Subject: 團練 tyun4lin6 militiaman

Culture: Cantonese Chinese

Setting: Liangguang 19thc

Object: 劍 gim3 sword

Hollow Earth Swordworks *

Royal Armouries Museum > Oriental Gallery *

"Sword (jian) Chinese, early 19th century

The grip of this sword is of cinnabar lacquer,

and the hilt and scabbard mounts are of silver.

Swords of this sort were carried as symbols of rank." ...

* Angel Sword

Royal Armouries Museum > Oriental Gallery *

"Sword (dao) [SIC] Chinese, 17th century

All the hilt and scabbard fittings are fretted with dragons in gilt brass.

The silk binding of the grip is found on early Qing dynasty swords."

Royal Armouries Museum > Oriental Gallery *

"Double swords (shuangjian) Chinese, 19th century

The scabbard for this pair of swords is covered with rayskin.

The pair of swords was used one in each hand,

and resembles a single weapon when sheathed." ...

Royal Armouries Museum > Oriental Gallery *

"Sword (jian) Chinese, 19th century

The blade is inlaid with the seven stars of the constellation,

the Plough, which is depicted in Chinese art as a dragon." ...

* Royal Armouries Museum > Oriental Gallery

"Sword (jian) Chinese, dated 1736-95

This is one of a series of court swords,

all of which have blades decorated with personified constellations.

Each is inscribed in seal characters made in

the period of the great Qin emperor Qianlong." ...

Royal Armouries Museum > Oriental Gallery *

"Sword (dao) [SIC] Chinese, 19th century

The fittings are of copper, decorated with the Eight Precious Emblems in gold.

The blade has as phoenix in gold on one side with an inscription called muzi,

and on the other a side a dragon in copper with the inscription dragon-spring washed blade." ...