Twin‑Jade · Azure‑Peak Sword / 10 SWORD

Twin‑Jade · Azure‑Peak Sword / 10 SWORD

Created for the KAILAS Mogan Mountain Trail Run 10th‑Anniversary Commemorative Sword Design Contest.

This design merges Mogan Mountain’s millennia‑old sword‑forging heritage with the spirit of the race’s ten‑year milestone. The title Twin‑Jade carries a double meaning: it refers both to the sword’s distinctive split‑then‑merged blade structure, and to the encounter and harmony of two contrasting materials. Azure‑Peak evokes the green ridges of Mogan Mountain, while also nodding to the mountain‑shaped guard and its bronze patina finish. The English title 10 SWORD marks the race’s tenth anniversary.

Materials

Legends of Gan‑Jiang and Mo‑Ye record two versions of metal for the swords cast at the Sword Pool: bronze and steel. This design unites both traditions. The hilt and guard adopt bronze‑finish material, paying homage to Spring‑and‑Autumn ritual vessels and modern scholarly research. The blade is crafted in stainless steel, echoing the iron‑refining tale “gathering fine ore from five great mountains”. The warm, mellow bronze contrasts against the cold sharpness of steel — a tribute to the Gan‑Jiang & Mo‑Ye forging legend.

Form & Ornamentation

Hilt: Shaped as three stacked bamboo segments to reference Mogan Mountain’s bamboo forests. Recurrent meander patterns are carved across the bamboo joints, symbolizing lasting good fortune and wishing every runner a safe and successful finish.

Guard: Its outer contour traces the ridgeline of Ta Mountain, Mogan Mountain’s main peak. The front face bears Kui‑dragon and beast‑mask motifs. The soaring Kui‑dragon embodies ethereal celestial energy, and stands for runners’ wind‑like speed. The stern beast‑mask conveys the imposing spirit of trail runners conquering the course as modern‑day swordsmen.

Blade: Two separate prongs emerge from the guard and fuse into one full blade, visualizing the “twin swords unite” concept for the 10th‑anniversary special theme. Cloud scroll engravings run along both sides, inspired by Mogan Mountain sea‑of‑cloud scenery, signifying good omen and upward progress. Circular vortex‑and‑dragon patterns reference the mountain’s spring water and carry forward Spring‑and‑Autumn sword‑craft traditions. 10 SWORD is engraved at the blade’s centre to highlight the tenth‑anniversary milestone.

Craft & Engineering

The tip is fully rounded, cutting edges remain unsharpened with 0.5 mm edge chamfer for complete safety. Hilt‑to‑blade connection uses nested‑thread assembly, concealed under the bronze guard for structural stability and to prevent galvanic corrosion. The hollow‑weighted interior of the hilt shifts the centre of gravity roughly 3 cm behind the guard for balanced, comfortable handling. The bronze‑style surface receives sealed ageing treatment to avoid copper‑green transfer onto hands. The stainless‑steel blade features matte brushed finishing, resisting fingerprints and harsh glare. It works well for award ceremonies at the finish line, and is equally suitable for display or storage.

Design Positioning

Twin‑Jade · Azure‑Peak Sword takes the ritual‑logic of Shang‑Zhou bronze swords as its structural foundation, draws its soul from Mogan Mountain’s bamboo, peaks, clouds and springs, and adds modern steel plus minimal marking as contemporary accents. It is neither a strict antique replica nor purely modern abstraction, but a natural dialogue between two eras embodied in one artefact. For every finisher of the 10th‑anniversary race, it captures Mogan Mountain’s landscape essence, the chivalric spirit of ancient sword‑making, and ten years of passion forged step‑by‑step on the trails.

Xiaohongshu: dannniels

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