Tang Heng Dao preserved in SHŌSŌ-IN NARA, JAPAN

Tang Heng Dao is a single handed straight dao featuring a scabbard with two-point suspension system influenced by the Sassanian swords.  The two-point suspension system enables the dao to be worn in a more or less horizontal (Heng 橫) position.  Tang Heng Dao was used for combat on foot as well as on horseback.  Heng Dao was compact, light weight, and was the standard regulation side arm for conscripts, elite troops, commanding officers and imperial guards.  

Heng dao was expensive to make and each piece worth about one month's salary of a junior level government official.  As an expensive military resource, Heng Dao was forbidden to be used as funeral goods.  As a result, there were very few unearthed specimens found today. Fortunately, Heng Dao was pursued by the Japanese delegates and sent back to Japan as treasures for the royal court and those few rare Heng Dao samples are preserved in Nara today.

Specifications (approx.)

Sword only weight:  approx. 860 g (1 lb. 15 oz)

Blade Length: 70.5 cm (27.75")

Handle Length: 21.5 cm (8.46")

Total Length: 93 cm (36.6")

Length of upper edge at tip 10.2 cm (4")

POB from hand guard  11 cm (4.33")

Gradual tapering

Width at hand guard: 3 cm (1.1")  

Width at 10.2 cm from tip: 2.33 cm (0.92")

Width at 4 cm from tip: 2.14 cm (0.84")

Thickness at hand guard: 7.41 mm 

Thickness at 10.2 cm from tip: 4.68 mm

Thickness at 4 cm the tip: 4 mm 

Blade cross section profile: triangular wedge shape

Blade length wide profile:  straight blade, pointed tip with upper edge

Commander Grade

Labor intensive classic forging.

Folded pattern steel (1065 & T9) wraps resilient A3 steel core.

Clay clade differential tempering for hard edge.

Straight Hamon. Cut mature bamboo with ease.  Pierce wooden boards.

Polish to a sharp and hard cutting edge. 

Ironwood scabbard (Handroanthus serratifolius) .  

Elite Grade

T10 Tungsten-Vanadium High Speed Tool Steel. 

Element %                      

Carbon            0.95-1.04       

Silicon              <=0.35           

Manganese     <=0.40           

Phosphorus     <=0.035         

Sulfur               <=0.030

Tungsten         <= 0.30

Vanadium       <= 0.02        

Chromium       <=0.25           

Nickel               <=0.20 

Copper            <=0.25

Molybdenum  <= 0.20

Clay tempered differential heat treatment in clay furnace.

The traditional clay clad differential heat treatment will bring out a beautiful straight Hamon and hard cutting edge around HRC 56 with a resilient spine with HRC around 40-45. 

Cut bamboo with ease.  Pierce wooden boards.

Polish to a sharp and hard cutting edge. 

Ironwood scabbard (Handroanthus serratifolius) .  

Warrior Grade

GB 60Si2MnA High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel 

(Compare to AISI/SAE 5160 spring steel) 

Element %       60Si2MnA    AISI/SAE 5160   

Carbon            0.56-0.64      0.56-0.61

Silicon              1.60-2.00       0.15-0.35

Manganese     0.60-0.90      0.75-1.00

Phosphorus     <=0.030        <=0.035

Sulfur               <=0.030        <=0.040

Chromium       <=0.35          0.70-0.90

Nickel               <=0.35          <=0.25

Through tempered oil quenched mono steel blade,  

Hardness 54-55 HRC. 

Cut bamboo with ease.  Pierce wooden boards.

Polish to a sharp cutting edge. 

Wenge scabbard (Millettia laurentii) .  

Decorative tassels shown on the video not included.

Fittings

Blackened Iron fittings, 1:1 model after a Tang Dynasty set.

Fit and finish

We perfected the fit and finish of our swords and the assembly is meticulously performed by our senior craft masters.  It takes one whole working day for a craftsman to assemble our swordsd

Excerpts 
from 
“A Song of War Chariots”

by Du Fu (712 - 770 AD)

The
 war‑chariots 
rattle,
 

The
 war‑horses 
whinny.
 

Each
 man 
of
 you
 has
 a
 bow 
and
 a
 quiver
 at
 his 
belt.
 

Father, 
mother,
 son,
 wife,
 stare
 at
 you 
going,
 

Till
 dust 
shall
 have 
buried
 the 
bridge
 beyond
 Ch’ang‑an.
 

They 
run
 with
 you, 
crying,
 they
 tug
 at
 your
 sleeves,
 

And
 the 
sound
 of 
their
 sorrow 
goes
 up
 to
 the 
clouds;
 

…
We 
remember 
others
 at 
fifteen
 sent
 north
 to 
guard 
the 
river

 

And
 at 
forty 
sent
 west
 to
 cultivate
 the
 camp‑farms.
 

The
 mayor
 wound
 their
 turbans
 for 
them
 when 
they
 started
 out.
 

With
 their
 turbaned 
hair 
white
 now, 
they 
are
 still 
at 
the
 border, 

At 
the 
border
 where
 the
 blood
 of
 men
 spills
 like
 the
 sea
 — 

And
 still
 the
 heart
 of
 Emperor 
Wu 
is 
beating 
for
 war.

兵車行 

杜甫 (712 - 770 AD)

車轔轔，

馬蕭蕭，

行人弓箭各在腰。
爺娘妻子走相送，

塵埃不見咸陽橋。
牽衣頓足攔道哭，

哭聲直上干雲霄。

道旁過者問行人，

行人但云點行頻。
或從十五北防河，

便至四十西營田。
去時里正與裹頭，

歸來頭白還戍邊。
邊庭流血成海水，

武皇開邊意未已。