中國劍文化：千年曆史 從武化文

在距今約850年前的一個夜晚，中國南宋著名軍事家、文學家辛棄疾寫下了一首豪氣沖天的詩詞：“醉裏挑燈看劍，夢回吹角連營……”因國家黨派之爭被皇帝冷落的他，閒居信州（今江西上饒），只能望著這把承載著自己英雄氣魄和報國壯志的劍，回想曾經鐵馬冰河的歲月。 

One night, about 850 years ago, famous strategist and writer Xin Qiji wrote a heroic poem, “When I am drunk, I look at my sword. In my dream, I blow a corner and camp.” Due to the dispute between the state parties, he was neglected by the emperor. He lived with no official position and power in Xinzhou, now Shangrao, Jiangxi Province. He could only often gaze at the sword that carried his heroic and patriotic aspiration and recalled the bravery in numerous battles the past years.

中國劍文化是隨著歷史的發展而出現並逐漸豐盈的。 

Throughout history, Chinese sword culture emerged and gradually enriched with time. 

劍，被稱為“短兵之祖”。中國劍在商朝大致成形，一直到中國的春秋時期，劍仍是戰 場的主流兵器之一。至中國的戰國末期，冶煉技術的提升和冷兵器戰爭的不斷“試錯” ，使得殺傷範圍更大的刀逐漸取代了劍的戰場地位。 

The sword is known as the “ancestor of short weapons.” Chinese swords took shape in the Shang Dynasty. Until China’s Spring and Autumn Period, the sword remained the mainstream weapons on the battlefield. By the end of the Warring States Period, the improvement of smelting technology and constant “trial and error” of the cold weapon war took place. From there, the sword with a broad killing range gradually replaced the position of the sword. 

而劍則更多地作為權勢和尊貴的象徵被古代的君王貴族所使用，他們經常相互贈送寶劍以顯示友好。春秋時期，吳國季札出使魯國途經徐國，徐國君喜愛季札的佩劍，有心索取卻難於啟齒。季札心中決定把劍贈送給他，但在返程時徐君已死。季札為兌現內心的許諾，便將寶劍挂在徐君墓前的樹上走了。季子挂劍的故事後來成為君子守信的代表。 

The sword was a symbol of power and dignity, used by ancient kings and nobles. They often presented swords as a form of friendship. In the Spring and Autumn Period, Ji Zha, envoy of State Wu, passed State Xu on his way to Lu. The king of State Xu fell in love with Ji Zha’s sword. However, it was hard to ask for it. Ji Zha decided to gift the sword to him. But when he returned, the king of State Xu was dead. To fulfill his promise, Ji Zha hung his sword on the tree in front of the king’s tomb. Ji Zha’s story later represented a gentleman’s trustworthiness. 

同樣在春秋時期，中國誕生了一個東方版的“亞瑟王與石中劍”傳説，春秋時期的名劍“湛盧”，因越國戰敗而流落到吳國，但吳王的暴虐無道，竟使湛盧劍自行飛至當時的名君楚王身邊。從此湛盧劍成為正義與仁德的象徵，成為歷代詩文提及最多、讚美最甚的寶劍。 

In the Spring and Autumn period, an oriental version of the legend of “King Arthur and the sword set in stone” bloomed in China. The famous sword “Zhanlu” was exiled to the state of Wu after the defeat of the state of Yue. But the tyranny of King Wu made the sword Zhanlu fly to the great king of Chu. From then on, the Zhanlu sword became the symbol of justice and benevolence. It is the most mentioned and praised sword in all dynasties’ poems and articles. 

自漢代始，文人佩劍的風氣在民間漸起，他們佩戴寶劍，以舞劍為興，顯示文武雙 全、德才兼備。這一現象是當時中華民族尚武重德社會價值觀的體現。民間的劍客遊俠同樣賦予了劍特殊的社會意義。唐代詩人賈島有詩：“十年磨一劍……誰有不平事”，劍成為了民間伸張正義、見義勇為的精神載體，成為中國人對英雄精神的詮釋。 

In the Han Dynasty, swordsmanship culture among the literate gradually rose. They wore and danced to swords, and this showed their proficiency in literature and martial arts. It also showed their political integrity and talent. This phenomenon embodied the social values of the Chinese nation in that era. The swordsman Rangers gave the sword a unique, social significance. Jia Dao, a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote, “sharpening a sword in ten years…and eliminate injustice with the sword” . The sword became the spiritual carrier of justice and bravery, the Chinese’ people’s interpretation of the heroic spirit. 

歷史豐盈了劍文化，賦予了它勇敢、自由、修身、公平等諸多文化內涵，成為中國一種特有的文化現象。 

History enriched sword culture. It endowed it with many connotations such as bravery, freedom, self-cultivation, and fairness. This became a unique cultural phenomenon in China. 

進入現代，劍文化作為中國傳統武學的一部分，雖然也面臨著傳承乏力的局面，但是隨著近年國學文化的興起，劍文化也再次迎來了曙光，作為中華民族的傳統“名牌”之 一，發揮其武能強健體魄，文能宣揚美德的作用。 

In modern times, sword culture, as a part of Chinese traditional martial arts, faces the challenge of weak inheritance. In recent years, the rise of Chinese traditional culture ushered the new dawn of sword culture. As one of the Chinese nation’s traditional “brands,” sword culture plays a role in strengthening physical fitness and promoting virtue.

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