, but also with gold, silver, copper wire inlaid with dragons, phoenixes, clouds, water and other patterns and the name of the sword. The scabbard is made of wood? #124; for the bottom, outside the sharkskin, gold peach skin to be packed, sword dart and attached ear (see the knife part of the belt method) are gold, decorative and expensive, manufacturing is also very good, although so far nearly 200 years, once pulled out the blade is still sharp, cold. From the appearance, this sword and the Bao Ning Temple land and water painting, Dunhuang murals on those swords is almost the same, which also confirms the Five Dynasties since the image of the sword provided in the works of art is basically accurate.

Later the sword from the Song dynasty has only generals can wear, soldiers are generally no longer equipped. After the Yuan Dynasty, it gradually became the plaything of the royal family, so it was always decorated with luxury. Even the name of the Qing Dynasty has changed, mentioning the sword customarily to add a word of treasure, this period of the sword has lost the nature of the weapon? #124;, often only in the military parade celebrations and other important occasions, only as a ceremonial, authoritative items and use a bit, usually used to practice martial arts, decorative furnishings. Of course, in some special occasions it is still preventing the very weapon.

Types of knives and changes

This article has been mentioned at the beginning of the knife since the invention of the late Neolithic, there was about fifteen hundred years in the middle of the time in a state of stagnation, when it was reintroduced, but with advanced iron and a new shape to quickly replace the sword, become ? #124; the most popular weapon throughout feudal society after the Han Dynasty. Therefore the historical demarcation line of the knife is relatively clear, the early stage is generally a small bronze knife, the style change is not very obvious. Later all are iron long knife, in a few major historical dynasties have appeared some different styles, and between the two periods, basically there is no transition type.

Pre-period -- Shang knives and Wu Hook

Henan and other places in the Yin ruins and Shang Dynasty tombs have unearthed a considerable number of bronze knife, the size of these small knives and the early sword is not far from the size of the knife, if the modern standards, these knives can only be called dagger, but the word "dagger" in ancient times, both the solution of the food spoon, the spoon, and a short sword, the death, in order not to confuse, but to make it clear that the dagger was a short sword, and it was a short sword. But the word dagger in ancient times had the meaning of both spoon and spoon, and also had the meaning of short sword, so in order not to be confused, so it is still more clear to call it as dagger.

The knife of the Shang Dynasty can be roughly divided into two systems according to the appearance of the characteristics, one is the Shang culture system, and its typical form is: the knife body is long, the upper part of the thick and ridged, is the back of the knife, and some of the back of the knife there are toothed casings; lower part of the edge of the knife blade is divided into convex and concave two kinds of knife blade; the tip of the knife and slightly upward cocking; the handle of the knife is like a flat stem of the sword, the knife from the back of the knife back to extend out a section of the handle tongue, to facilitate the installation of wooden or jade The hilt of the knife is like a flat stemmed sword with a tongue extending from the back of the knife, making it easy to install a wooden or jade handle. Representative objects are collected in the Shanghai Museum. Another is the northern steppe culture system, the typical form of this system for the curved handle, the head of the handle to animal head for decoration, animal head also has a small ring, the handle body is engraved with geometric patterns; blade body single-edged, the back also has a ridge; but the tip of the blade is not like the central system of the upward cocked up obviously, the blade is also narrower than the central system of the body and the hilt of the casting of the body and the hilt of a time, the shape of its shape and the curved sword is very similar, it is reasonable to say that it is in fact a predecessor of the curved sword, and the same as the central system, also divided into convex and convex, and the hilt is cast in one time. The same as the Central Plains system, also divided into two kinds of convex and concave edge, representative objects unearthed in Shanxi Suide, Hebei Qinglong and other places. Such short-sized knives of the Shang Dynasty, like swords, sometimes had a less distinct boundary between weaponry and tools of production and living implements, a phenomenon that can be said to have persisted until recent times.

Wu Hook is a knife-shaped weapon, produced in the Spring and Autumn period of the State of Wu, so the name "Wu Hook". It was named "Wu Hook" because it was produced in the state of Wu during the Spring and Autumn Period. Helu Lu Nei Chuan" on: "Helu that is Bao Moye, re-ordered in the country as a golden hook, said: 'can be good for the hook, the reward of a hundred gold', Wu hooks are very many". This weapon in the early years only seen in written records, in 1975 from the Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Warriors and Horses pit unearthed two handles in kind, only to understand its true nature.

