Knives are one of the oldest tools of mankind. For humans without carapace, claws and sharp tips, to survive in the jungle world of the jungle, the knife is their most important helper. The acquisition of food, the manufacture of utensils, and the maintenance of life are all inseparable from the knife. In this sense, it can be said that human civilization has developed from the blade. However, it is civilization that has changed the nature of the knife. With the advent of metal knives, the role of the knives began to give way to the dominant position of weapons from the dominant position of the tool, becoming a weapon for fighting and stifling between human beings. Since then, the knife has been associated with the rise and fall of a nation’s glory and shame, which is particularly typical in the history of Chinese civilization. Fortunately, the Chinese have developed world-renowned sword techniques and art, while also using various knives to create a rich culture and life. As we evaluate the sea, whether it is praise or curse, we have to admit that the knife is one of the greatest inventions of mankind.

Unit 1: From tools to weapons

Knife history
The history of the knife can be traced back to the Stone Age. At the time, people made knives mainly used as tools. Shaped and diverse knives play a multifaceted role in production and life. Entering a civilized society, although the knife as a tool shows a wide range of functions, it also appears in the war and plays the role of killing weapon. In ancient China, the sword experienced the development of the era of bronze, steel and firearms. It was active in the social arena with different forms and functions, playing the important role of maintaining the national movement and developing world-famous swordsmanship. The bronze swords of the Warring States period, the ring knives of the Han Dynasty, the knives of the Tang Dynasty and the waist knives of the Ming Dynasty all played a chilling role in the history of war. And until the end of the Qing Dynasty, with the end of the cold weapon era, the sword exited the battlefield.

1·1: The knife of the Stone Age – the earliest knife
In ancient times, humans used stone, clam shells and animal bones to make various knives. The stone used for making knives mainly consists of quartz stone, sandstone, vermiculite and crystal. They are made into a sharp stone knife as a tool for chopping. The clam shell and animal bone are ground to be light and sharp, suitable for cutting. Cut the sickle and bone knife. At that time, people not only used knives as production tools, but also carried them as weapons for self-defense. In the late Neolithic period, with the disintegration of the primitive society, looting and war between human beings, the sword appeared on the war stage.

1·2: The sword of the pre-Qin period – the pride of the Bronze Age
About the beginning of the Xia Dynasty in the 21st century BC, China entered the Bronze Age. Copper is added to tin and lead to form a bronze alloy. It has high hardness and low melting point, and is easy to process. It is an ideal material for making swords. The sword thus entered the era of metal as the main material. The pre-Qin period is a period in which the Chinese bronze sword is produced and highly developed. Although its origin may be influenced by the outside, its maturity process has undoubtedly reached a level that is enough to attract attention. The sword of the more chilly people and the long sword that Qin Guoke defeated were the outstanding representatives of the bronze swords of this period.

1·3: The sword of the Han Dynasty – the steel knife replaced the bronze sword
In the Han Dynasty, with the advent of the cavalry era, the bronze sword’s stabbing method could not meet the cavalry tactics in high-speed sports. On the other hand, the steel industry, which is booming in the Western Han Dynasty, provides a tougher material for weapons. By the end of the Western Han Dynasty, the steel weapons basically replaced the bronze weapons. The most distinctive feature on the battlefield during the Western Han Dynasty was the “ring sword”, which quickly replaced the long sword because of the long cut. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty set up iron officials throughout the country to specialize in the production of iron. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, the use of hundreds of steel and local quenching technology to make it more tough and sharp.

1·4: The sword of the Three Kingdoms, the Jin and the Northern and Southern Dynasties: the development of steel swords
During the Three Kingdoms, the Jin Dynasty, the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the war was frequent, and the knife was still one of the main weapons of combat. During this period, the output of steel knives was large, and the shape continued to be a Han knife. However, new changes have also taken place, such as the reduction of the blade body, the thickening of the blade, the enlargement and sagging of the knife ring, the lengthening of the hand guard, the sharpening of the blade tip to the back, and the blade generally with an inscription. In the middle and late period of the Northern Dynasties, a new type of ring cutter with a short, thick back and wide blade began to spread. In this period, the knife-making technology was more exquisite. In the north, Qi Huaiwen developed the method of pouring steel to create the famous iron knife. The steel is flexible and durable, and it can be used for more than 30 years.

