KIEM NHAT

Nguyen Duy Chnh

Mot chut lch s
C nh nh ngha cua ngi Nhat th vu kh ma chung ta goi la kiem Nhat c goi di cai ten
katana tc la ao () theo ch Han nhng thng c hieu la trng kiem (long sword). Ngoai
katana, ngi Nhat cung con tachi () cung la mot loai kiem dai, wakizashi () la mot loai
oan kiem, aikuchi () va tanto () la nhng loai kiem ngan giong nh dao gam.
Ngi Nhat a co mot truyen thong ren kiem lau i. Kiem, Ngoc va Gng la ba bao vat truyen
quoc, c coi nh bieu chng cua hoang gia (imperial regalia), e tai en Ise gan hoang cung cu
cu o Nara cung la nhng linh vat trong Than ao (Shinto).
Ngay t thi ai Kofun va Nara (300-794) au Cong Nguyen, nc Nhat a s dung kiem. Nhng di
vat ao c cho ta thay thi ky nay cac k s a mac giap va eo gm hay dao ngan. Nhieu en ai
nh Todaiji hay Kurama con gi nhng vu kh cach ay mi may the ky, hoi o li kiem thang va
dai chng 80 cm theo mau mc cua Trung Hoa va Trieu Tien. en the ky th 8, au the ky th 9
ngi Nhat bat au uc kiem co hnh cong gan can roi dan dan cong hoan toan.
Thi ky nay, cung nh nhieu dan toc khac A ong, ngi Nhat chu anh hng manh cua van hoa
Trung Hoa, kinh o Nara cung c xay dng theo khuon mau cua nha ng. Kinh te phon thnh
nen giao thng tang trng manh me, hang nam ngi Nhat phai nhap cang mot so lng ln cac
loai hang xa x t luc a. Ngi ta con tm thay mot so kiem do Trung Hoa che tao hien gi trong cac
en ai ben canh nhng vu kh che tao tai Nhat. Nghien cu ve cac di vat, cac chuyen gia cho rang
thi ky o, ky thuat ren va mai kiem cua ngi Nhat a len en mot trnh o kha cao. Cuoi thi ky
nay, ngi Nhat thien o t Nara ra Kyoto.
Thi ai Heian sau o (794-1185), nc Nhat bc vao mot thi ky van hoa kha rc r. an ba e toc
dai, nhuom rang va mac ao nhieu lp. Nghe thuat th phap phat trien va thi ky nay con e lai nhieu
tac pham van chng. Ngi Nhat cung dan dan thoat ra khoi anh hng cua Trung Hoa, kien tao mot
xa hoi nhieu giai cap trong o gii hiep s (samurai), gii tang nhan (warrior monks) tr thanh nhng
lc lng quan trong c trieu nh thue mn e bao ve lanh tho. Thanh kiem khong con la mot vo
kh ma a tr thanh mot tac pham, va thanh tu va my thuat. Sach v con ghi chep la muon mai mot
thanh kiem phai mat nhieu ngay u biet ngi Nhat thi o a nghien cu kha ky cang ve cach lam
sao co mot vu kh tot.
Ngi ta cung bat au khac ten va ni che tao tren chuoi kiem, hiep s cung mang theo nhng thanh
kiem ngan hn e thay oi. Ngoai kiem nhieu loai chien cu khac cung phat trien ien hnh la cung
ten, giap tru va nghe thuat binh b cung at mot tam voc mi. Cung t thi ky nay, ngi Nhat tm ra
cach uc kiem nhieu lp, nhieu phan nh ta thay ngay nay, tao c nhng van th (jihada) khac la
c goi di nhng ten nh itame, masame, mokume, ayasugi. Nhng van o co khi giong nh mat
go nhng cung co khi uon ln nh lan song. Thanh kiem khong con la mot vu kh ma a thanh mot
tac pham my thuat, va e at en cao iem cua my thuat th nganh uc kiem phai on co ngi lam
nghe ren kiem phai co u khach e song c - nhng ong thi lai phai co nhu cau - ngha la at
nc phai loan ly - e thuc ay phat trien ky thuat va sang tao. Thi ky o co ca hai tieu chuan v

