Weapon
Qinggangjian 青釭劍
About this item
The Qinggangjian is one of the two precious swords that Cao Cao owns in the Romance. Chapter 41 of the Romance says that Cao Cao had two precious swords, the Heaven Sword (Yitian) and the Qinggang, and that he wore the Heaven Sword himself and had the Qinggangjian worn by Xiahou En, who attended him carrying his sword. This sword cuts iron like mud and is matchlessly sharp, and the two characters "Qinggang" are inlaid in gold on its hilt. Zhao Yun, who spears Xiahou En to death at Changban, seizes this sword and wears it from then on. Romance, Ch. 41 §50–51Romance, Ch. 61 §17
Neither Chen Shou's text nor Pei Songzhi's commentary has the Qinggangjian. The Biographies of Guan, Zhang, Ma, Huang and Zhao in Records of Shu 6 say only that at Changban Zhao Yun personally carried the infant Later Sovereign in his arms and protected Lady Gan. The Romance mentions this sword in Chapters 41, 42 and 61. Records, Shu 6 §39Romance, Ch. 41 §50Romance, Ch. 42 §2Romance, Ch. 61 §17
In the Romance
In the battle of Changban in Chapter 41 of the Romance, Zhao Yun, who has gone back into the enemy lines to find Lady Mi and his young lord, spears down in a single bout a general who comes riding with a dozen-odd horsemen, holding an iron spear and carrying a sword on his back. He is Xiahou En, who attended Cao Cao carrying his sword, and who, trusting only in his own strength and courage, was leading men to plunder behind Cao Cao's back. Zhao Yun seizes the sword and only realizes it is a precious sword when he sees the two characters "Qinggang" on its hilt; sheathing the sword and taking up his spear, he rides back into the encirclement. Romance, Ch. 41 §49–51
Surrounded by four generals who had surrendered from Yuan Shao's service and by Cao Cao's troops, Zhao Yun draws the Qinggangjian and slashes wildly, and wherever his hand rises, clothing and armor are cut clean through. In Chapter 42, he parries the painted halberd of the pursuing Zhong Shen with the spear in his left hand, draws the Qinggangjian with his right and strikes, cutting through helmet and head halfway, and races toward Changban Bridge. Romance, Ch. 41 §60Romance, Ch. 42 §1–2
In Chapter 61, when the boat on which his lord's wife has taken Adou sets off, Zhao Yun pursues it in a fishing boat. He knocks aside arrows with his spear, but when the Wu soldiers thrust at him wildly with spears, he drops his spear in the small boat, draws the Qinggangjian he is wearing, parts the spear points and leaps onto the large boat. Facing the lady in the cabin, Zhao Yun sheathes his sword and pays his respects. Romance, Ch. 61 §16–18
Where the Romance differs
Zhao Yun at Changban: In Chapter 41 of the Romance, Zhao Yun spears Xiahou En, seizes the Qinggangjian and searches for his young lord while cutting through the encirclement with it. Records of Shu 6 in the Records says that when Liu Bei abandoned his wife and children and fled south, Zhao Yun personally carried the infant son (the Later Sovereign) in his arms and protected Lady Gan, so that all escaped harm, and neither the sword nor Xiahou En appears. Romance, Ch. 41 §50–51 · 60Records, Shu 6 §39
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Ownership history
| Owner | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cao Cao | ~208 | Romance 「曹操有寶劍二口：一名“倚天”，一名“青釭”」 · 「建安十三年」 |
| Xiahou En | 208 | Romance 「青釭劍令夏侯恩佩之」 · 「被他一槍刺死，奪了那口劍」(yy-041:s51) · 「建安十三年」 |
| Zhao Yun | 208~ | Romance 「奪了那口劍，看靶上有金嵌“青釭”二字」 · 「建安十三年」 |
Ownership is checked against the source texts (3KDEX) — each entry rests on the passage where the item changes hands. Owners not in the People index are not shown.