1·5: Sword and Tang knife – the heyday of Chinese sword
During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Chinese sword culture entered the heyday of the ancients. In the Tang Dynasty, a new type of knife was developed on the basis of the first knife of the ring and the sword of the Han Dynasty. In addition to the knife, the knife and the cross knife of the short handle, a long-handled “mood knife” was developed. Strong. The infantry was placed in front of the front line in a horizontally dense formation, and “like the wall” played a key role in the war against the nomads. As a peak of the development of China’s cold weapons, Tang knife is not only accompanied by the establishment, prosperity, glory and joy of the Tang Empire, but also affects the cold weapon culture of Asia.

1·6: The sword of the Song and Yuan Dynasties – the formation of maturity
In the era when the Song Dynasty entered cold and hot weapons, it was still dominated by cold weapons. The knife is the main fighting weapon. The swords of the Song and Yuan Dynasties have used the skillful steel-clamping technology and absorbed the style of the Northwest minority, and the shape has been improved. The long knife changes to a slightly curved blade, a wide cutter head, and a thick ridged blade. The narrow long square cutter head is also changed into a sharp front and rear oblique shape with a hand guard. Judging from unearthed cultural relics and ancient books, there were more long-handled iron knives suitable for actual combat during this period. When the war was used, short-handed weapons were used with long knives to crack the enemy’s armor. At this time, the sword has rarely been used in the army, mainly used by military officers to wear command. During the Yuan Dynasty, the long-handled knives gradually decreased in the army, and the sabers were mostly used immediately. The main shapes were ring cutters and machete.

1·7: The sword of the Ming Dynasty – the Chinese sword that is stepping into the miniature
Although the firearms of the Ming Dynasty gradually matured, they did not reach a full practical level, so the knife is still the basic equipment of the infantry. The main types include the waist knife, the long knife and the short knife. In the late Ming Dynasty, the waist knife became the standard weapon of the army. Apart from inheriting the Song and Yuan Dynasties, there was a kind of imitation of the Japanese sword. The knife has a long and narrow shape and has a beautiful curved arc. The contact between the hand guard and the blade is swallowed, and the length of the face is short and the strength of the knife can be increased. The influence of the Japanese sword is also shown on the long knife. This knife is about 2 meters long and has a long handle. It is used by both hands and is used by infantry. It is extremely lethal.

1·8: The sword of the Qing Dynasty – the last glory of the Chinese sword
The Qing army used cold weapons and firearms together, and the standard army knife was the main close-fighting weapon. Historically, the Qing Dynasty has the largest number of swords, the most complete varieties, the most stringent levels, and the most complete functions. The standard sabers include Shundao, Wo knife, Zhadao, Pudao, Majidao, etc.; the emperor and the officials each have a sabre. There are various forms of folk knives, such as waist knives, lancets, geese knives, and thick back choppers. With the invasion of Western powers, Chinese cold weapons and old firearms were replaced by Western swords and modern guns, marking the Chinese swords from withdrawing from the war stage.

1·9: The sword of the Republic of China – Chinese swords withdraw from the war stage
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Broadsword team competed with the Japanese sword and wrote a special page in modern history; its blade was no different than a thick-backed chopper, the handle was slightly longer to facilitate the use of the hands, the handle was ringed, and the use of the force was fierce. It is extremely courageous and is called the “anti-war knife.” This is the last case of traditional Chinese tools used in war. At the same time, a cold weapon used in conjunction with hot weapons was introduced to China, which is the sickle installed at the front end of the individual firearms. The file is usually composed of a knife body and a handle. It can be divided into a split type and a fold type. The former can be removed from the gun and loaded into the scabbard, and the latter is hinged to the gun side.