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trong lien tiep 500 nam, nc Nhat anh vi tho dan phng Bac (ngi Ainu), sau o ho anh lan
nhau e gianh quyen ba chu.
Thi ky Kamakura (1185-1392) khi au khi Hojo Yoshitoki len lam shogun () nam 1185. Vua
Gotobain b anh bai phai lu vong ni ao Oki dung suot quang i con lai (20 nam) nghien cu
cach uc kiem. Nhng thanh kiem do chnh tay ong ren co ong dau hnh hoa cuc la bieu hieu cua
hoang gia va ai c ban tang loai kiem nay (kiku gosaku) eu coi la mot vinh d. Cung t ni ay
nhieu trng phai uc kiem tieng tam con ton tai en ngay nay, trong o co ca nhng cao thu ve nghe
mai kiem.
en the ky th 13, sau khi chinh phuc c Trung Hoa, ngi Mong Co em mot ham oi gom 900
chien thuyen tan cong Nhat Ban. Vu kh ngan cua ngi Nhat b cung ten cua oi phng ap ao,
quan Nguyen ban nh ma, tien thoai theo nhp trong va lam cho k binh cua Nhat kinh hoang. Kiem
Nhat tuy sac nhng khong hieu qua v ch dung giao dai va khong the am thung c ao giap cua
ho lam bang da thuoc. Ngi Nhat ch thoat hiem khi mot tran giong bao bat ng khien quan Mong
Co b thiet hai nang ne phai rut lui.
Bay nam sau, nha Nguyen lai em 14 van quan sang nhng lan nay b cac hiep s di s lanh ao
cua Hojo Tokimune chong tra manh liet. Va la lung thay, lai mot cn bao khac anh chm ham oi
Mong Co nen ngi Nhat cho rang ho c than linh phu tr va goi la Shimpu hay Kamikaze (than
phong). Suot may chuc nam sau o, ho van nm np s b tan cong va tam ly san sang a anh hng
en s phat trien ky thuat ren kiem cung nh chien au.
Ngi Nhat chuyen sang s dung vu kh dai, tng t nh ai ao goi la naginata () va dung bo
binh thay v k ma. Cac th ren cac ni keo ve Kamakura thuoc tnh Soshu va tm ra c cach pha
tron thep mem vi thep cng e lam li kiem, van sac ben ma lai t b me. Ho cung tieu chuan hoa
chieu dai va cai thien mui kiem e khi kiem b gay van co the mai va dung tiep. Trc kia kiem Nhat
ch uon cong ni gan can nay t t cong eu va cung thuon dan ra ti tan mui. Ngi Nhat cung che
tao loai giap tru nhe hn e bo binh de di ong, de phan tan ong thi nghien cu cach dung kiem
anh sap la ca thay v dung cung ban t xa.
Thi ai Kamakura (1192-1333), nc Nhat co hai ngi
th ren kiem noi danh ten la Masamune va Muramasa.
Goro Masamune cho en nay van c coi la ngi tien
vo co nhan, hau vo lai gia trong nghe uc kiem. Cung nh
nhng chu kiem s trong truyen Tau thi co, trc khi ren
mot thanh kiem, bao gi ong cung trai gii, cau xin than
linh phu ho va sau o mac le phuc e lam viec. Ngi ta
noi rang ong ren kiem khong con la mot cong viec ma la
mot nghi le, than tam hp nhat va tap trung toan bo tinh
than t khi bat au cho ti khi hoan tat.
Muramasa cung co tai nh Masamune nhng kiem ong ren
lai c ngi i coi nh mot vat bat tng, mot loai vu
kh khat mau mac du co the chat t mot chiec mu sat nh

