The Double-Edged Swords (双股剑 shuāng gǔ jiàn) were Liu Bei’s signature weapons. Also called the Geng Yang swords (雌雄双剑), they were a matched pair of fine steel blades. Liu Bei used these throughout his campaigns from the Yellow Turban Rebellion to the founding of Shu Han. The swords symbolised his dual nature as both scholar and warrior.
Historical context
The Three Kingdoms period saw extensive use of various weapons and artifacts, each carrying both practical military value and symbolic significance. Weapons were often named and became associated with their famous wielders, passing into legend through the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
References
- Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志)
- Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义)