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Full Item Description
The basic design is that of an Imperial Sword, a sword a bit thinner and shorter than an European broadsword. The handle is dark stained pear wood. The guard is both functional and decorative (in a dragon motif). The blade has a blackened temper and is sharp on both sides. Along the blade is 100 ancient characters for longevity. These are normally hand carved and inlayed with a tiny amount of brass.
The weapon is normally kept with one, to enhance ones chi and life. It is scabarded in a decorative pear wood scabbard.
(Weight 3 lbs (1.5 kgs) and is 35” long (30” blade, 75 cms)
History
The origins of this weapon has been lost to history.
Magic/Cursed Properties
The use of the sword is supposed to bring a long life, health, and to some degree “good luck” to reach such things. It is not enchanted in any way.
November 18, 2005, 8:30
November 18, 2005, 10:12
This is a class of weapon: There are thousands, if not tens and hundreds of thousands, of them.
Why would the originals have the 100 characters inlaid in them in the first place?
Mystical reasons, a 100 is a powerful number. They also use every possible glyph and phrases for longevity and life, that way they can't miss any.
Why Pearwood?
Pears are considered the fruit of longevity in Chinese Mythology, much the way Apples are considered the Fruit of Sin. The Pear Tree is very long lived for a fruiting tree. (It also is common and stains nicely).
Just some basic history would be nice.
Someone in China was trying to make a sword that would bring long life in battle and life, to make sure a loved one came home. The idea caught on.
November 18, 2005, 14:26
I found images of what these look like and words do not describe them at all.
http://www.hingdaiwui.com/img/products/weapons/longevity_sword_closeupb.jpg
January 18, 2007, 15:49
January 19, 2007, 1:22
March 25, 2013, 21:24
Should this information have been added to the sub itself? I don't know. It would have been nice to be equipped with this extra info, but on the other hand, why bog down a short and sweet sub trying to justify why everything is the way it is.
Its also a lesson in posting, I think. Moonhunter would have known this wouldn't get a massive vote, but he posted it because it is a useful tool to enrichen any game; one shouldn't obsess over a 5/5 if they have a good simple idea. Just post it!
March 25, 2013, 21:29
March 31, 2013, 14:53