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ngi ta bo mot qua da. Nhieu ngi co thanh bao kiem trong tay lai khong sao dt c cai nghiep
sat nhan e roi tr nen ien loan, giet ngi khong gm tay roi cuoi cung phai t chon cai chet cho
chnh mnh.
Mot huyen thoai van c ke ve cac li kiem cua hai danh thu nay. Muon biet kiem cua hai ngi
khac nhau ra sao, ngi ta ch can e hai thanh kiem o xuong mot dong nc chay. La kho xuoi dong
khi gap kiem cua Masamune se t ong tranh ra, trai lai khi gap kiem cua Muramasa se b hut vao va
cat ra lam oi.
Thi ky ke tiep nc Nhat chia thanh hai goi la Nam Bac trieu (Northern and Southern Courts) 1333-
1393, hai ben nam bac anh lan nhau giong nh thi Trnh Nguyen phan tranh cua ta. Thi ky nay
anh dau cao iem cua thuat uc kiem Soshu va mi e t cua Masamune noi tieng hn ca. Li
kiem bay gi dai en 1 met goi la tachi va kiem uc cho en ai co khi con dai hn. Kiem dai co li
the cho ngi i bo va chien au trong em toi nen thng eo sau lng va rut ngc len qua vai.
Sang thi ky Muromachi (1392-1477), nc Nhat tai thong nhat va trieu ai Ashikaga lai m ca giao
thng vi nha Minh cua Trung Hoa va nghe thuat giao lu qua lai gia hai nc. Tra ao, thuat cam
hoa, vn canh va Phat hoc phat trien, cac hiep s ai ai cung nghien cu ve Thien. Nghe thuat anh
kiem hay Kiem ao (Kendo) chnh la mot dang tu tap va muc tieu toi hau cua ngi vo s khong phai
la e thang oi phng ma la t thang mnh, co ngha la ngo ao.
The nhng en cuoi i Muromachi, nc Nhat lai am chm trong binh la keo dai ca tram nam goi
la Sengoku Jidai (), chnh quyen trung ng khong con kiem soat c cac a phng na
nen ni nay anh vi ni khac. Chien s chu yeu la samurai va ashigaru (khinh binh) dung giao dai
nen khong ai dung nga na. Nhu cau uc kiem gia tang thanh th thi ky nay pham chat khong con
tot nh cac thi ky trc, c san xuat hang loai e ban cho cac lanh chua trang b quan oi.
Cung trong thi ky Muromachi, thoi quen eo hai kiem tr nen thong dung. Khi ra ngoai ngi ta eo
trng kiem (katana) va oan kiem (wakizashi) nhng khi trong nha th ch eo oan kiem va c
thao ra at ngay canh ging khi i ngu. oi vi ngi vo s, thanh kiem la vat bat ly than, khong ri
xa trong bat c trng hp nao. Cuoi the ky 16, au the ky 17, ba lanh chua ke tiep cai tr mot at
nc thong nhat va lanh chua sau cung la Ieyesu Tokugawa di o ve Edo, nay la Tokyo.
Thi ky Edo (1603-1867) hay Tokugawa Shogunate anh dau mot chuyen bien t koto () tc thi
ky kiem cu sang thi ky shinto (), thanh kiem trc ay do cac nghe nhan che tao nay thanh
nhng phng tap trung trong cac o th, cac th ren b cac lanh chua giam sat chat che. Thi ky nay
cac vo s c goi di cai ten ronin () tng t nh cac kiem khach i Xuan Thu Chien Quoc
song lang thang, khong ai thu dung, nhieu khi phong tung thch thach au lan nhau. Chnh v the nha
cam quyen phai a ra mot so tieu chuan va han che viec so tai. Kiem khong c dai qua 80 cm,
cung nh bao kiem khong c nam vang ... Vo s phai mac trang phuc rieng, au phai cao ang
trc, toc buoc thanh mot cai uoi sau va bao kiem phai mau en khi i trong kinh thanh.
Vao the ky th 17, ngi Nhat i vao mot chnh sach be quan toa cang giong nh nhieu quoc gia khac
trong vung ong A va cung khong thoat khoi nhieu bien ong xa hoi. Thuat ren kiem cung c khoi
phuc va nhieu ngi quay tr ve phng phap cua thi Kamakura va Yoshino.

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Cung trong thi ky Edo, mot bc ngoat quan trong khi ngi Nhat bo kiem quay sang uc sung roi
lai bo sung tr ve vi kiem. Hiem ngi trong chung ta biet c rang a co thi ngi Nhat noi danh
ve tai che tao ai bac va sung tay trong mot thi gian kha dai chng 1 the ky trong thi trung co.
Trong cuon Inatomi Gun Manual do Kawakami Mosuke soan nam 1595, an hanh nam 1607, co 32
hnh ve ghi chep ky cang ky thuat s dung va tac xa sung hoa mai (matchlock).1
Co ieu khau sung lai lam mat i ve hien ngang cua ngi vo s nen chang
bao lau, khau sung a b loai ra khoi i song cua ngi Nhat cho mai en
khi ho b ngi Au My xam lang. Nhng ngi th ren va uc sung cung
bo nghe chuyen sang uc kiem.2 Ngi Au Chau a vo cung kinh ngac khi
thay kiem Nhat hn han cac li kiem cua ngi Tay Ban Nha noi tieng
Au Chau. Bo ai t ien Britannica cua Anh, in lan th 6, quyen 9 trang 37
viet la kiem Nhat co the chat t mot chiec inh ln ma li kiem khong
he han g3. Vao the ky th 17, ong va sat cua Nhat c cac quoc gia
khac coi nh hao hang va Nhat xuat cang sang nhieu quoc gia khac. Ngi
Nhat cung ban kha nhieu kiem cho Trung Quoc va tr thanh mot quoc gia
san xuat kh gii vao bac nhat the gii thi ky o, cung cap khong nhng
sung ong ma ca huan luyen vien, can ve cho mot so vua chua trong vung
ong Nam A.
Trc the ky th 16, muon co thep ngi ta thng dung mot thanh sat,
khoan lo roi nhet than vao, sau o nung va ap e cho than tham vao sat.
T the ky th 16 tr ve sau, khi biet dung ong be (bellows) e lam tang
nhiet o th ngi ta co the nau chay c sat va viec luyen kim de dang
hn.
Nam 1854, tau My vao vnh Tokyo ep ngi Nhat phai m ca cho ho
buon ban va ngi Nhat thay ro ho thua sut Tay phng xa ve ky thuat, a en nhng cai cach lam
thay oi han quoc gia nay.
Khi vua Minh Tr (Meiji) nam quyen nam 1867, ong a ra chnh sach canh tan, cam eo kiem ngoai
cong cong. Cau cham ngon cua thi ky o la fukoku kyohei (phu quoc cng binh - ) va
Nhat Ban soan hien phap, thanh lap mot c cau ai ngh, tap trung quyen hanh vao quoc gia ong thi