Unit 2: Knife and our lives

Daily function of the knife
The role of the knife is far from being killed on the battlefield, not just the weapon used to kill. In our lives, the knife still maintains the identity of the tool and becomes an indispensable helper in our daily lives. Especially after the end of the cold weapon era, as the protagonist of the war, he returned to the tool-led role. As you can see from the following group of exhibitions, the knife can not only help us deal with daily affairs, but also help us to express our feelings and strengthen our body. It is hard to imagine how our life would be in a world without a knife.

2·1: At the table – knife and our food
When we face the sumptuous dinner on the table, have you thought about it, almost every dish on the table, whether it is a leek vegetable or a rice noodle, every step that they form is inseparable. Hunting hunters, harvested farmers, butchers in the slaughterhouse, butchers in the market, and chefs in the kitchen all use knives to turn food into a table. Even at the table, we often need the help of a knife when we eat.

2·2: In the workshop and factory – knife and traditional handicraft industry
People usually associate knives with destruction, but in fact, construction is also inseparable from the knife. From a very early age, many craftsmen used the knife as an indispensable tool. How can carpenters, bamboo craftsmen and leather crafters do their work without all kinds of professional knives?

2·3: Writing and Communication – Knife and Our Cultural Life
The knife is not only the privilege of the samurai. Even before the advent of the bronze sword, the scribes who danced the ink and ink have used their knives to engrave their thoughts, pledges, knowledge and emotions on the tortoise shell, the bones of the bones, the bamboo slips and the stone tablets. With the evolution of civilization, the knife not only did not withdraw from the literati’s study, but had a broader space. The production of fonts and engravings, the cutting of paper, the binding of books, and even the opening of envelopes are inseparable from a variety of tools.

2·4: Sending our feelings with a knife – knife and artistic creation
The knife belongs not only to the warrior but also to the artist. In some plastic arts, the knife became the artist’s pen, and they carried out the intention of creation in one fell swoop and expressed their feelings.

2·5: Knives make us more style – knife and our personal hygiene
The essence of man is the human-tool system. This sentence is not only reflected in the process of human-natural interaction, but also in shaping the cultural image of oneself. It is difficult for us to imagine what we will become when we leave the knife. Only when we cut our long hair with various knives, scraped off the beard and trimmed the sharp nails, we dare to say: “We are civilized.”

2·6: The salvation of life – knife and medical treatment
Knives are not just weapons of killing, but also tools to save lives. The ancient god doctor Hua Tuo used a scalpel to treat the patient with a laparotomy. Under the modern hospital, the doctor used various shapes of knives to perform surgery on the patient.

2·7: The swords and swords on the field – knives and sports activities
Since the sword has entered the war stage, knife and swordsmanship have also emerged, and developed the skills of fencing. Fencing is very popular in ancient Egypt, China, Greece, Rome, Arabia and other countries. In the Tang Dynasty of China, the swordsmanship that became superbized also evolved into sword dance. After the end of the cold weapon era, although the sword has withdrawn from the battlefield, it has not withdrawn from our lives. In various martial arts competitions, knives and swordsmanship are not only effective ways to enhance physical and perseverance, but also become a tribute to our cherished heroes of the past. After the 1896 Summer Olympic Games became a formal project, the fencing movement has never been interrupted for more than a hundred years.

Unit 3: Chinese swords in culture

Chinese sword culture
Knives not only played the role of weapons and tools in ancient Chinese social life. In fact, in the long evolution of Chinese history, swords gradually derived the functions of carrying habits, ideas and spiritual culture. This function makes the sword transcend pure materiality and become a symbol of glory, identity, authority, and even supernatural power, becoming an integral part of Chinese culture. Perhaps it is for this reason that the stories about celebrities and swords are endless in our history.

