Chinese mourning masterpiece

 

The Gujian sword 越王勾践剑, also known as the Yue Wang Goujian Jian, is a Chinese sword renowned for its exceptional resistance to rust. It features an intricate design and was crafted during the period from 510 to 335 BCE, as per historians. The sword was discovered in 1965 in excellent condition. It was composed of 80% copper, which provided flexibility and made it less prone to breakage.

Historical Background of Emperor Goujian

Goujian was a famous emperor in Chinese history who ruled over the Yue State during the Spring and Autumn period (771-476 BCE). This was a time characterized by chaos within the Zhou dynasty, hence the name "Spring and Autumn." It was a period known for military expeditions, which led to the mastery of weapons that were incredibly resistant and deadly. The formation of these weapons took years and continued for several centuries. The story of Goujian and Fuchai, the King of the Wu State, who competed for dominance, is famous throughout China. Although Goujian's kingdom was initially defeated by the Wu State, he led his army to victory after ten years.

Discovery

In 1965, during an archaeological survey along the second main channel of the Chang River Reservoir in Jingzhou, Hubei Province, a series of ancient tombs were discovered in Jiangling County. The excavation began in October 1965 and concluded in January 1966. The Gujian sword, along with many other artifacts, was found during the excavation.

Sword Dimensions

The Gujian sword measures 55.6 centimeters in length, including the 8.4-centimeter handle. The blade width is 4.6 centimeters, and it weighs 875 grams.

Sword Incident

During its loan to Singapore for display as part of a cultural exchange exhibition in 1994, an accidental collision by a worker caused a crack of approximately 7 millimeters in the protective cover of the sword. Since then, China has prohibited the sword from being taken out of the country. In 2013, the sword was officially listed as a prohibited item for display abroad on the Chinese Cultural Relics list.