1
Noel Perrin: Giving Up the Gun Japans Reversion to the Sword, 1543-1879 (Boston: David R. Godine, Publisher, Inc.
4th ed., 2004) tr. 43. Chnh chua Nguyen ang Trong cung tm cach that chat bang giao vi cac thng nhan Nhat e hoc
hoi ky thuat va at mua sung ong. Theo tai lieu cua Nhat th chua Sai co ga mot cong chua la Ngoc Khoa cho mot thng
gia ngi Nhat, chu mot thng iem Hoi An ten la Araki Shutaro (ten Viet Nguyen Taro), hieu la Hien Hung va mot
cong chua khac la Ngoc Van cho vua Chan Lap Chey Chetta nam 1620 (nhng ca hai ngi s nha Nguyen eu ghi la
khuyet truyen). Vao thi o, chua Nguyen ang can m rong lanh tho va gia tang sc manh e chong vi chua Trnh nen
hai cuoc hon nhan nay han co muc tieu chnh tr va quan s. Phan Khoang: Viet S X ang Trong (Ha Noi: nxb Van Hoc
2001) tr. 309-310. Chnh v the chua Nguyen Hi Tong viet th xin vi Nhat Hoang ch cho thuyen buon en x mnh ma
ng en ang Ngoai. (Phan Khoang: sdd tr. 413)
2
Gwynne Dyer: War (New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1985) tr. 58
3
They are far superior to the Spanish blades so celebrated in Europe. A tolerably thick nail is easily cut in two without any
damage to the edge (trch lai theo Noel Perrin trong Giving Up the Gun tr. 5)

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tc oat quyen hanh cua gii vo s, a en vu bao loan Satsuma (Satsuma Rebellion) t thang 12
nam 1877 en thang 1 nam 1878. So ngi theo uoi nghe ren kiem giam han xuong, a so th ren
chuyen sang cac nghe anh dao, keo va o dung kim loai, ngoai tr mot so t c chnh quyen thue
mn e ren kiem cho hoang gia hay cac c quan quan s. Mau kiem cua quan oi cung khac vi
kiem cua vo s va mang tnh bieu tng cho uy quyen hn la s dung trong chien au. Chnh v kiem
khong con thong dung, th ren chuyen nghe nen mot so ky thuat that truyen.
S hung cng cua nc Nhat cung a ho vao nhieu cuoc chien tranh chang han nh chien tranh
Trung Nhat (Sino Japanese War 1894-95), Nga Nhat (Russo Japanese War 1904-05), e nhat
the chien (1914-18) va Tay Ba Li A (Siberian Intervention 1918-22). Nhu cau ren kiem tuy tang vot
len v cac s quan phai eo nhng lai c san xuat hang loat (mass-produced), vat lieu dung thep loai
kem nen khong co gia tr g.
Vao cuoi the chien th hai, co khoang 900,000 quan nhan Nhat (trong so 4.5 trieu quan nhan) va
khoang 1.25 trieu thuy quan (trong so 2.5 trieu thuy binh) la s quan c phep mang kiem. Khi ngi
Nhat b ong Minh anh bai trong the chien th 2, hn mot trieu thanh kiem cua s quan Nhat b tch
thu va pha huy, ch mot so t c cac nha su tam em ra nc ngoai. The nhng cung chnh v the
ma ngi ngoai quoc mi chu y en kiem Nhat.
Trong nhng nam gan ay, so nghe nhan noi tieng trong lanh vc nay lai gia tang va hien tai, ren
kiem khong con e che tao mot mon vu kh ma la mot nghe thuat co truyen. Tren toan the nc Nhat
hien nay co khoang 250 th ang hanh nghe, moi nam san xuat chng 2000 thanh kiem. Theo nhieu
nha chuyen mon, thuat uc kiem co ai a that truyen va ngi ta van co gang e tm toi va khoi
phuc nhng cha thanh cong. Mot bac s ve nganh uc kiem cuoi thi ai Edo ten la Suishinshi
Masahide co e lai di th ve ky nang o nhng cha ai ap dung c.
Ren kiem (kitaeru)
Kitaeru (forge; temper) c coi nh mot trong nhng
truyen thong can phai bao ton cung vi nhieu bo mon nghe
thuat khac e duy tr tinh than ac thu cua ngi Nhat. Le d
nhien ren khong phai noi ve nghe th ren mot cach tong
quat ma la ky thuat ren kiem, mot truyen thong lau i c
coi trong, v thanh kiem khong phai ch la mot mon kh gii
ma con tng trng cho tinh than cao thng cua vo s ao.
Thanh kiem cua ngi Nhat khong phai ch la mot li dao
dai dung lam vu kh ma mang theo rat nhieu y ngha. Trong
qua trnh che tao, ngi ta khong nhng phai th e xem no
co u sac e xuyen qua nhieu lp ao giap bang sat ma co
khi con th nghiem ngay tren than xac con ngi e coi co
ngot hay khong? Trong mot truyen ngan cua Nguyen Tuan
nhan e Chem Treo Nganh (Vang Bong Mot Thi), nha van
ho Nguyen mieu ta cach tap luyen va khung canh mot phap trng thi phong kien nc ta nhng
ch nhan manh en ky thuat chat au toi nhan ma khong thay noi g en s sac ben cua thanh quat

