Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 1st December 2008, 01:53 AM

Still intrigued by this captivating sabre, I continued excavations in my notes

In a copy of "Arms and Armour in Late Imperial China" by Oliver Moore ("Apollo" magazine, Feb.1995, Vol.CXL #396) the author notes in discussion of Ming and Qing weaponry that certain fashions and affectations were borrowed from Tibet, and that termly tributes were expected to be provided to the Chinese court. This included swords, knives, helmets and armour and in the long standing statutes, it is mentioned that there were "...Tibetan monks working as armourers for the Chinese court in designated monasteries in southwest province of Sichuan (p.17, and footnote #6 notes that the area in question is in the northwest zone of Sichuan, citing resource "Da Ming Huidan",108, 1a,2b,7b,9a).

It has often been suggested in my experience, that styles and blades normally not found in Chinese swords ,may have been specially made for Qing officers serving in 'frontier' regions of the Chinese empire. In a number of cases for example, there have been distinctly Chinese swords with wootz blades (or possibly pattern welded Damascus of other form, rare but known in Chinese swords), some with Indian style hilts and so on, these mostly from Xinjiang if I recall. Perhaps the above notes describing the tribute statutes might apply to Qing officers in regions of Qinghai.

Just more thoughts presenting perspective ,

All best regards,
Jim

1st December 2008, 01:53 AM	#8
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,190	Still intrigued by this captivating sabre, I continued excavations in my notes In a copy of "Arms and Armour in Late Imperial China" by Oliver Moore ("Apollo" magazine, Feb.1995, Vol.CXL #396) the author notes in discussion of Ming and Qing weaponry that certain fashions and affectations were borrowed from Tibet, and that termly tributes were expected to be provided to the Chinese court. This included swords, knives, helmets and armour and in the long standing statutes, it is mentioned that there were "...Tibetan monks working as armourers for the Chinese court in designated monasteries in southwest province of Sichuan (p.17, and footnote #6 notes that the area in question is in the northwest zone of Sichuan, citing resource "Da Ming Huidan",108, 1a,2b,7b,9a). It has often been suggested in my experience, that styles and blades normally not found in Chinese swords ,may have been specially made for Qing officers serving in 'frontier' regions of the Chinese empire. In a number of cases for example, there have been distinctly Chinese swords with wootz blades (or possibly pattern welded Damascus of other form, rare but known in Chinese swords), some with Indian style hilts and so on, these mostly from Xinjiang if I recall. Perhaps the above notes describing the tribute statutes might apply to Qing officers in regions of Qinghai. Just more thoughts presenting perspective , All best regards, Jim Last edited by Jim McDougall; 1st December 2008 at 02:12 AM.