Tang Court Dao

Blade Steel: Sanmai (three plate) pattern welded steel.

Blade Length: 30" (76 cm.)

Sword Length: 37" (94 cm.)

Overall Length: 39" (99 cm.)

Sword Weight: 1 lb. 15 oz (880 g.)

Decoration/Materials: Semi-precious stones and ray skin (the color & type of stones vary).

Each blade is individually hand forged so lengths & weights may vary slightly.

Huanuo List Price: $2200

Our List Price: $1335

This exquisite sword is a faithful replica of one of the most lavish and best-preserved edged weapons from China's Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). The original sword has been in Japan's imperial treasure house "Shôsô-in" at the Todai-ji Temple in Nara for over a millennium. and is believed to have been donated by the Empress Kômyô in AD 756.

The blade on this sword has a faceted cross-section. The edge portion is a distinct bevel delineated from the body of the blade by a ridge (qi), a feature carried over from the bronze (and later steel) zhibeidao ("straight-backed knife") used in China beginning in the Warring States Period (the later Zhou Dynasty). These early zhibeidao generally had angular points. This dao has a later style of tip, which is double-edged with an ogival profile with the main and back edges curving to meet at the tip. The presence of the ridges which form distinct facets on each side of the blade is said to be a precursor to the familiar shinogi-zukuri cross-section of the typical Japanese sword. Like the original blade, this reproduction exhibits a subtle "wood-grain" lamellar pattern, is well-forged, and has a generally straight narrow zone of shuangxue ("temper line") following the edge.

The shape of the grip, with its subtle indentations for the fingers, along with the pair of projecting "mountain-shaped" suspension hardware, are features influenced by the characteristic straight swords of the Sassanid period, Iran's last pre-Islamic dynasty. The Tang was a period of great cosmopolitanism in Chinese culture, which was open and receptive to outside influences in a way which has never been surpassed.

The two-point scabbard suspension allowed for a stable attachment to the belt. The pair of connecting points also meant that the weapon could be hung at a pre-determined angle, which was helpful in making it more comfortable to wear and easier to reach when on horseback. This type of zhibeidao with its characteristic fittings remained in use through the Song Dynasty, and versions of it were widely used into the Yuan as well.