SCARLET SUNRISE JIN JIAN (266-420 AD)
Scarlet Surise Jin Jian
Scarlet Sunrise Jin Jian has ornate brass fittings set against smooth scarlet redwood scabbard and handle, creating a stunning contrast between red and gold. A Jian of exquisite beauty and elegance for collectors and practitioners with refined aesthetic taste.
Specifications
Blade only weight: 500 g (1 lb. 6.5 oz)
Sword only weight: approx. 650 g (1 lb. 7 oz)
Blade length: 90 cm (35.4")
Handle plus hand guard length: 20 cm (7.8")
Total length: 110 cm (43")
Blade Profile: diamond 4 surfaces, gentle tapering
Width at hand guard approx. : 24.45 mm
Width at tip approx. : 13.71 mm
Thickness at hand guard approx. : 7.3 mm
Thickness at tip approx. : 3.07 mm
Point of balance from hand guard approx. : 17 cm (6.75")
Steel option 1
Folded pattern steel: 1065 carbon steel + T8 tungsten-cobalt-vanadium high-speed tool steel.
Steel option 2
Manganese High Carbon Mono Spring Steel
Superior heat treatment: Hardness 55-58 HRC. Blade rebounds to true after 80-90 degree bending,
Hand polish to smooth soft shine and sword sharp edge.
Fittings
High precision cast brass fittings.
Scabbard
Furniture grade redwood
Fit and finish
We perfected the fit and finish of our swords and the final assembly is meticulously performed by our senior craft masters. It takes a skill craftsman one whole working day to assemble our sword to a precision fit.
IN MEMORY OF GENERAL ZU DI 祖逖 (266-321 AD)
Hope and Light in the midst of Despair and Darkness
Zu Ti 祖逖 was hailed from a family line of officials. As a child, he was rather mischievous and it was said that he could not read until the age of 14, but he was well-respected for his generosity. Even at his young age, he was very ambitious and became determined to study hard in his teenage years so that he could become a government official.
The country fell into darkness at Zu Ti's time. The Jin empire was weaken by infighting among royal princes known as the "War of the Eight Princes" and was invaded by the Xiongnu from the North. The Jin regime had to fled to the safety at the southern side of the Yangtze river and vast territories in Northern China was lost to invaders.
Sometime in the 290s, Zu Ti as a young man became a Registrar of Sichuan, where he befriended with another registrar named Liu Kun. One night, while they were sleeping in the same bed, Zu Ti heard a rooster's crow in the middle of the night. Most people believe it was a bad omen, but Zu Ti kicked Liu Kun awake, telling him "This is not a disagreeable sound."
The two young men got out of their bed and honed their swordsmanship skills. From that time onwards, early each morning they trained and prepared themselves physically and mentally to take on the daunting task to recover the lost invaded land.
A Chinese proverb, 聞雞起舞 "Rising at cockcrow to begin action " is accredited to this story.
In the years to come, Zu Ti would lead his clansman and re-crossed the Yangtze river and reclaimed a large portion of lost Northern land. During the crossing, Zu Ti stood at the front of the boat, hitting the oar and made a vow, "If I cannot recover our land, like the current of this river, I shall never return ! ". Zu Ti led successful military campaigns and recovered large territories and treated the people in the land he reclaimed with care and kindness. His efforts unfortunately did not result in lasting success due to lack of support within the Jin court. However, during his life time, no Northern tribes dared to invade his land and people lived in peace under his care. When General Zu Ti passed away at the age of 55, the people wept and mourned for him as if they lost their own parents.
On January 2020, in the midst of despair and darkness of our own time, LK Chen designed the Scarlet Sunrise, in memory of General Zu Ti.
王羲之 喪亂帖 THE LETTER OF DESPAIR AND DISARRAY by Wang Xizhi (Jin Dynasty ~356 AD)
The Letter of Despair and Disarray written by Wang Xizhi around 356 AD is one the best examples of Chinese calligraphy.
Behind this exquisite work of art was a story of sadness and heartbreak that exemplified it's time, the late Jin Dynasty.
Xizhi
羲之
Greetings !
頓首
Despair and disarray to the extreme !
喪亂之極
The resting place of my ancestors, was once again desecrated !
先墓再離荼毒
When I pictured the cruelty that could have happened,
追惟酷甚
I wailed and cried until I lost my conscious.
號慕摧絕
This pain pieced my liver and heart,
痛貫心肝
and it was just so unbearable. What should I do ?
痛當奈何
What could I do !
奈何
Even though the tombs were soon to be repaired,
雖即修復
I could not rush back to care for them.
未獲奔馳
This sense of helplessness poisoned me even deeper.
哀毒蓋深
What should I do ?
奈何
What could I do !
奈何
Overwhelmed and choked up, with this letter in front of me,
臨紙感哽
I don't know what am I saying .........
不知何言
Xizhi
羲之
Greetings, greetings.
頓首頓首
Wang Xizhi (303-361 AD) was considered the greatest Chinese Calligrapher of all time, widely regarded as the "Saint of Chinese calligraphy".
In Wang Xizhi's time, the Jin empire had lost all the land in northern China to invading tribesman who ruled over the conquered land. The Jin elite fled to the south-east by crossing the Yangtze river and relied on mighty Yangtze as their natural barrier of defense. Their ancestral homeland was devastated and the life they once knew was destroyed. The migrated families picked up their broken life and established the East Jin regime under the constant threat of invasion from the north. Wang Xizhi's family used to be a influential clan in the north and now they live the life of diaspora in the south.
On 356, the 52 years old Wang Xizhi got news that his ancestral homeland was once again pillaged and the resting place of his ancestors were desecrated. For Chinese, who venerate deceased ancestors, it was a tremendous sad news and a huge blow on him.
In despair and heartbreak, Wang Xizhi wrote this letter to a friend and a Tang dynasty trace copy was send to Japan and this Tang trace copy is now in the private collection of the Japanese imperial family.