Chunjun (simplified: 纯钧, traditional: 純鈞, pinyin: Chúnjūn, jyutping: seon4 gwan1) was a legendary sword of Chinese lore, said to have been forged by the master smith Ouyezi (欧冶子). It is often listed among the “famous swords” (名剑 — míngjiàn) of antiquity, alongside Zhanlu, Shengxie, Yuchang, and Juque.
Legend
Chunjun is associated with the Spring and Autumn period and the State of Yue. In tradition, Ouyezi forged it as one of his masterworks; Chunjun was sometimes said to represent purity or excellence (纯 — chún means “pure”; 钧 — jūn can suggest “balance” or “potter’s wheel” and by extension “standard”).
In Sword of the Yue Maiden
Chunjun is one of the five swords Ouyezi forged for King Yunchang of Yue, and one of the two that stayed in Yue. Xue Zhu ranks it second with Zhanlu, behind Shengxie, and Goujian concludes that his Chunjun and Juque are no match for Wu’s Shengxie and Yuchang.1
See also
- Ouyezi — The smith credited with forging Chunjun
- Zhanlu, Shengxie, Yuchang, Juque — Other legendary swords
- Sword of the Yue Maiden items