Asian warriors employed a variety of swords to achieve victory in military conflicts and signal their social standing. During the 16th and 17th centuries, swords played a pivotal role in altering the outcomes of major wars across Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Even though swords had become less significant as infantry weapons by the 18th century, they continued to be used by cavalry forces, particularly in China and India. ASIAN Geographic examines the different types of swords in cultures across Asia.

JAPAN

Katana

The Japanese katana is the most widely collected Asian sword thanks to its ties to the samurai, the esteemed warriors who served Japan’s feudal lords. With its curved, single-edged design, the samurai sword could execute a sweeping cut in a single motion. In battle, samurai often wielded it with a two-handed grip for maximum power, though it could also be used with one hand.

During the Sengoku Period (1467–1615), the katana was a favoured weapon in combat. Japan maintained its tradition of sword craftsmanship by creating high-carbon steel blades known for their hardness and flexibility. Unlike other swords, the Japanese katana is JAPAN Katana distinguished by its hamon, the pattern of hardened steel formed during tempering. Part of the nihonto family of swords, the katana is characterised by a blade length, or nagasa, of more than two shaku, roughly equivalent to 60 centimetres.

In Japanese martial arts, such as iaido and iaijutsu, the iaito, a blunt version of the katana, is typically made from aluminium alloy instead of stainless steel. Lighter than steel, aluminium alloy swords cannot be sharpened. Most iaito are full-tang blades (extending the entire handle length) and have a weight similar to that of an authentic Japanese sword, although the blade length often varies based on the practitioner and the martial arts school.

 

 

Wakizashi

During the Edo period (1603–1868), the samurai began wearing a sword set known as daisho, typically comprising the long katana and the short wakizashi. The samurai would leave their katana at the entrance of public places, using the wakizashi as a secondary weapon.

Interestingly, while only samurai were permitted to carry the full daisho, other social groups, such as merchants and townsmen, were allowed to carry the wakizashi. In 1876, wearing swords in public by most Japanese was banned, thereby ending the use of the daisho as the symbol of the samurai. Soon after the sword ban, the samurai class was abolished.

Tachi

The tachi was the earliest sword of Japanese design. It featured a single-edged, curved blade and was worn slung from the belt. Although it was superseded by the katana, the tachi continued to be the traditional sword worn with armour throughout much of Japanese history. Traditionally, the tachi was fitted with a pommel, or kashira.

The first Japanese curved swords, kenukigata-tachi, were developed by the samurai in the middle of the Heian period (794–1185). The characteristic shape may reflect the changing form of warfare in Japan, as cavalry had become the dominant fighting unit. Compared to the older straight swords (chokuto), the curved sword was a far more efficient weapon wielded by a warrior on horseback.

Ordinary samurai wore swords of the style called kurourusi tachi. The hilt of the tachi was wrapped in leather or ray skin, and wrapped with black thread or leather cord, while the scabbard was coated with black lacquer. Court nobles wore tachi decorated with jewels for ceremonial purposes.

 

CHINA

Jian

The earliest Chinese swords, called jian, were straight and double-edged. Early jian were made of copper and produced during the time of Huang Di, the Yellow Emperor, whose reign began in 2697 BCE. The jian was also the preferred weapon of figures in Buddhist as well as Taoist mythology.

The jian was also the preferred weapon of figures in Buddhist as well as Taoist mythology.

Jian swords served equally as a weapon and as a symbol of social status and power. During the first millennium BCE, in the hands of the nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes, it became, along with the bow, one of the primary cavalry weapons of the ancient world. Groups such as the Scythians, the Yuezhi, the Xiongnu, and the Xianbei achieved a succession of federations and kingdoms in Eurasia by combining the use of sword and bow with an unparalleled skill in horsemanship.

Dao

The single-edged Chinese sword, known as the dao, dates back to the late Han dynasty, from 206 BCE to 220 CE. Primarily utilised as a cavalry weapon, Chinese warriors employed the dao for slashing and used its point for thrusting at opponents. While the straight-bladed jian was more popular, the curved dao was considered more practical and easier to wield.

