Swords From the Ancient Dynasties

Defence is a major preoccupation for any ruler - from the rulers of way back in antiquity to President Obama today. Times of war see resources being drained toward a wasteful expense, as well as major scientific advancements as people try to find out why things happen, and how to mitigate the injuries caused by bad things. 

In the ancient Chinese dynasties, warfare was undoubtedly complex, but the complexities took a different form. While today we bomb strategic locations, in those days swordsmen developed ever-finer instruments and techniques.

Here is a quick run-through of the popular swords and sword-making techniques in the Han, Song, Qing and Ming dynasties. 

First, the Hans. The Han dynasty's rule spanned from 206 BC to 220 AD. The early period of Han rule saw the rise of steel as the material preferred in swords. Both single-edged(dao) and double-edged(jian) swords now began to be made of steel, with bronze swords falling rapidly out of favor.

The process of differential heat-treatment also took birth during Han rule. Sword blanks were now forged and folded, with ring pommels being introduced.

In middle and late Han rule, this differential heat treatment process was developed further, and became the art of "refining". Swords were now manufactured in layers, with the top, core and bottom being made separately and then welded together. At this point, China began to export swords to Korea and Japan.

Fast-forward across nearly a century, and you reach the Song dynasty in 960 AD. During the reign of Song emperor Shenzong, swordcraft reached new and unprecedented heights. Assessment bureaus were set up to determine the quality of weapons, and a manual on quality control in weapon manufacture was written and circulated.