Culture of the sword in China

At the beginning of the period of the swords that the sword appeared for the first time in China, but its use in melee combat was relatively short. From the earliest years of the third century, the sword had left the battlefield and became a major artistic theme. Thereafter, it was considered an accessory to denote social position.

A star of the stage

After the sword, the so-called queen of all weapons, was fallen into disuse on the battlefield, it turned into a tool for elimination of individual attackers, custodian of the lives of those who had and mania, and subject to aesthetic appreciation. The sword has always form an important aspect of theater and folk dance.

The two kinds of dance most popular during the Tang dynasty (618-907) were 'Civil dance, graceful and flowing, and the "martial dance", particularly animated. The handling of the sword with choreographic arrangement included the spectacular dance of the whirling sword Huntuo western regions, as well as folk dances bold and sensual Swords of Xihe de la Chine du Nord-Ouest.

Gong Sun was the supreme champion of the handling of the sword during the Tang dynasty. Wearing a costume martial arts, it mesmerizing the audience with her dancing skill and exceptional artistic level. His admirers included scholars and respected men of letters, the great poet Du Fu of Tang even wrote a poem praising his virtuosity.

In addition to intensifying the effects of dramatic depictions of martial arts, games of the sword often occupied a central position in the plot pieces, including operas. The Conqueror says goodbye to his favorite concubine, from the repertoire of Peking opera, is a good example. This opera tells the story of Xiang Yu, a serious pretender to the throne after the death of Emperor Qin. After being defeated and driven from the State of Chu, where he was born, Xiang Yu asks his concubine Yu Ji to join him to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but the devotion to his master Yu Ji led to develop a strategy for ultimate dedication. It interprets the dance of the sword - the great master of Peking opera Mei Lanfang choreograph thereafter - dance which ends with his death. And dying, Yu Xiang Yu Ji force to free the last few channels that prevented him from attempting to recover his kingdom.

Dance of the Sword of Yu Ji's style is graceful and flowing in the use of the sword in the tai-chi: an iron fist in a velvet glove. It reflects the reluctance of emotion heroin to separate from his love and unwavering courage to face death. This scene is the climax of the opera and provides a good example of a dramatic handling of the sword.

Jian épéeCalligraphier = handle of the sword

The martial arts masters and calligraphers agree that the calligraphy and the art of sword play had similar origins. To an artist, the skillful handling of the sword is like a dance and calligraphy, which is a source of inspiration, while the master in martial arts, calligraphy resembles the game of the sword, but on the paper.

It Meng Tian, a respected general of the Qin Dynasty (221 -206 BC.) Who first made the head of a brush-shaped cone with rabbit fur which was inserted in a bamboo rod, and he came to invent the first brush calligraphy and painting. Two thousand years later, it still seeks to improve the technique of manufacture.

Zhang Xu, a famous calligrapher of the Tang dynasty (618-907), was particularly good at caoshu. This style of calligraphy differs from others by its deceptively simple appearance, when in reality it is very difficult to execute. This calls for a style virtuosity similar to that required for abstract painting, in other words a good knowledge of classical art, a prerequisite for creating abstract works. The writing of Zhang Xu, based on its regular Kaishu or writing, was clearly unusual and daring. His calligraphic art allowed him to be called "sage of the cursive writing."

Xu Zhang and Gong Sun were contemporaries. The positions taken by it in performing its daring leaps, its surprise attack and sudden movement, fatally precise, referring to the eyes of Zhang Xu, the contours of Chinese characters, set in an exceptional way. Zhang was inspired by the art of games of the sword of Gong Sun and incorporated it into his distinctive style of calligraphy that he found anything exciting in the performance of Gong Sun. The style of Zhang Xu subsequently contribute to define the canons of the art.

General Pei Min, of the Tang dynasty, is another famous virtuoso handling of the sword. While the general urged Daozi Wu, a famous Tang painter, to paint a mural on a wall of the temple to exorcise evil spirits and honor the memory of his dead mother, the artist replied: "I consider this invitation as a honor, but I have not painted for a while. Could you inspire me by a number of sword dance? "Pei Min therefore danced for him. Thereafter, Wu Daozi referred to the work he had created, under the inspiration of talented Pei Min, with the following words: "The most satisfying work of my life."

Emperor Wenzong Tang (826-841) has issued an edict declaring the imperial calligraphy of Zhang Xu, handling the sword of Pei Min and the poetry of Li Bai as the "three wonders of the great empire of Tang" .

Social

The ancient Chinese believed that the sword was the only weapon that does not cause bad omens. Many dynasties have enacted special laws on the wearing of the sword, which generally stated that the common workers were not allowed to own a sword. Indeed, the possession of this weapon was the privilege of the rich and those who have power and influence. The sword was the weapon both scholars and warriors. Many have paid as an accessory to fashion and to indicate their high social status. Only the most privileged officials could wear a sword when they were called to the imperial court.

The emperor was the supreme leader of the Chinese feudal society. Within this society, life or death of a man could be decided according to the whim of the emperor. Since it was considered that the sword of the emperor was endowed with such power, one who wore (rarely the Emperor himself) was vested with discretion as to its use. Consequently, whatever the rank of an officer accused, who bore the sword of the emperor had the power to execute or not that official, as he was entitled.

This weapon has also had applications in Taoism. A wooden sword fish was supposed to remove the demons and evil spirits, and is often hung on a wall to protect and decorate a home.

Finally, it was observed that even scholars of ancient Chinese felt a special affinity with the sword. And among the literati, it seems that the love of the sword were not recruited from among the Chinese. Thus, the great German poet Heinrich Heine did he not say: "After my death, lay a sword, not a brush in my coffin. "