Jian
| Jian | |
|---|---|
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| Information | |
| Weapon type: | sword |
| Designations: | Jian |
| Use: | weapon |
| Creation time: | about 2697 BC Chr. |
| Working time: | til today |
| Region of origin / author: |
China , ethnic groups |
| Distribution: | China |
| Overall length: | depending on the version |
| Blade length: | depending on the version |
| Blade width: | depending on the version |
| Blade thickness: | depending on the version |
| Weight: | depending on the version |
| Handle: | Metal, wood |
| Particularities: | Different blades, elastic or stiff |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Jiàn ( Chinese 劍 / 剑 , Pinyin jiàn - "sword") is the straight, double-edged Chinese sword .
description
Jian is used in numerous styles of Wushu . The sword technique of Taijiquan is particularly well known . Among the four classical weapons, the Jian is considered to be the “noblest” weapon, alongside the saber ( Dāo ), stick ( Gùn ) and spear ( Qiāng ). It is the hero's weapon in numerous Wuxia and Eastern books , while the saber is the classic weapon of China, which was used as standard equipment by the police and the military. The sometimes used term Danjian ( 單 劍 / 单 剑 , dānjiàn - "simple sword or single sword") denotes the use of a single sword in Chinese as opposed to the use of swords in pairs, the so-called Shuangjian ( 雙劍 / 双剑 , shuāngjiàn - "double sword or double sword").
The first types of Jiàn are said to come from the time of the mythical Emperor Huangdi (2967-2597 BC) and were mostly made of copper . Historical jian are between 45 and 80 cm in length, modern jian typically vary between 70 and 90 cm. More rarely there was also two-handed Jian , also called Shuangshoujian ( 雙手劍 / 双手剑 , shuāngshǒujiàn - "two-handed sword or two-handed sword"), with a length of up to 1.60 m, which is less used today. While the non-sharpened part of the blade near the handle ( ricasso ), which could be used for parrying, is only a few centimeters long in the Western-type sword, in the Jian it is usually up to two thirds of the length of the blade. The rest of the blade, on the other hand, is ground as sharp as possible. Since none of the important Chinese sword techniques know the direct block blade on blade, which would seriously damage the weapons in a single fight and would be technically completely against the principles of Chinese swordsmanship, the reason for the cuts, which are often limited to the front part, has to be looked for elsewhere . The details of the sword shapes make it clear that the risk of injury is very high over the entire length of the sharpened blade and that the parts of the blade that are effective on the opponent are only in the front part, after having achieved mastery only at the tip.
In the Jian of the Ming Dynasty , one or two fillets are sometimes found, which served to save weight. In the Qing dynasty , the smooth diamond shape prevailed, with the blade forming a prism that becomes thinner and thinner from the handle to the tip, with a thickness of approx. 6 mm at the end of the handle to just under 2 mm approx. 25 mm from the tip. The flexibility of the blade can vary greatly. Ancient swords and the swords actually used in combat are likely to have been stiff as a rule, while practice swords can be very thin and flexible, as this reduces their weight. Ornaments and inscriptions on the blade, handle and scabbard have a wide variety of meanings and origins. There are religious, philosophical and spiritual backgrounds or simply decorative purposes and personal dedications. Compared to western swords, the crossguard has no significant significance in the Jian and is mostly carried out as a piece of jewelry. However, some grip techniques allow better manipulation of the blade tip over the cross-guard. The booklet is usually made of wood and is sometimes wrapped in leather . Depending on the sword art style, a tassel is sometimes attached to the pommel of the jian . Originally, the tassel probably developed from a cord that was used to attach the sword to the wrist so that it could be retrieved in combat. The tassel can on the one hand be used for confusion, in some styles also for offensive techniques. Nowadays the quast can be used to fine-tune the center of gravity on the one hand, and on the other hand it can be a helpful measuring instrument for the correctness and fluidity of the movements during practice.
The jian is usually transported in a solid sheath. Its purpose is on the one hand to protect the valuable weapon, on the other hand the scabbard can also serve as a replacement for a second sword or a short stick, in order to be able to fight with both hands in more demanding situations. Therefore, the sometimes more elaborate constructions are mainly due to older scabbards, metals in combination with wood and leather serve for stabilization. Modern weapons are often delivered in metal scabbards, which means that the scabbards can be built lightly but still solid. Historical swords weighed between 650 and 750 g and had a center of gravity about 15 cm in front of the handle. Modern training swords weigh between 600 and 900 g, light training weapons are 250–300 g (aluminum). The balance point is usually relatively close to the handle. Depending on the style, the weight of the sword and the position of the balance point play a more or less important role. Sword masters often had customized swords. The rule of thumb for a suitable sword is: Length so that the weapon reaches the navel ( Dantian ) standing on the ground or so that it just touches the earlobe when held in the starting position behind the arm.
blade
The blades of the Jian were made using different forging techniques:
- A core made of very hard steel was inserted into a pocket made of softer steel and welded together in the fire , similar to the forge type of Japanese blades.
- A thin blade of very hard blade steel was forged and a layer of softer steel was applied to each side of the blade. This layer of softer steel was then used to create the final blade shape with the center rib and the blade surfaces (layer steel).
- A hard steel and a softer steel were heated, twisted and welded together in the fire ( Damascus steel ).
All three types of blades were differentially hardened . This ensured that the cutting edge was very hard, stable and sharp, while the sword as a whole remained relatively flexible. This prevented the blade from breaking easily.
application
The Jian was used as a weapon in the Chinese armies, as a pomp and sidearm by officers (武 劍 / 武 剑, Wujian) and as a self-defense weapon for wealthy civilians (文 劍 / 文 剑, Wenjian). The Chinese Jian is mainly used cutting and piercing. Points of attack are sensitive parts of the body, such as B. the tendons of the wrists, knees and ankles, or the neck. Therefore, in Chinese sword techniques, speed, skill and accuracy play a role rather than physical strength. Effective application of Jian requires years of training. Therefore, the common soldiers on the battlefield used the easier to use Dao . The jian served more as a prestige weapon or as a weapon for well trained fighters.
See also
literature
- James Drewe, Tàijí Jiàn 32-Posture Sword Form , Singing Dragon Verlag, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84819-011-5