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(mot loai kiem). Ngi Trung Hoa cung nh ngi Viet Nam cung chu trong en kiem nhng qua lam
chung ta ch coi nh mot ky nang can ieu luyen, trai lai ngi Nhat lai nang thanh kiem va cach s
dung len hang ao Kiem ao, Kendo va thanh kiem gan lien vi sinh mang va nhan cach cua
ngi hiep s (samurai).
Thanh kiem cung con la mot tac pham nghe thuat, co mot v tr rat trang trong trong nha khien du cho
ngi khong tap vo hay khong biet g ve kiem thuat cung hieu ngay rang ay khong phai la mot vat
tam thng. Nhieu ngi a v von s rc r cua li kiem nh mau men bong lon cua o s ma ngi
ong phng van t hao la co mot khong hai, la mot ac iem cua tng trieu ai.
Hnh dang cung nh cach luyen kim eu tuy thuoc vao ky thuat ren uc (kitaeru), ng cong cua
thanh kiem khong khac g net mc trong th phap va hoi hoa thuy mac, van c coi nh nh cao cua
nghe thuat ngay xa. Net but co cho am, cho nhat th van tren kiem (texture) cung the va mot ngi
chuyen mon sanh soi ve kiem thng cung la mot th phap gia. Kiem Nhat c coi la oc ao so vi
kiem cac quoc gia khac v ng cong, van khac va nhat la
cau truc cua li thep. Ba ac tnh o phoi hp e nh gia
cho thanh kiem va tuy thuoc hoan toan vao tay nghe cua
nghe nhan ch khong da vao bat c tieu chuan nao khac.
Trong khi kiem Au Chau ch la mot li thep duy nhat, kiem
Nhat bao gom la thep, sat non, va thep gia, moi loai co ham
lng carbon khac nhau. Loi cua thanh kiem (shingane) c
ren bang cach pha tron gia sat tho vi thep la. Sau o mi la vo bao ben ngoai (hadagane) cai loi o
cung bang ky thuat tren nhng dung sat non va
thep la. Vo bao co the can dat ra roi gap lai 15 lan
nhng neu nhieu hn na co the lam thep tr nen
don va khong eu. Li kiem sau o c chem
vao gia nhng lp vo bao, ren cho that lien lac
kht khao. Lp vo mem giup cho cai loi cng ben
trong, khien cho li kiem chu c va cham
manh, deo dai hn kiem uc theo kieu Au Tay.
Ngi Nhat cung dung phng phap bao mot lp
vo mem ben ngoai e tao nen nhng lan song
trang iem cho li kiem. Khi ruot kiem a chen
vao gia va hnh dang a hoan thanh, mot loai hp
chat ac biet gom tro rm va bun o c tret len
tren mat li kiem roi e cho kho. Sau o ngi ta
dung mot thanh tre e khac len lp bun nhng hoa
van roi lai e vao trong lo nung tiep, lay ra khac
theo mau len li kiem e en khi cha lang nhng
hnh ve o se hien ra. Trong giai oan nay li
kiem c bao bang at va tro kia phai nong en
mc co mau cua mat trang thang 2 hay thang 8

