Hand-Forged Chinese Jian Sword — "Wudang" (Tai Chi Jian)

Hand-Forged Chinese Jian Sword — "Wudang" Tai Chi Jian with Full-Tang 5160 Spring Steel, Brass Fittings and Rosewood Grip

The Wudang Jian is a traditional Chinese straight sword — the "Gentleman of Weapons" — hand-forged in Kathmandu, Nepal from 5160 high carbon spring steel and oil-tempered for resilience. 37 inches overall: a 28-inch double-edged willow-leaf blade with a 9-inch rosewood handle, cast brass guard and pommel, and a traditional red sword tassel. Full tang, hand-sharpened, with a handmade leather-wrapped scabbard and brass mounts. Choose your blade finish, blade length, handle material and scabbard colour, plus free personalisation and engraving. Worldwide shipping via DHL Express & FedEx International. 30-day satisfaction guarantee. 6-month warranty.

The jian is the straight, double-edged sword at the heart of Chinese martial heritage — light, precise and demanding, the blade the tradition calls the "Gentleman of Weapons." Where the broad, single-edged dao was the soldier's sabre, the jian belonged to the scholar-officer and the martial artist, and mastering it became a mark of discipline and refinement. Our Wudang Jian carries that lineage in a modern hand-forged build, named for the mountain so closely tied to Daoist swordsmanship and tai chi.

This Everest Forge Jian is hand-forged in our Kathmandu workshop from 5160 high carbon spring steel and oil-tempered for the right balance of edge retention and resilience, with a full tang running the entire depth of the handle. The 28-inch willow-leaf blade widens gently toward the point for presence and authority, and is finished with cast brass fittings, a smooth rosewood grip and a traditional red sword tassel. The blade totals 37 inches overall — a commanding, balanced sword for forms, controlled cutting practice, or display.

This is an original Everest Forge interpretation of the classic Chinese jian, not a licensed replica of any specific museum piece. It is a stiff, forged live-steel blade — well suited to solo tai chi forms, controlled cutting practice, display, cosplay and reenactment — but it is not a thin, flexible wushu performance jian, and it is not built for contact sparring or LARP.

The Jian in Chinese Martial Heritage

Few weapons carry the cultural weight of the jian. For more than two thousand years it has been the sword of the educated warrior — light enough for speed, double-edged for versatility, and demanding enough that mastering it became a mark of discipline and honour. To carry a jian well was to show control, patience and precision, which is why it became the favoured sword of generals, scholars and Daoist masters rather than rank-and-file soldiers.

That heritage lives on most visibly in tai chi and the wider family of internal martial arts, where the jian's slow, deliberate sword forms train balance, breathing and the unbroken flow of movement. The red tassel at the pommel is part of that tradition — historically said to distract an opponent and clear blood from the grip, today a flourish that trails the blade through every cut and turn. Our Wudang Jian is dressed in that classical spirit, and pairs naturally with the rest of our swords by culture collection.

What Makes This Hand-Forged Jian Different

The jian market is crowded with cast and stamped display swords — thin, decorative pieces that look the part on a wall but have no real forging behind them. At the other extreme sit dedicated flexible-blade wushu jian, built deliberately whippy for competition forms rather than for cutting or display presence.

This Wudang Jian sits in a different category. Hand-forged from 5160 high carbon spring steel — the same battle-grade steel we use for our combat swords — oil-tempered, and built around a full tang that runs the entire depth of the handle. The cast brass guard and pommel are fitted over that tang, the rosewood grip seated against a brass ferrule, and the leather-wrapped scabbard built to fit your exact blade. Nothing is cast as a single decorative unit or glued together as a costume piece.

It is offered at the most accessible price in its range for a genuinely hand-forged, full-tang jian — and every customisation is included rather than billed as an upcharge on the page. For collectors and practitioners who want an authentic Chinese straight sword in real working steel, this is the right tier. Browse the full range in our historical swords collection.

Product Specifications

Customise Your Wudang Jian

Every Wudang Jian is hand-forged to order in our Kathmandu workshop. Select your options on this page and specify any extra details in the order notes at checkout.

Who This Jian Is For

• The tai chi practitioner who wants a real forged jian with proper balance for slow forms and controlled practice — not a flimsy display toy.
• The martial arts student learning classical Chinese swordplay who wants an authentic straight sword to grow into, dressed in the traditional brass-and-tassel style.
• The collector of world blades who curates swords from across cultures and wants a jian that genuinely represents the Chinese tradition, hand-forged rather than cast.
• The cosplayer and reenactor who wants a striking, photogenic Chinese sword for wuxia-inspired costume, stage or reenactment dress, with a display edge available on request.
• The gift giver marking a graduation, a promotion or a teacher's milestone with a meaningful, personalisable blade that will be kept for life.
• The display enthusiast who wants a centrepiece for a wall or stand — the bright blade, brass fittings and trailing red tassel make the Wudang Jian a natural focal point.

The 4-Step Forging Process

What's Included

• Hand-forged Wudang Jian in your chosen blade finish, length and handle material
• Cast brass guard and pommel with a traditional red sword tassel bound at the pommel
• Handmade leather-wrapped wooden scabbard with brass throat, mid-mount and chape in your chosen colour
• Free personalisation or engraving if requested in your order notes
• Care and maintenance guide with oiling instructions for blade and leather
• Worldwide tracked shipping via DHL Express or FedEx International
• 30-day satisfaction guarantee — not happy, return for refund or rebuild
• 6-month craftsmanship warranty covering forging or fitting defects

Shipping, Returns & Warranty

Processing. Every Wudang Jian is made to order. Forging and finishing takes 3–5 business days from order confirmation. Custom engraving may add 2–3 days.

Shipping. Worldwide via DHL Express and FedEx International with full tracking. Transit time 5–10 business days depending on country. Total time from order to delivery is typically 8–15 business days. Some countries restrict the import of swords and long fixed blades — check local laws before ordering.

Returns. Not satisfied? Return within 30 days for full refund or free re-build to different specifications. We cover return shipping for craftsmanship defects. Custom-engraved and personalised pieces are excepted unless faulty.

Warranty. 6-month craftsmanship warranty against forging defects, fitting separation, or scabbard failure under normal use. Edge damage from misuse, rust from neglect, contact sparring and damage from non-cutting impacts are not covered. Full terms in our FAQ page.

Care & Maintenance

Oil the blade regularly. 5160 carbon steel will surface-rust if neglected. Wipe the blade with mineral oil, gun oil, or food-grade camellia oil after handling and periodically during storage. The 28-inch blade has a lot of surface area — oil the full length.

Care for the leather and rosewood. Condition the scabbard with leather balm or beeswax every few months to prevent drying and cracking, and keep the rosewood grip out of prolonged damp and direct sun. An occasional light wood conditioner keeps the grip rich.

Store thoughtfully. Do not store the blade sealed inside a damp scabbard for long periods. For long-term storage, keep the sword lightly oiled and the scabbard somewhere dry and ventilated.

Respect the edge. This is a sharpened live blade. Handle, draw and sheathe it with care, keep it away from children, and use it only for its intended display, forms and controlled-cutting purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions