In the 13th year of Qing Qianlong (1748), Zheng Yisheng, a swordsman, opened a sword shop in Dongjie, Longquan County, recruiting apprentices to teach skills, and making swords by the traditional "casting steel" method, which made them not easy to rust and extremely sharp. During the light years of the Qing Dynasty (around 1830), Liao Taihe and Jian Pu in Longquan inherited the decorative style of the Warring States period, and were good at carving patterns on the surface of swords, which made them famous for a while. In the eighth year of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty (1858), the Taiping Army entered Longquan, and a large number of high-quality Longquan swords were supplemented by Zheng Sangu Sword Shop. In the early years of Guangxu, Zhou Guohua, a disciple of Qianzihao, and other three brothers opened a sword shop of Wanzihao. In the 20th year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty (1894), Shen, the blacksmith master of Bihu in Lishui, moved to Longquan and opened the "Shen Guanglong Renzi Sword Shop" in the west street of the county. He taught his sword-casting skills to five sons, Huan Wen, Huanwu, Zhou Huan, Huanqing and Huanquan, and called it "Zhou Qingquan, Wu Wen, Shen Shi, the home of sword-casting". At present, the three famous swords of Shen Shi are also collected in Wanzi Sword Manor. 1. On one side, the body of the sword is engraved with a picture of a golden dragon with five claws, and on the other side, the words "Longquan Sword" are engraved with symbols. There are blood grooves in the center of both sides of the blade, inlaid with seven stars. The sword lattice is shaped like a tiger's head, with the word "Ren" beside the handle and a copper sheath. Secondly, the sword of the Republic of China is engraved with "Made by Shen Guanglong" and "Longquan was built in the 37th year of the Republic of China", with seven stars embedded in the body, a smooth blade on one side and a wooden handle, and a green shark skin sheath. The scabbard was made in Qing Dynasty. Third, the Longquan sword in the early years of the Republic of China was engraved with "Made by Shen Guanglong" and "Longquan Gu Jian". The inlaid seven stars, sword lattice, sword head and copper hoop on the scabbard are all finely carved, embossed with floral patterns and mahogany scabbard handles, and the blade quality is excellent.
In the autumn of 19th year of the Republic of China (1930), Longquan sword was awarded the best sword in the national Wushu competition held in Nanjing, and its reputation was greatly improved. The number of sword shops increased from 7 to 1 1.
Modern Longquan sword
After the founding of New China, the Party and the government attached great importance to restoring the production of traditional handicrafts. After No.2/KLOC-0 1950 Xinhua Street in Longquan, "Shen Guanglong" Jianpu resumed business. 1956, the sword-casting artists in Longquan formed the sword production cooperation group in Longquan Town, which belongs to Longquan Iron Works Society, and the address is No.2 Xinhua Street1. Later, the sword production team was separated and merged with the iron works and state-owned iron works. Finally, Longquan Baojian Production Cooperative was established in September 1963, with Shen as the director and Ji Yangchun and Jiang Huawei as the directors. At this time, the annual output is 420 swords. 1965 in order to expand the sword production, the factory site was moved from No.2 Xinhua Street1to No.74 Hualou Street. During the period from 1956 to 1966, the name of the sword produced by the cooperative was either Longquan Sword or Longquan Gu Jian. In terms of technology, it is completely made according to the traditional 28 manual processes such as forging, shoveling, filing, engraving, quenching and grinding. The patterns of dragon, phoenix and seven stars are carved at will, and there is no certain standard. The four characteristics of Longquan sword, combining rigidity with softness, combining rigidity with softness and cold light, remain unchanged. Because Longquan sword is exquisitely made and famous all over the world, the state lists it as a "national gift". Therefore, in 1972, the Sword Society of Longquan County was customized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and four high-grade Longquan swords were carefully created by the sword maker Shen and his descendant Shen Xinpei, and presented as national gifts to visiting US President Nixon and his party, which contributed to the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and the United States.
Due to the popularity of martial arts films, especially the release of Shaolin Temple, the "martial arts fever" in all parts of the country has risen again and again, and people's living standards have been greatly improved, resulting in the shortage of Longquan swords in the market. Longquan sword can't meet the market demand only by relying on a county sword factory and making a living by hand. Under the situation of reform and opening-up, there are villages and towns and sword merchants in Longquan. 1April, 984, Long Yuan Town "Wanzihao Sword Factory" was established. This year, the brothers Shen and Shen Xinpei, the third generation descendants of "Shen Guanglong", raised their own funds and resumed the sword shop of "Shen Guanglong". Subsequently, more than 50 factories such as Jianchi Sword Factory, Gu Jian Factory and individual "Longyuan Sword Factory" and "A Jin Sword Shop" sprang up in the suburbs, and Longquan became a veritable "sword city".
Longquan sword has experienced more than 2400 years of ups and downs since it was created in Ou Yezi. After the founding of New China, Longquan Sword had a bright future, the talents of swordsmen were fully developed, and their lives became increasingly affluent. Longquan sword must have a better tomorrow.