3.1: Rank and Authority: Sword and Ancient Chinese Politics
In ancient Chinese society, the sword was the symbol of the power world, and it was the symbol of the royal aristocrats and the generals. The “Jia Zi” of the Han Dynasty contained: “The ancient emperor is twenty and crowned with swords; the princes are thirty and crowned with swords; the doctors are forty and crowns with swords; the princes are not allowed to crown, and the deaf have something to bring with swords, no In order to distinguish between grades, some eras have established a strict sabre system, including the royal sabre system and the officer’s sabre system. In ancient China, the saying of “Shangfang Baojian” has always been popular. “Shangfangbaojian” is a symbol of the emperor’s power and has the power to live and die.

3·2: The Way of Swords – Sword and Ancient Chinese Taxi Culture
In Chinese culture, the sword is endowed with a moral color of justice and righteousness. As early as the pre-Qin era, Ji Zhe hanging sword became a model of gentleman’s integrity. In the eyes of the knights swordsman, the sword is the embodiment of the wearer’s personality and spirit, marking a social responsibility of justice and courage. However, when the chef’s kitchen knife is free to navigate between the muscles of the cow, we can feel another type of sword.

3·3: Elegant Sword Dance——Sword Dance and Painting and Calligraphy Art
The elegant elegance of the sword is deeply favored by the literati, not only to sigh with swords and poems, but also to wear drills. The sword dance dances in the style of Yingwu, the form is colorful and colorful, the movement of the station sword is quick and agile, the posture is calm and cool at rest, and it has a sculptural sense; the sword movement is continuous, such as Changhong Youlong, which is continuous and endless, and is like a flowing stream, uniform and resilient. The sword dance is beautiful and beautiful, and it also inspires other art forms, enriching the art of Chinese painting and calligraphy.

3·4: Avoid evil and demon – the Chinese sword as a musical instrument
From a very early age, the folks have circulated the saying that the sword has the ability of “stealth”, “demon”, “killing the devil”, and “taking the first level in a thousand miles.” The sword is turned into a sinister weapon in the town. People hang a sword at home, that is, they think it is good. Since the Tang Dynasty, the sword has become a common tool in the Taoist rituals. It has the magic power of enchanting demon, and the knives in the ceremonial rituals, drowning, sprinkling, burning, etc.

3·5: Pre-Qin Knife
During the Spring and Autumn Period, Qi State, located in the eastern coastal zone, had the benefit of fishing and salt, and there was a boom in commodity exchange. Along with the continuous development of economic exchanges, Qi Guo cast a bronze coin in the shape of a bronze knife according to local customs and habits, which is called “knife coin”. “Knife and coin” was originally used in Qi State. In the Warring States Period, it also circulated in parallel with “Buddha” in Yanzhao and other places. It evolved from the tooling used in the handicraft industry and everyday life. Because of the different castings and different shapes, the knives and coins have formed three series of “Qidao”, “Yandao” and “Zhaodao”.

3.6: The Nationality with the Knife——The Knife Culture of Chinese Minorities
In China, both the farming people in the south and the nomadic peoples in the northern grasslands have formed an indissoluble bond with the knife. For the people living in the hilly mountains of the South, the knife is not only a tool for slash-and-burn, but also an indispensable assistant for cutting wood in the jungle; people living in the vast northern grasslands are not left. After leaving the knife, they couldn’t even carry out the most basic meal. Because of this, there are many ethnic groups in China that are accompanied by knives and develop a colorful knife culture.

Unit 4: Casting Sword

Manufacture of swords
Ancient China had a huge army. To arm a large number of soldiers, there must be large-scale production of weapons. The manufacture of bronze swords appeared at the end of the primitive society. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the casting of bronze weapons developed to its peak. Iron smelting technology has also been invented in the Spring and Autumn Period. After the Warring States, the iron and steel technology continued to advance and promoted the development of steel weapons. In the Han Dynasty, the advanced technology of pig iron smelting, cast iron decarburization steel, steel filling, and frying steel was adopted, which made the manufacture of steel swords more mature.