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(the colour of the moon in february or August)4. Lp bun o cho day cho mong, thng li kiem
mong nhat, cac ni khac day hn e khi nung li kiem se cng mem khac nhau tuy theo tng khu
vc. Li thep, phan cng nhat cua thanh kiem ma ngi ta goi la hamon () co nhng hat (grain)
khac nhau goi la nie () va nioi (). Nie (boiling) tng trng cho tinh than hung dung, cng coi,
nioi (visible fragrance) tng trng cho s cao thng, qu phai. Nhng hat nay co c do s gap i
gap lai va cung la mot th dau hieu cua moi trng v moi phng phap co nhng van rieng. Nioi mat
thng khong trong thay, ch gn len mot lan sng mong nh giai Ngan Ha mot em sao. Hat nie th
to hn, trong lam tam nh moc buoi sang hay mot chum tinh tu. Nhng ba van (hamon) o c at
ten, hoac may, song bien, day nui, hoa ... cung giong nh ngi Trung Hoa at ten cho van tren bao
kiem cua ho. Ngi th khong phai ch uc mot thanh kiem tot ma con lam sao cho my thuat, o mi
thc la van e.
Net cong cua thanh kiem Nhat khong phai ch do ky thuat ren hay ap ma con la mot bieu trng van
hoa xuat hien tren nhieu cong trnh truyen thong khac, t mai cong tren en ai, chua chien, cung
ien, ke ca th phap. Ngi Nhat van cho rang neu uc mot thanh kiem thang bang th khong nhng
tho kech ma con qua thc dung, khong noi len tnh nghe thuat cua ngi vo s. Chnh v the, ho luon
luon tao nhng ng cong, uon len ln xuong e bien mot vu kh chien au thanh mot tac pham.
Tien trnh ren thep, cac loai chat lieu trong moi giai oan en nay van con la nhng b mat nghe
nghiep khong truyen ra ngoai va cung la thc o s tai hoa, kheo leo cung nh tay nghe cua cac
bac s.
Gio lanh t mien Tay Ba Li A thoi xuong vung Hokuriku bao hieu mua ong a en. t ra cung co mot
ngi lai mong i ngon gio bac lanh te nay v ay chnh thi gian trong nam e ong co the em het
tam t vao cong viec. Ngi o la Seiho Sumitani, sinh nam 1921, mot quoc thu trong nghe thuat ren
kiem. C xuong cua ong Matsuto, mot thanh pho gan ni bien Nhat Ban.
Lo ren cua Sumitani e en l m, tran cao ch co mot chiec ca so be be. Nhng lan khoi xanh biec t
ong than go thong lng l bay len, toa ra trong khong kh trong kh gio lanh thoi u u ben ngoai.
Sumitani cui tam than manh khanh xuong ong than gap ra mot thanh thep nong o, goi trong giay ban
a nhung vao trong bun tron at set. Sau o ong phu toan bo li kiem bang tro rm e tr lai trong lo.
Nc va tro khien li thep khong b nong qua va oc xt hoa, ngha la li kiem se b mem i.
Sau ba mi phut, li kiem lai c rut ra khoi lo. Sumitani au tien ap bang bua nho, sau o mi
dung bua ln. ap nh the se lam cho li thep dai ra, ti khi u e ong dung uc cat gia, gap oi
lai ma van dai bang luc au. Tien trnh o c lap i lap lai, trong lng thanh sat cung giam dan, t
nguyen thuy hn 9 kilogram nay ch con cha ay 1 kilogram ... Bao nhieu tap chat va carbon cung theo
o ma i. Phng thc ren o von d la ky thuat b truyen cua ngi Nhat khien cho ho co c nhng
thanh kiem tuyet hao. Trong khi lam viec, Sumitani luon luon phai quan sat ky cang mau sac cua ca
thanh sat ang nong o lan ngon la trong lo e them bt than cho c nh y. e cho nhan xet cua
ong tinh tng hn, Sumitani khong dung en huynh quang (superfluous lighting) trong lo ren, v du ch
mot khuyet iem nho nh si toc ong cung khong bo qua va ong phai nhn thau tan linh hon cua cuc
thep.

