The Flash of Sabers and Shadows of Swords
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Summary
Editor's review
The book's reading value lies in its distinctive angle. It places cold weapons at the center of a vivid historical stage, linking iconic national treasures and ordinary blades alike to grand vistas of dynastic change, tactical evolution, technological development, and cultural exchange. Readers can learn not only about the forms and battlefield effectiveness of ge, spear, sword, halberd, bow, and crossbow, but also, through the gleam of blades and flash of swords, glimpse ancient Chinese military thought, craft aesthetics, and even national spirit. The book also touches on legendary artifacts such as the Sword of Goujian, King of Yue, and the Spear of Fuchai, King of Wu, adding to the pleasure of reading.
Overall, this is a historical popular-science work of moderate informational density and strong readability. It avoids the daunting obscurity of academic works and, in plain language, opens a door for readers to understand ancient Chinese military and material culture. For readers who wish to systematically understand the history of ancient Chinese weapons, or who are interested in history, military affairs, archaeology, or arts and crafts, this book is a good introductory guide and knowledge supplement.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Enthusiasts with a strong interest in ancient Chinese history and military history
- Readers who enjoy exploring ancient technology and crafts such as metallurgy and forging
- Fans of wuxia and historical fiction who want to learn about weapons in real history
- General readers seeking broad works on history and culture to expand their knowledge
Not a good fit for
- Pure military researchers seeking detailed battle case analysis and in-depth interpretation of strategy and tactics
- Readers expecting picture-led appreciation books with large numbers of high-resolution artifact images
Reading tips
- Read alongside a general history of ancient China or a dynastic history to understand weapons evolution within specific historical contexts
- While reading, pay attention to the links between changes in weapon forms and transformations in social productive forces and modes of warfare
- For specific weapon types of interest, use the book as an index and consult more specialized archaeological reports or academic papers for further reading
About the publisher
Founded in 1982, Modern Press is a Chinese publisher that serves general readers across a diverse range of subjects. Judging from its catalog, its publishing focuses on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, psychological research and application, popular science, and modern poetry, along with history, biography, and children's books. The Book of Songs, the illustrated vernacular edition of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, The Complete Poems of Dai Wangshu, and Buddhism in the Vegetable Roots reflect efforts to make traditional culture and poetry accessible; works by Carl Gustav Jung such as The Development of Personality and Understanding Your Psychological Type, together with titles from the Ivy International Education Alliance, show sustained attention to psychology and educational reading; and Stephen Hawking's works and the illustrated two-volume Brief History of Everything and A Brief History of Time indicate a commitment to popular science. Its authors include figures such as Qu Wanli, Xu Ke, Dai Wangshu, and Jung, and its publishing emphasizes retelling classics and accessible, illustrated presentation. Because public information is limited, this summary is based only on the titles in our catalog.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 序言
- 百兵之母 棍术
- 劲猛而慈悲的少林棍术
- 变化多端的八卦棍术
- 长短结合的三节棍术
- 灵动强猛的梢子棍术
- 攻防一体的八极棍术
- 百兵之胆 刀术
- 迅如猛虎的少林刀术
- 矫若游龙的八卦刀术
- 刚柔相济的太极刀术
- 传承古老的苗族刀术
- 刀术中的极品十八拦刀
- 刀法中的精粹双手刀
- 稀有奇特的日月乾坤刀
- 百兵之君 剑术
- 实用珍稀的青萍剑术
- 威震江湖的武当剑术
- 剑如飞凤的少林剑术
- 精巧多变的八卦剑术
- 双手剑的代表螳螂剑
- 侠义为法的纯阳剑术
- 轻灵如猿的峨眉剑术
- 百兵之王 枪术
- 形中寓意的岳家枪术
- 枪舞梨花的杨家枪术
- 枪术发展里程碑吴家枪
- 四大名枪之一峨眉枪
- 门类齐全的少林枪系
- 扎根山东的罗家枪术
- 武林绝宝 器械
- 放长击远的长器械
- 险而又绝的短器械
- 防不胜防的暗器械
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About the author
Xiao Dongfa (1949–2016), whose ancestral home was Tianjin and who was born in Shenyang, was a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University, and director of its Institute of Modern Publishing. An important scholar in editing and publishing studies, he focused on the history of Chinese books, publishing history, and yearbook studies. He edited the History of Chinese Editing and Publishing and Chinese Libraries of Book Collecting, and led the National Social Science Fund key project A General History of Chinese Publishing, laying a solid foundation for the organization and narration of Chinese publishing history. Beyond academic writing, he attended to Peking University's institutional history and humanistic traditions, writing works such as Character: From the Imperial University to Old Peking University, Exemplars: Former Residences and Anecdotes of Peking University Notables, and Scenes: Yanyuan Landscapes and Cultural Heritage, which recount campus memories and personal stories with warmth. His works also touch on the four treasures of the study, garden architecture, and academic writing standards. Some 491 of his titles are held in the library, spanning language and culture, biography, and architecture, and combining scholarly rigor with accessible readability.
Zhang Xueliang is a Chinese compiler and author of books, long engaged in writing accessible works on history and military subjects, and is one of the principal compilers of the "Stories of the Republic" series. His output is considerable, with one hundred titles held in the collection, covering a wide range of subjects including social culture, sports, architecture, and documentary literature. Representative works include *A Thousand-Year Achievement: Construction Begins on the Three Gorges Water Conservancy Project*, *A Grand View of Tiananmen Square*, *Chinese Kung Fu*, *The Great Northern Passes: Famous Ancient Frontier Fortresses*, *Clear Water from the Luan River: The Successful Completion of the Luan-to-Tianjin Water Diversion Project*, *A Grand View of Beijing's Scenic Spots*, *Lingering Charm of the Ancient Capital*, and *National Mobilization: The PLA Rushes to Earthquake Relief in Sichuan*. These works offer documentary accounts of major projects and historical events as well as popular surveys of ancient capitals, traditional martial arts, and regional culture. He has also compiled books such as *The Confucian Tradition of Qi and Lu* and *The Bronze Age*, and has written for a television military program. Public information on his dates of birth and death, native place, and education is limited and difficult to verify.