Constructed from multiple layers, the Chinese dao featured a core of hard steel sandwiched between layers of softer steel. Dao blades evolved into various forms, including the deeply curved liuyedao, or willow-leaf sabre. Some short Chinese swords known as yanmaodao had a nearly straight blade; it was used as a standard military weapon during the Ming dynasty and middle Qing dynasty (1368–1800).

Dadao

One variety of dao known as the dadao – literally, “large knife” – features a broad blade and a long hilt, and was designed for two-handed use. These swords had diverse blade shapes, including large, cleaver-like blades. Though not particularly sophisticated, the dadao was highly effective for chopping and slashing.

Though not particularly sophisticated, the dadao was highly effective for chopping and slashing.

Typically linked with revolutionaries and civilian militias, the dadao served as an efficient close-combat weapon for untrained troops. Despite their somewhat impractical nature, these swords were employed by Chinese soldiers during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945).

 

TURKEY

Kilij

The Ottoman Empire was established by Turks that migrated from Central Asia to Anatolia, now part of Turkey. Between the 14th to the 19th centuries, Ottoman warriors wielded the kilij, a curved sword with a flaring tip known as a yelman, which greatly enhanced its cutting power. This design evolved from the Turko-Mongolian swords of the 13th century.

The kilij features a highly curved blade, which often required a specially adapted scabbard with a slot cut into the back, covered by sprung steel, to facilitate easier drawing. Its rounded hilt and crossguard reinforced the blade. Ottoman soldiers typically aimed their strikes at an enemy’s face, skull, and neck while on horseback. Europeans referred to these swords as scimitars, a term used to describe various curved Asian swords.

Perhaps Europe’s most famous champion of the kilij was Vlad III, the sadistic 15th-century ruler of Wallachia, a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. Vlad the Impaler, as he was otherwise known, used a kilij in combat, even when he wasn’t on horseback. The second son of Vlad Dracul, Vlad III went by the sobriquet “Dracula”, and despite his penchant for the kilij, is known for impaling his prisoners on wooden poles and displaying them around the walls of his castle. No wonder he inspired the name of Bram Stoker’s literary vampire, Count Dracula.

Yatagan

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the yatagan, also called the varsak, served as a sidearm for the Turkish military. The knife or short sabre featured a forward-curving blade known as a kopis and a hilt without a guard. The yatagan sometimes had flared “wings” at the pommel, which prevented the hilt slipping out of the hand when it was used for cutting.

Swords belonging to Ottoman sultans were typically made from precious materials and adorned with lavish decorations, such as dragons and phoenixes. Having no guard, the yatagan fitted closely into the top of its scabbard, which was traditionally worn thrust into a waist sash and secured by a hook.

 

 

GEORGIA

Qama

While daggers with straight blades first appeared in the Middle and Near East in the Bronze and Iron Ages, the qama (also called khanjali) is relatively modern, the earliest examples dating from the 18th century. This dagger is characterised by its large size, “I”-shaped grip, and straight, double-edged blade. Likely originating in Georgia, it gained popularity throughout the Caucasus as well as in Turkey, the Balkans, and Iran.

This dagger is characterised by its large size, “I”-shaped grip, and straight, double-edged blade.

By the mid-1800s, this nimble weapon and convenient tool had also become a requisite dress accessory, worn angled, in the front of the belt by men, with some examples lavishly embellished.

 

PERSIA

Shamshir

Persian craftsmen were also renowned as masters of sword-making. The Persian shamshir is a robust slashing sword featuring a single edge and a deeply curved, tapering blade, bearing similarities to the Turkish kilij but typically with a narrower blade. It is noted for its L-shaped pommel and straight quillons (the arms of the crossguard) meeting at a diamond-shaped central plate.

From Persia, now modern-day Iran, the shamshir made its way to India in the 16th century. With its long, single-edged, curved blade, the shamshir is a type of sabre, used both on horseback and on foot. It was well-suited for slashing, though less effective for thrusting.

