Good Sword to share

[Lokhopkuen]

Real men lyke pusy

[bawang]

you hobbyists dont buy the two meter long han swords because its too heavy for your soft lady hands

this is a real sword

[YMC]

Ah, found some photos in my files of a piece no longer in my collection (parted ways a few years ago when I essentially sold off my entire collection). A very unusual piece actually:

Chang jian, blade ~30inches with a handle large enough for hand and half grip.
It is of sanmei construction (high carbon central plate with softer cheeks sandwiching it).

Late era piece, very late Qing to Republican favoring Republican. European influenced ricasso at the forte that reads longchuan jian on one side and flowers on the other. There is residual chrome at the hilt, which is something one commonly finds on Republican era pieces to prevent rust. There has been soldering material put into delamination at areas of cold shuts.

Among the most interesting thing about this piece is 1) the slight curvature of the blade, which may be a forging error, but something that is correctable and thus maybe intentional to the jian to give it a dao like cutting arc and 2) the overlapped soldered tang with nut and thread. As we know, Chinese swords are typically peened at the pommel, making this a very unusual feature. The welded tang is also highly unusual, something commonly seen in Middle Eastern swords, but rare in Chinese swords.

Not the most beautiful thing in the world, with lots of atypical features, but the real reason why I'm posting it, is to illustrate the metallurgical details that I can't begin to describe, but hopefully will be apparent to differentiate it from the fakes on the antiques market.

[CYMac]

Bawang, you must not like this then, It's a puscy small sword..! haha!

This is a stone sword, fully one piece construction, very sturdy and heavy weighted for it's size, about 2-3lb? and it is just about as long as my forearm. Very cool piece in my collection and we use it for Taoism magic purpose.

[Darthlawyer]

I just love how someone can be so dense as to not see the inherent contradiction between taoism and magic.

[CYMac]

I just love how someone can be so dense as to not see the inherent contradiction between taoism and magic.

There are no contradiction between taoism and magic. Taoism started with magic from the beginning. The person who officiallized Taoism - Jeung Dao Ling, started with TAoism magic and he is famous for doing exorcism as well. What is so contradicting? Are you missing something in your history book?

[Xiao3 Meng4]

There are no contradiction between taoism and magic. Taoism started with magic from the beginning. The person who officiallized Taoism - Jeung Dao Ling, started with TAoism magic and he is famous for doing exorcism as well. What is so contradicting? Are you missing something in your history book?

CYMAC, please understand that there are Taoists, Philosophers and Historians alike on this board who notice significant differences between your particular brand of Taoism and the essential teachings as found in several classics, such as the Nei-Yeh, the Dao-De-Jing, the Zhuang-Zi, etc.

Even ancient Chinese medical texts which address demonology are at odds with your definitions and practice; furthermore, without going into the Daoist tradition of "Giving without expecting anything in return," there are important classical treatises on ethics which frown upon many of your business practices.

As far as modern ethics goes, I cite the following: You once said that you ran a temple, but it was for-profit, ie. not non-profit, ie. a business. You said it was because you couldn't find a third person to collaborate with in order to make your temple a non-profit organization/charity.

If your heart had really been set on setting up a legitimate temple, you would have found that third person; instead, by going the route of profit and self-aggrandizement, you've demonstrated behavior that runs counter to some of the most fundamental tenets of Daoist practice. As a simple example, consider verse 24 of the Dao De Jing.


Anyway, back to swords! That is quite the nice ceremonial stone sword. Do you know what kind of stone it's made from? How much of the coloration is natural and how much of it is added on?

It is my understanding that Ideally, stone swords are made of Jade.

[CYMac]

CYMAC, please understand that there are Taoists, Philosophers and Historians alike on this board who notice significant differences between your particular brand of Taoism and the essential teachings as found in several classics, such as the Nei-Yeh, the Dao-De-Jing, the Zhuang-Zi, etc.

Even ancient Chinese medical texts which address demonology are at odds with your definitions and practice; furthermore, without going into the Daoist tradition of "Giving without expecting anything in return," there are important classical treatises on ethics which frown upon many of your business practices.

