Swords were the
most important hand weapons in Tibet from at least the 7th century until the
early 20th century. They represent an old style of sword that was common in a
wide area, including China, but was replaced by curved swords in China from the
end of the Song Dynasty. Only remote areas such as Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim and
the regions of Yunnan and Sichuan retained straight single-edged swords until
recently. This sword has a single-edged blade, some are double-edged, but that
is very rare. Besides their intended use, they could also be clear indicators
of value and status based on the quality or quantity of decoration. For the
Tibetans, such as the Khampa Tribe in East Tibet, a sword is so important that
it is still used in their traditional clothing. The sword also has a rich
symbolic meaning in Tibetan Buddhism, especially as the Sword of Wisdom, which
represents the ability to break through spiritual ignorance.
Many cultures
have developed ways of making swords from different types of steel to obtain a
sword blade of the desired hardness and durability in the right places. What
sets the Tibetans apart is that their blacksmiths worked at high altitudes
where oxygen was scarce and fuel was limited, making it difficult to heat large
forges to high temperatures.
As a result,
ways were found to weld the layers together using as little heat as possible,
by stacking the layers instead of folding them. This results in a
characteristic "hairpin", named after the hairpin shape of its
various layers.
It was formed by
combining harder and softer iron, called "male iron" and
"female iron" in traditional Tibetan texts, which were folded,
nested and forged into a single piece using a blade-making technique called
pattern welding. The handles are usually made of silver engraved with coral or
turquoise, or in some rare cases of iron damasked with gold and silver
carefully hammered and pierced.
1. Dpa'dam
(Pa Tam)
 |
| Dpa'dam sword |
Dpa'dam is the
long sword of the Tibetan cultural region. Alternatively, it can be spelled pa
tam, under which it appears in the Qing Multilingual Dictionary of 1766. The
Chinese equivalent given here is yāodāo or "belt sword" and in Manchu
loho.
A very good
example of a Dpa'dam, a common side arm of a Tibetan warrior. The long single
blade is well made using the traditional hairpin forging method of bent bars of
hard "male iron" (pho lcags) and softer "female iron" (mo
lcags) bent into a hairpin and woven into the blade. In this way it combines
seven parts, forming up to 13 layers from the spine to the edge.
2. Yiong
(Yigong) Sword
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| one-edge Yiong sword |
The Yiong sword
dates back almost 400 years and is known for its unique materials and
craftsmanship. The blade of the Yiong sword is forged from three iron ores in
the local mountains. The handle and container are made of wood from the ancient
forests of Yiong. Yiong swords vary in length, but all have long, narrow blades
and are light, sharp and stainless.
 |
| double-edge Yiong sword |
Today, the Yiong
sword is still a rarity. One swordsmith can only make a few swords a month. In
Yiong, sword heirs are in charge and work together to make swords. In this way,
the skill of iron and fire is passed on to later generations.
3. Ke-tri
Sword
 |
| one-edge Ke-tri sword |
Tibetan sword
Ke-tri. These extremely rare battle swords were still used by Tibetan warriors
at the turn of the 20th century. The heavy single-edged blade, 25 to 30 inches
long, is forged from laminated steel folded into a hairpin at the tip. The
handle is fixed with perforated steels and the handle is covered with silver
wire. Attached to the bottom of the handle is a large round white metal roundel
in classic Tibetan style, decorated with a red coral stone.
 |
| double-edge Ke-tri sword |
Pommel is also set
with a smaller coral stone. The wooden box is covered in black leather and
framed by a U-shaped steel frame with long perforated white metal panels at the
top and bottom. The sword comes with its original strap with white metal
buttons, braided leather tip and steel buckle. Total length in case 32-37
inches.
4. Tibetan
Vajra Sword
 |
| Tibetan Vajra sword |
In general, a
sword is a long-bladed weapon (when cut), often used as a symbol of honor or
power. But in Vajrayana Buddhism, the sword has a special meaning and
significance. It is a symbol of the enlightenment of the world, because
"as a sword cuts a knot, so the intellect penetrates the deepest recesses
of Buddhist thought".
Sometimes it
bursts into flames, like this one. This sword became symbol in Manjushri (Wisdom
Bodhisattva), which was in his right hand. Manjushri's sword is called
Pradjnakhadga. It is believed to destroy the darkness of ignorance with its
rays of light. Symbolically, the sword represents justice, righteousness,
justice, love and creativity.
 |
| Manjushri sword |
This
double-edged sword of wisdom has a flame on its tip. The lower part represents
the blade of a sword coming from the mouth of a makara (crocodile). In the
lower part of the handle is the five-pronged half Vajra. These five peaks
symbolize the five elements of purity: earth, water, fire, air and ether.
Tibetan Vajra Sword
was also used as a ritual object in the Fire Rage ceremony in Tibet/China. A
fire ceremony is an offering dedicated to a particular deity, usually performed
after a religious retreat. This ceremony aims to expel evil spirits. It is held
on the 29th or 30th of the month at noon or midnight at the slaughterhouse in the
southern part of the region. This ceremony should only be performed by a Lama with
high spiritual understanding and very strong concentration.
The ceremony
must be of no benefit to the person who performs it, who must be motivated by
compassion, which arises from the belief that if a harmful being lives longer,
it will continue to harm itself and others. The Lama representing it faces
south and wears dark blue or black clothes. The bound sand mandala is
triangular in shape. The practicing Lama first visualizes rays rising from his
heart and becoming a Vajra lasso that binds the hands and feet of the evil
being or spirit to be conquered and destroyed. The lasso then becomes a chain
with padlocks at the ends. The Vajra hook then catches the evil being and
brings it to the fire ceremony. With other tools, one of which is the Vajra
Sword, the lame creature can be scared into changing its bad behavior. For example,
it can be hit with a hammer, cut with a knife and sword, and cut with an ax. A Lama
can also threaten to burn an evil creature. Because the evil being knows how
powerful the mala is, they usually ask not to be harmed and promise to change.
According to this method Padmasambhava is said to have defeated evil spirits in
Tibet and converted them to the service of Buddhism.
It is called the
Vajra Sword because there is indeed a Vajra in sword pommel.