By the 19th century, the shamshir could be found in Turkey and other parts of the Islamic world. These swords were often adorned with silver or gold inlay, scrollwork, and religious inscriptions.

By the 19th century, the shamshir could be found in Turkey and other parts of the Islamic world.

 

INDIA

Talwar

In the 16th century, the rise of the Mughal Empire in India led to the creation of elegant curved swords found across India, Sri Lanka, and the Islamic world. Among these was the talwar, which was characterised by its deeply curved blade, a traditional Indian style. The term “talwar” comes from the Sanskrit word taravari, which means one-edged sword.

Earlier talwars had more gentle curves compared to swords produced later in the Mughal period. The blade was generally wider than that of the shamshir. While most resemble sabres, some talwars feature double-pointed tips known as zulfikar. It is believed that the talwar may have influenced the design of the British sabre.

In the late 18th century, the talwar was used during the wars between the British and the rulers of Mysore.

In the late 18th century, the talwar was used during the wars between the British and the rulers of Mysore. British officers remarked on the sword’s superior quality compared to European blades. The hilt was often adorned with steel inlaid with gold, called koftgari, which was a common decoration on many Indian swords.

Ramdao

Just as Hindu goddess Durga was a manifestation of the focused anger of the gods, so too was the goddess Kali an emanation born of the wrath of Durga. Kali is worshipped both as the most bloodthirsty member of the Hindu pantheon and, conversely, as the most life affirming. The goddess’s dichotomous nature as destroyer and saviour is implicit in sacramental weapons, which were used in the ritualistic slaughter of animals offered to her as sacrifices.

The worship of Kali, like that of the other Indian goddesses who are revered for their generative powers, regularly includes blood sacrifice, which was once carried out with weapons such as the ramdao. This top-heavy sword was used to decapitate sacrificial buffalo in commemoration of the slaying of the buffalo demon, Mahishasura, by Kali’s progenitor, Durga.

The eye engraved on the blade signifies the presence of the goddess as she watches over the sacrifice. The hump-like projection above the eye on the back edge of the ramdao represents the tasselled hat of the defeated buffalo demon. The hat is sometimes also seen in paintings of Durga, floating above her head as she battles demon armies, as a symbol of her victory over Mahishasura.

 

NEPAL

Kukri

In the 19th century, Nepalese Gurkhas wielded the kukri and fought alongside British forces. The kukri, also spelled khukuri, is known for its short, inwardly curved blade, making it effective both for cutting through jungle undergrowth and in battle. While primarily a dagger or knife, Gurkhas used it as a war sword.

The kukri’s heavy weight and razor-sharp blade enable it to sever an enemy’s head or limbs with a single swipe, instilling fear even among Japanese forces during World War II. Today, the kukri continues to be a traditional tool for the Nepalese people, symbolising their history and culture.

 

 

SRI LANKA

Kasthane

Short, heavy, and slightly curved, the kasthane was the characteristic sword of Ceylon, modern-day Sri Lanka. The blade, however, was often of European origin, which may be linked to the presence of a succession of European trading companies in Sri Lanka, especially from the 17th century onward. For example, the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, or VOC) routinely gifted swords and assorted mechanical novelties to the Kandyan court as part of a broader strategy of securing trading concessions.

Typically, the hilt was carved with elaborate decorations and encrusted with gemstones, while the scabbards of these swords were often made of wood or rhino horn. Most kasthane swords can be dated from the time of Portuguese occupation of Sri Lanka, from 1505 to 1658.

Most kasthane swords can be dated from the time of Portuguese occupation of Sri Lanka, from 1505 to 1658.

These swords appear in depictions of chiefs and noblemen of the Kandyan court, as recorded in late 18th-century Dutch paintings of VOC audiences at court and the receptions of Kandyan officials at the VOC headquarters in Colombo. They likely also served as diplomatic gifts from the court to European visitors, and thus found their way back to Europe, where they were widely admired.

 

 

 

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