As far as modern ethics goes, I cite the following: You once said that you ran a temple, but it was for-profit, ie. not non-profit, ie. a business. You said it was because you couldn't find a third person to collaborate with in order to make your temple a non-profit organization/charity.

If your heart had really been set on setting up a legitimate temple, you would have found that third person; instead, by going the route of profit and self-aggrandizement, you've demonstrated behavior that runs counter to some of the most fundamental tenets of Daoist practice. As a simple example, consider verse 24 of the Dao De Jing.


Anyway, back to swords! That is quite the nice ceremonial stone sword. Do you know what kind of stone it's made from? How much of the coloration is natural and how much of it is added on?

It is my understanding that Ideally, stone swords are made of Jade.

I totally understand what you say about those "phillosophy Taoist" but that is NOT what Taoism is in China, and Taoism IS from China in human history as well. So you can't persuade me on comprimising on that. I can just say these "philosophy Taoist" are missing out a lot of stuff.

Okay, maybe I should give you this reference which I think you will believe more. Even in Wudang mountain, they are Quan Zhen sect, which I don't like myself on the Taoism side, but then, they STILL HAVE MAGIC in their lineage as well. Look at their temple, they held magical rituals too. Don't you know?

Yes, those text you mentioned don't talk about magic, BECAUSE they are not Taoism advance magic books! You need to read things like the Taoism Canon and stuff like that to see it. You are reading BABY BOOKS of Taoism you know? If you want to study Taoism history in depth, try to search for 道藏 and you find the whole encyclopedia of Taoism is about TAOISM MAGIC. All flooded with spells, FU (talisman or the magical writtings), magic cultivation, and rituals and so on. Famous huge ceremonies done in the past for the king are like Gold Ceremony, Jade CEremony and the Yellow CEremony 金籙大齋, 玉籙大齋, 黃籙大齋 and so on.. What are these? They are MAGIC in Taoism. If western Taoism think there is no magic in Taoism, it's their responsibility to get educated more before making such statement or else they are just "uneducated on the subject" and doesn't makes them right even they blind fold themselves though. Don't try to convince me on "there are two different paths". There aren't. There is only one, and that is TAOISM. Taoism is Taoism.

--

Regarding the sword, no, I don't know much about the make of the sword but I would love to if someone can tell~~! I have always wanted to know the details of some pieces but then they are just hard to tell or even test~ I won't want to cut open the sword and look~ haha!

Jade swords are cool, I have 2 white jade dagger here too, they are cool but one broke during an accident!! argh~

[David Jamieson]

I just love how someone can be so dense as to not see the inherent contradiction between taoism and magic.

what?

Actually, there is both intrinsic and extrinsic connection to alchemy and sorcery that is completely inherent to Taoism as a practice.

[Lucas]

He who was formally known as KC Elbows; I forgot to mention we used the outer lining of parachute cord for our lacing. For what ever plate pattern you go with you can find lacing patterns that were used traditionally. Or just make your own. But that cord lining worked great. Traditionally it was silk cord.

[David Jamieson]

Traditionally, chutes were silk too.

[CYMac]

This is another piece, a more common and modern deisgn but the blade is sturdy and heavy which does not flex at all. When you tap the blade on metal you hear the very crispy ding ding sound, haha! I like this word for practicing because it is giving you a heavy blade with a non-flexing style while it is not too bulky too. The sword was beloved before I can master the bulky big one~ the word on the blad is "Lily (flower) sword", there is also a meaning there.. the word for lily, 百合 also means "everything harmonizing" or "everything coming together" which also means good luck coming and things are going well and prosperous as well. This is why the sword is named that way, just to bring good luck and harmony to the place that hangs the sword.

Words on swords are often with "good luck" symbolism in the past.. and so that is why people are sometims confused with what's on the blade and they can't make out why it is there.. now this is one mystery solved!

[SPJ]

you hobbyists dont buy the two meter long han swords because its too heavy for your soft lady hands

this is a real sword

yes. that is a real or old sword.

[CYMac]

This is the heavy bulk sword as I posted before with higher quality photo. The thickness of the blade is showing int he last picture.

[CYMac]

Here is a double handed sword. Quite a heavy blade with good handle~ Love it!