Bronze Sword

The bronze sword used in An Empress and the Warriors (2008) set against the Warring States Period sports a unique design that sets it apart from other traditional swords in wuxia films. Shaped similar to an elongated spear head, early swords have a short hilt widened to enhance its grip and a broad blade to facilitate an effective thrust on the battlefield. ‘Yu Chang’, ‘Gan Jiang’, ‘Mo Xie’ were among the numerous legendary swords from the Warring States Period, providing rich fictional material for many films.

This bronze sword was used in An Empress and the Warriors (2008) set against the Warring States Period.

Double-edged with a keel spine, swords are struck from thinly rolled steel that make them prone to breaking under stress. Therefore, sword techniques are geared towards piercing and slicing, with emphasis on lightness and grace. Yu Chenghui’s floating and flowing sword fighting in Kids from Shaolin (1984) certainly lives up to audience expectations.