The concept of the guardian lion emerged in China over 1800 years ago during the Han Dynasty. The lion, fierce, courageous, loyal and swift, was the perfect symbol to guard home and hearth. Both decorative and symbolic, it was common to see elegant sculptures of these lions guarding the homes of the wealthy and aristocratic or even the gates of the Imperial Palace and the tombs of the Chinese emperors.

Our Jade Lion series draws upon the same protective reputation, combining ceremonial, dress styling with battle ready performance. This makes them appropriate for collectors specifically as well as martial artists in general.

The watchful Chinese lion motif is cast in nickel-sliver with almost sculptural detail on the heavy guard and pommels. This provides a compelling contrast to the elegant jade green color of the cord wrapped handles and matching rosewood scabbards that are covered in highly polished sam (ray skin) thats dyed to match the handles. The most attention grabbing feature, however, are the blades themselves. Forged by hand and expertly tempered from our finest Damascus steel, their distinctively subtle swirl pattern bespeaks the elegant beauty of fine craftsmanship combined with the incomparable strength of Damascus steel.

The Lion Gim is a civilian self-defense Wen Jian (Scholars Sword), with a little more panache than the practical versions (like our own Gim Sword) that were made for the battlefield. In our tests it severed and pierced 4" bamboo poles with a single cut or thrust.