The hook is shaped like a scimitar, but the hook body has edges on both sides, slightly wider and narrower before and after, flat head without a blade, the hook handle to do oval. Wu hook is an exception in the history of the development of Chinese swords and knives, its shape and the late curved blade scimitar is extremely similar, in the past, it is generally believed that the scimitar is in the Tang dynasty by the hu people from the other countries in Eurasia, than Xi'an southern suburb of Yang Si castor's tomb was unearthed in a Han alabaster carving of a warrior figurines, the body of the body to wear and hold in the hands of the knife body is very curved, some interpretations of the hu knife, and the degree of its curvature is actually very similar with the hook, so can we think of a curved blade Is it possible to think that the curved sword is changed from the hook, of course, this view is still lack of a more comprehensive and more convincing basis.

Late -- ring head knife, Tang-like knife and curved knife

Ring head knife emerged in the Western Han Dynasty, the earliest age of the ring head knife has been found from the tomb of Liu Sheng in Mancheng, Hebei Province, unearthed in the early Western Han Dynasty, about one hundred years B.C. This knife is well preserved, and the blade is similar to the hook. This knife is well-preserved, the body and handle of the knife is the same width, the tip of the knife from the back of the knife to the back of the semi-circular diagonal, the ring head wrapped in gold, with a sheath. #124; Han Dynasty unearthed in kind is very rich, the shape and Liu Sheng tomb of all the same, only a few of the knife introduced the sword of the sword grid, the ring head of the modeling is also slightly changed, some of the knife body along the back of the knife open blood groove, the rest of the part has been unchanged until the Sui and Tang dynasties ring head knife still maintains the initial shape. Ring head knife is a superior? #124; steel knife, many knives are engraved with "hundred practice (refining) clear (fine) just (steel)" and other words, this repeated iterative forging of steel knives, hard and toughness, is very suitable for fierce chopping without breaking, which in the large number of use of iron armor, cavalry is increasingly developing the period, undoubtedly is the most excellent close-range fighting weapons.

After the ring-shaped sword after the emergence of a more excellent knife is the Tang-like sword, "Tang-like sword" is the Japanese Shokurain collection of a number of eight centuries from China around the time of the knife to name. According to the record of "Tang Sixth Canon", it should be called "Tang-like Dagger". According to the "Six Tang Classics", the sword was called the "Yokohama Sword". The difference between this type of sword and the ring-shaped sword is that there is a frame between the body and the hilt that is different from the frame of a sword, the hilt is very long, and the end of the hilt is no longer ringed, while the body of the sword is still the same as that of the ring-shaped sword. Some of the decoration of the Tang-like sword is very elaborate, such as the collection of gold, silver, tin mounted Tang Da Dao in the collection of the Shosoin Temple, the hilt and scabbard are encrusted with precious stones, this type of sword and Liu Sheng tomb of the sword, may be the status of the common wear of the prominent, and those who are in the actual battle with the weapon decoration are relatively simple.

The curved knife began in Jin, the knife body design inherited the Shang Dynasty knife curved body convex edge features, the head of the knife is flat and slanting blade, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, has unearthed a long and a short of two of these iron knives, the long body of the back of the knife with an outstretched handle tongue, to facilitate the installation of the hilt. Short between the handle and the body has a rolled cloud-shaped knife frame, handle hollow, seems to be able to install long wooden handle for long weapons, but from the appearance, such as not installing a long handle can also be used as a short knife. Tang Dynasty machete head part than? #124; Jin's has been widened. Changes in the Ming Dynasty is more diverse, the Chinese Museum of History collection of Li Zicheng insurgent army of iron sword and Qi Jiguang's saber, the former a handle shape and ? #124; Jin's excavated objects (short) is very similar (but the body and head of the blade than the Northern Song Dynasty and further widened, this wider blade machete is also known as machete). The latter handle of the shape of the synthesis of the Tang-like dagger with a long handle and narrow edge and the curved body of the machete features, along the back of the knife at the opening of the two blood grooves, the knife is exceptionally sharp, with both hands to hold and swing the killing power is very great,

Qing Dynasty short sword according to the "Qing Dynasty canon map? Martial arts" on the record there are seven kinds, including the ladder knife, sudden knife, rolled by the double knife and other three belongs to Pei type scimitar, the shape of these three knives and Qi Jiguang knife should be the same type. In the mid to late Qing dynasty scimitar also absorbed some of the characteristics of the Western countries, such as the Palace Museum collection of Qianlong imperial "Tianzhi No. 7 Cebu Iron Knife" is an example of the hilt has a typical ancient Indian style.

Scimitar is the most popular fighting short weapons at the end of feudal society, which the narrow-bladed scimitar (also known as the "waist knife" or modern call "command knife"), not only is a weapon, but also the officers of the armies of various countries and honor guards to hold ceremonies, essential accessories, until now, as the Palace Museum collection of the Qianlong Imperial "Tianzhi No. 7 Sutetsu knife" is a case in point. Essential jewelry, until now as a ceremonial weapon is still in use.