4
Victor Harris: Japanese Swords, Swords and Hilt Weapons (New York: Barnes & Noble Books 1993) tr. 148-9

8
 Tinh mat, ngh lc la cha khoa cua ky thuat nay. Neu khong co nhng ieu o th nghe thuat
cung ra i, th thach ma toi phai oi dien la lam sao ren c thanh kiem nh mong muon ma
van gi c sc khoe tuyet hao.5
Tuy hien nay Sumitani a c coi nh mot quoc bao trong nghe ren kiem, ong van m c lam sao
co the at en cao nh cua thuat chu kiem nh thi ky gia the ky th 12. Mac dau ong biet rang ky
thuat cua ong a sap x tai nghe ngi xa nhng van con mot vai gut mac cha giai quyet c, mot
mat xch nao o b t nen cha at ti tuyet nghe nh co nhan cach ay tam the ky va nhng ngi
sau ong van phai co lam sao vt qua c khoang cach o. Ong t hoi vi tuoi gia ang keo en, lieu
co con thi gian e i tan cuoi con ng hay khong? 6

Mai kiem
Sau tram nam trc, ang Dung, mot danh tng i Hau Tran khi thay cuoc chien au chong quan
Minh con cam go ma tnh hnh ngay them be tac nen cam than may cau th:
THUAT HOAI
ang Dung

The s du du nai lao ha

Vo cung thien a nhap ham ca
Thi lai o ieu thanh cong d
S kh anh hung am han a
Tr chua hu hoai pho a truc
Tay binh vo lo van thien ha

5
Ken Itsuki (ed.): The Dawn of Tradition (tuyen tap ac biet ve Nhat Ban do Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. an hanh nam 1983)
Good eyes and stamina are the key to this technology. Once they are gone so is the art, and the challenge is to create the
sword desired while I am still in top health tr. 45
6
The Dawns of Tradition, tr. 46

9
 Quoc thu v phuc au tien bach
Ky o Long Tuyen ai nguyet ma

Bai th nay a co rat nhieu ngi dch, ngi viet ch thoat y thanh may cau:
Tam s
Tram nam l lng troi mau
at tri vo tan mot mau tang thng
Gap thi c quat dng dng
That c anh chu mot trng ang cay
Sn ha nhng tng ap xay
Ng au lac bc trang tay na i
em nao mai kiem trang soi
Ngang len toc a bac roi con au
Le d nhien viec ho ang mai kiem ch la mot hanh vi nung uc y ch
au tranh ch khong coi cong viec nay nh mot tuyet nghe can trau gioi.
Viec mai kiem cua mot ngha s khac han cong viec mai li kiem sau
khi mot danh thu a ren xong.
Ren kiem mi ch la mot chang ng, tuy quan trong nhng khong phai
la hoan b ma con nhieu cong viec khac cung cam go khong kem.
Nhng ngi sanh soi noi rang gia tr cua mot thanh kiem bao gom hai
phan ngang nhau, ren kiem va mai kiem (a swords value is determined
in equal degrees by both its quality and the honing of the blade).
Nhieu ngi khong ong y rang cong viec hoan chnh thanh kiem ch la
mai cho sac (sharpening) ma phai goi la cha lang hay anh bong
(polishing). anh bong mot thanh kiem phai qua 13 giai oan, dung 13
loai a mai khac nhau va 13 ong tac khac nhau va mat trung bnh 120
gi.
Kokei Ono (sinh nam 1912) cung la mot quoc thu cua nganh mai kiem,
song tham lang mot thanh pho duyen hai ngoai thanh Tokyo. e mai
mot li kiem, ong dung sau cuc a mai (whetstones) khac nhau, t loai
nham xuong dan loai mn hn va sau cung e anh bong. Trc khi mai,
Ono phai nghien cu ky cang th (texture) va mau (pattern) cua
thanh kiem, khong phai cung mot luc ma ch tng khoang 3 cm mot. Ong
cho biet viec gi sao cho tay phai va tay trai gan nh can bang tuyet oi (near-perfect balance) la mot
cong tac sinh t v neu hai tay ch lech i mot khoanh khac th co the hong luon ca li kiem. Ono cung
co the anh gia ngay c mot ngi mai kiem qua cach thc ngoi va s dung cac loai o nghe.

10
 Sau khi mai xong, Ono kep hai hon a mai mong dnh tren au ngon tay va vuot theo li kiem e anh
bong. Ong cam ngang li kiem e cho anh nang soi len tng mili met e kiem soat cong trnh cua mnh
lan cuoi cung.