4·1: Bronze Casting Sword – Bronze Smelting and Sword Casting
The sword is a sharp-edged cold weapon used for melee assassination and slashing. There are six kinds of copper smelting craftsmen in ancient China, including “Peach”, which is a swordsmith. The sword is specially listed as a job, which shows its importance. During the Warring States Period, the application of the bronze sword was extremely strong. In this context, the sword-making technique has been continuously developed and progressed, and outstanding achievements have been made. Among them, the sword-making technique of Yueguo is the most prominent. Gan Jiang, Mo Xie and Ou Zhizi were the most famous swordsmiths at that time. The Yue Wangjian they cast represented the highest level of bronze sword casting. The compound sword, the dark grid and the concentric circle technique reflect the most important achievements of the sword-making process at that time.

4·2: Steel forging knives – steel smelting and tool forging
The iron and steel industry began in the Spring and Autumn Period. In the middle of the Warring States period, iron began to be applied on a large scale. The Han Dynasty successfully used coal to rapidly increase the furnace temperature, thereby enabling refining at high temperatures. The invention of the blast furnace ensured that sufficient air was continuously supplied during the smelting process, and the high temperature in the furnace was maintained to achieve the refining effect. Advances in these technologies have pushed the sword smelting and forging technology to a mature stage. Craftsmen also found from practice that folding back and forth can increase the elasticity of steel, and quenching can strengthen the hardness, so there appeared “100 steel” or “hundred knife”. After the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the knife was replaced by the method of filling steel, that is, the pig iron was first melted, poured into wrought iron, and then the carbon content of the wrought iron was increased into steel, and then quenched by the urine and fat of the livestock. The sharpness and toughness of the blade are improved.

Unit 5: Famous Sword

Contemporary Sword
The sword is not only the patron saint of life, but also a symbol of authoritarianism and identity. This is destined to make it surpass the simple practical function and rise to the craftsman’s ingenuity and hard work. If in the ancient world, having a cold sword and a sword is a long-cherished wish of many people, then today, the famous sword has become the collector’s favorite object.

5·1: The sword of the cold weapon era
Five thousand years of human civilization, all nationalities have swords of pride, the most famous of which are Chinese swords, Indian and Islamic swords, Malay swords, Japanese samurai swords and Western swords. They are also called ” The world’s five famous swords.”

5·2: The famous tool of the contemporary world
Since the modern times, the fate of the sword has undergone major changes. On the one hand, with the advent of the hot weapon era, the traditional sword gradually withdrew from the war stage and was replaced by various short and exquisite army knives. On the other hand, the tool as a tool was also updated in materials and shapes due to the smelting and forging technology. And the process has undergone profound changes. However, as in ancient times, many famous tool design masters have emerged in the contemporary world. They regard the singularity of the sword and the combination of modern technology to create a new chapter in the history of swords.

China Sword and Scissors Museum
The China Knives and Swords Museum is mainly aimed at publicizing and promoting China’s long-standing skills in knife and scissors, umbrellas and fans, and discovering and protecting traditional handicrafts, while taking into account display and collection. The museum has become a national-level museum with professional characteristics, Hangzhou characteristics and canal features, integrating collection, research, display, education, publicity, entertainment, shopping and other functions, and strives to build it into a “domestic leading, world.” A state-of-the-art, state-of-the-art museum. Knife-cut swords, umbrellas, and fans belong to the material culture of human civilization, and are the inventions of human beings to better adapt to nature, increase their ability to act, and improve their quality of life. The construction area of ​​the China Knife and Sword Museum exhibition hall is 2,460 m2, and the construction area of ​​the temporary exhibition hall is 1,060 m2.

On the basis of preserving the intangible culture, fully explore the spiritual world behind the object. For example, by reviving the scene of the sword, and matching the bronze sword-casting process model, the audience can understand the process of the bronze sword, understand the story behind the sword, and feel how important it is to cast a good sword for the swordsmith. .

Through the multi-angle and diversified approach, the China Knives and Swords Museum introduces and demonstrates the unique culture of the knife-cutting sword, “opening the knife as a knife, cutting the sword on both sides, and cutting the double-knife into a cut”. Through exquisite exhibits, the audience can learn about the history and culture of the sword-cutting sword in the pavilion, and also experience folk customs and life from the perspective of life.