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Gan Jiang
The Wu swordsmith who, in the Eastern Han Wu Yue chunqiu, forges the Gan Jiang and Moye swords for King Helü, later recast as the smith of the Three Kings' Tomb revenge tale.
In lantern light and drifting smoke, a row of painted theatrical masks stands on a wooden rail beneath a glowing paper dragon lantern and hanging red lanterns; a folding screen painted with a river, a bridge and hills stands at the right, with a bronze burner and small lamps on the floor.
Also known as Swordsmith Gan Jiang
- Roles
- Cultural Persona
Gan Jiang is a cultural persona that grew out of the name of an ancient sword. The Xunzi already lists Gan Jiang and Moye among King Helü's fine swords; the Eastern Han Wu Yue chunqiu first makes Gan Jiang a swordsmith of Wu who, with his wife Moye, forges a male and a female sword for Helü. In the Lieyi zhuan and the Eastern Jin Soushen ji tale of the Three Kings' Tomb, a smith called Gan Jiang Moye is killed by the king of Chu and avenged by his son Chi. This entry registers a cultural persona, not a historically verified individual.
Life and times
Dates First attested in the Eastern Han Wu Yue chunqiu; canonized in the Eastern Jin Soushen ji