中华神剑 30 June 2008
Weighted 4 kilograms and measured 71.3 cetemetres long, this Chinese sword, with its sheath made from sandalwood whose natural oil protects the blade, and decorated with silver engraved dragon image and various precious stones, looks just like any other Chinese sword. But once you draw the sword and examine the blade, you'll immediately take notice of its extraordinary quality: it shines with cold gleam as if made of cristal. If that makes you feel the sword somewhat possesses an uneathly quality, you are right, because the sword is indeed made of material from outspace. It all started on a warm summer night in 1516 during the Ming Dynasty, when the sky over Guangxi Province (广西) in southern China suddenly cracked open and showered with meteors. 490 years later, on a warm summer day when a master sword craftsman named Zheng Guorong (郑国荣) living in Dragon Spring City (Longquan 龙泉市) in China's east Zhejiang Province was doing his earthly business at his sword store, he was approached by a businessman from Shanxi provicne who asked Master Zheng to produce a sword with celestial quality. Most meteors contain only 80 percent of iron which makes them too brittle to be transformed into weapens. But there are exceptions, and those fell from the sky in 1516 are ones with rich iron properties. Master Zheng successfully obtianed one block and crafed it into a Dragon Spring (Longquan) Sword, one of the most famous brands for swords in China since antiquity. This masterpiece took two years for the Master Zheng and his disciples to accomplish, and it is reported by Chinese television that when few days ago the master handed over the sword to the Shanxi businessman, he felt as though he was lossing his baby. The good thing is the businessman won't keep the masterpiece in his private collection, instead, he is to take it to Beijing as his gift to the Olympics 2008. So, in a month or so, we may all have a chance to appreciate this Dragon Spring with an origin in distant past and deep space. (Source of info & original photo: cctv) Pre: Yungang Grottoes
in Datong
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