Longquan Swords

History Stands Witness

Longquan Sword, as the first iron sword in Chinese history, has long represented the pinnacle of metal smelting technique. In the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC-AD 220), Longquan County was the sword supplier for imperial families. The smith trade here hence boomed and ushered in its heyday in the 10th century when sword smithies and shops were seen everywhere with a street named Sword Shop Street. In the following several centuries, the Longquan Sword prevailed across the country along with the spread of Taoism and Buddhism. Taoists used swords at religious ceremonies, while Buddhist monks advocated practicing martial arts, both boosting the demands for swords.

Longquan smiths took pains in enriching their products’ cultural connotation, packaging, and identity. For centuries, Longquan Swords have been preferred by not only kungfu practitioners but also art connoisseurs. In 1978, on a national crafts fair, a Longquan Sword was used to cut a stack of six copper coins in half, with the blade intact. In Wanjian Shanzhuang, a sword museum in Hong Kong, three Longquan Sword made in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) are among its collections.

In June 2006, the forging technique of Longquan Swords was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. The 130-year-old Shen Guanglong Sword Smithy was nominated the protector of the technique, and its fourth generation owner, Shen Xinpei, the representative heir. Longquan Swords have been presented as the state gift to foreign dignitaries such as former U.S. President Nixon and Russian President Putin. The swords of the Honor Guard of the three services of the People’s Liberation Army are also made in Longquan technique.

The sword is of great significance in Chinese culture – it is the symbol of supreme rule, and consolidates the glory that generals pursue; it is the weapon of warriors, but also epitomizes the world of adventure that roving knights long for. It is the heritage that generations of smiths protected for centuries.