A little history
I have placed a copy of an article I read recently, it has nothing directly to do with this sword though it could well have been made in this region. I thought it might be of interest to those who love these swords so much.
Long Quan Master Swords is one of the oldest and most famous sword families in China. Master sword maker Oh Ye Ze founded it more than two thousand years ago when he came upon a place in Long Quan, where the Tai lake was located. Attracted by its pure waters and quiet surroundings, Oh Ye Ze settled down and forged three legendary swords for Emperor Xien. People later renamed the Tai lake to Jian Chi Lake roughly translated to be the pool of swords.
Many sword-making families now live in Long Quan, but the most famous among them is the Shen family. The Shen family's swords have been known to have the best quality and skill for hundreds of years. In the 1911 Long Quan Master Sword competition, a sword forged by the third generation of the Shen family stabbed through three solid brass blanks as well as split a sword from another maker in half, thus earning the title "King of Swords." The Shen family Long Quan Master Sword were praised as national treasure in China by the people of the highest social class. In 1942, a Long Quan Master Sword was made for the second president of the Republic of China by special request and in 1955, a special customized Long Quan Master Sword was made for General Mao Zhe Don.
Many awards were given to swords forged by the Shen family in various competitions. In the 1996 Chinese National Art Festival, Shen Zho's (fourth generation of the Shen's family) Zhi Zuen Sword won the gold medal. As testimony to the Shen family's accomplishments, the mayor of Long Quan awarded the family a plaque that said "Tan Xi De Ye Jian" or "The Number One Sword Under the Sky."
regards
Gavin
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