This is a partial list of famous swords of Chinese legend or mythology. Some of these swords also appear in fiction. There are two main types of sword: jian and dao. Swords with estimated or presumed magical powers or that were especially well-made were designated by the epithet "treasure" (寶), as is the case with "treasure jian" (寶劍) and "treasure dao" (寶刀). The modern Chinese may vary.
Jian
editJian tend to be blades with two edges, longer than what would be considered to be a dagger. Translations into English are mostly provisional.
| English | Pinyin | Traditional | Simplified | Short description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xuanyuan's Sword | Xuān Yuán jiàn | 軒轅劍 | 轩辕剑 | Xuanyuan is also known as Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor. Famous for his martial prowess, it is presumed that Huangdi / Xuan Yuan had a special sword. |
| Defeating Evil | Shèngxié | 勝邪 | 胜邪 | One of the legendary swords made by Ou Yezi during the Spring and Autumn period for King Zhao of Chu. |
| Han-guang Sword (Keeper of the Light Sword) | Hánguāng jiàn | 含光劍 | 含光剑 | Cheng-ying Sword, Han-guang Sword, and Xiao-lian Sword are associated together. Spring and Autumn period. |
| Tai'a[note 1] | Tài'ē or Tài'ā | 泰阿 (or, 太阿) | 泰阿 (or, 太阿) | One of the legendary swords made for king Goujian of Yue (state) by Ou Yezi during the Spring and Autumn period |
| Xiao-lian Sword (Night Exercise Sword) | Xiāoliàn Jiàn | 宵練劍 | 宵练剑 | Chengying Sword, Han-guang Sword, and Xiao-lian Sword are associated together. Spring and Autumn period. |
| Valuable in all Directions (Imperial sword giving bearer arbitrary powers) | Shàngfāngbǎo jiàn | 尚方寶劍 (or, 尚方劍) | 尚方宝剑 (or, 尚方剑) | An ancient treasure sword. |
| Artisanal Display | Gōngbù | 工布 | 工布 | One of the legendary swords made for king Goujian of Yue (state) by Ou Yezi during the Spring and Autumn period |
| Squaring the Imperial City | Jùquè | 巨闕 | 巨阙 | One of the legendary swords made by Ou Yezi during the Spring and Autumn period for King Zhao of Chu. |
| Gan Jiang-Mo Ye | Gān Jiàng Mò Yé (also, Xié) | 干將莫邪 | 干将莫邪 | Gan Jiang and Mo Ye were a couple who made a pair of much storied swords. |
| Chengying Sword (Bearing Trace Images) | Chéngyǐng Jiàn | 承影劍 | 承影剑 | Chengying Sword, Han-guang Sword, and Xiao-lian Sword are associated together. Spring and Autumn period. |
| Snake-beheader [note 2] | Zhǎnshé jiàn | 斬蛇劒 | 斩蛇剑 | A particularly famous sword. |
| Clearly Black | Zhànlú | 盧卢 | 湛卢 | One of the legendary swords made by Ou Yezi during the Spring and Autumn period for King Zhao of Chu. |
| Purity of Thirty Catties [note 3] | Chúnjūn | 純鈞 | 纯钧 | One of the legendary swords made by Ou Yezi during the Spring and Autumn period for King Zhao of Chu. |
| Fish Intestines (or, Guts) | Yúcháng | 魚腸 | 鱼肠 | One of the legendary swords made by Ou Yezi during the Spring and Autumn period for King Zhao of Chu. |
| Dragon Spring (or, Well, or Pool)[note 4] | Lóngquán Jiàn (or Lóngyuān) | 龍泉劍 (or, 龍淵) | 龙泉剑 (or, 龙渊) | One of the legendary swords made for king Goujian of Yue (state) by Ou Yezi during the Spring and Autumn period |
- ^ Likely the transcription of a non-Chinese name. It has also been translated as "Great Riverbank".
- ^ Likely in the sense of capital punishment: execution by chopping-off heads of "snakes".
- ^ 30 catties are approximately equivalent to just over 18 kilograms, or about 40 pounds avoirdupois.
- ^ There are places named Longquan in Sichuan and Zhejiang.