Khong co hai thanh kiem nao giong het nhau, moi thanh kiem co hnh dang khac nhau
va co nhng ac tnh khac nhau. Mai kiem chnh la lam sao cho thanh kiem the hien
c toi u cai tinh than cua no, e hien lo cai tan my cua no, e thoat ra cai huy
hoang cua li thep a hoan thanh.7
Kiem mai ung cach mi co the hien hien c het tai
nang cua ngi ren kiem.
Bao kiem
Mot li kiem du qu en au neu khong c lap vao
mot can kiem thch hp va e trong mot bao kiem ung
cach th van khong the nao goi la hoan toan.
Kazuyuki Takayama (sinh nam 1940) la ngi tha ke mot
truyen thong lau dai trong nghe lam bao kiem. San sau nha anh
chat ay cac suc go moc lan (magnolia). Muon lam mot bao
kiem ong phai lam hai manh va kht theo ng cong cua li kiem roi dan lai vi nhau. Chat keo dan la
mot loai ho nau bang gao roi nghien cho nhuyen bang ua tre. Ngi ta khong dung cac loai super-glue v
e ngai sau nay phai tach hai thanh go ra trong trng hp li kiem b set va ch co ho lam bang gao mi
khoi lam h thanh go.
B mat cua cach lam bao kiem la sao cho co cam tng la bao va li kht khao t au en cuoi nhng
thc ra ch tiep xuc vi nhau gan can kiem ma thoi va li kiem khong ni nao qua chat v neu khong,
o am cua go se lam cho kiem b r.
Mot chuyen gia nh Takayama thc ra khong can phai dung keo bang bot gao v ong a at ti mc khong
bao gi e cho li kiem b cham vao bao va d nhien khong can phai tach bao kiem ra e sa. Viec dung
ho bang bot gao chang qua ch la truyen thong ma thoi va ch nhan manh en yeu quyet cua nghe lam
bao kiem. Tuy ch la mot cong nghe gian d nh the, viec lam bao kiem oi hoi nghe nhan dung 15 loai
bao (plane) khac nhau, to co, nho co moi th mot viec.8

Tsuba
Tsuba (sword guard) la mieng chan tay cam, phan can kiem va
li kiem ra lam 2 phan khac nhau, ngi Trung Hoa goi la
kiem cach. Tsuba cung c coi la mot nghe pham va hien nay
cung co nhieu ngi su tam, nhieu mieng co gia ca rat cao.
Tsuba c khoet gia e tra li kiem va e chan cho kiem
cua ch khoi lt vao tay mnh. Tuy nhien, ngi ta cung trang
tr bang nhieu hnh thc khac, cay co, hoa la, thu vat ... co y
ngha hay mang mot nguyen vong e c may man. Nguyen

7
The Dawns of Tradition, tr. 47
8
The Dawns of Tradition, tr. 47

11
thuy, kiem cach do th ren kiem hay th lam ao giap san xuat nhng t the ky 16 tr ve sau th do
nhng nghe nhan thc hien nh mot tac pham rieng biet. Tsuba co the bang sat thuan tuy hay nam
vang, bac, ong ...
Th kiem (tameshi-giri)
e oi pho vi s sac ben cua thanh kiem ho che tao c, ngi Nhat
cung a van e che ch cho khoi b kiem chem t thanh mot nghe
thuat khac. o la viec che tao mot bo ao giap chac chan bao gom 12
mon khac nhau, mac vao rat cong phu e bao ve tnh mang cua vo s.
Tuy nhien, oi vi mot thanh bao kiem trong tay mot cao thu ve kiem
ao th bo ao giap kia khong u hieu qua. Ch mot nhat kiem, ca ngi
lan giap co the xe lam hai.
Nhng thanh bao kiem thc s eu la cua gia bao truyen t i no sang
i kia, tham d trong het tran anh nay en tran anh khac. Nhng
thanh kiem o a c th bang chnh sinh mang con ngi. Tuy nhien,
trc khi c dung e chien au, kiem Nhat sau khi hoan tat phai c
th, thng la vi mot ngi bu nhn lam bang rm. Neu thanh kiem co
the chat t c mot bo rm, ngi ta se th tiep tren than ngi,
thng la dung mot xac chet. Xac ngi c treo len theo nhieu kieu
khac nhau e th kiem theo u moi hng, u moi kieu, moi on. Cung
co khi thanh kiem c th ngay tren nhng t toi.
Co 16 cho tren than ngi dung e th nghiem, kho cat nhat la chem
ngang hong sao cho t ca hai xng ui, de nhat la chem t co tay.9
Ngay hom nay, nhng vo s van huan luyen mon o phng phap dung
kiem e chat t nhng bo rm t, loi bang coc tre. Moi ngay ngi vo
s phai tap hang tram lan cho that nhuan nhuyen.
Kiem th xong se c cac chuyen gia anh gia va xep hang. Giong ho
noi tieng ve th kiem la ho Yamada. Yamada Asaemon moi lan c
mn e th kiem eu yeu cau ao phu e ong dung kiem th tren cac
t toi, t luc chem au en khi th tiep tren cac bo phan khac. Ket qua
bao gi cung c ghi lai ky cang, co khi con nam bang ch vang tren
chuoi kiem ve mot ac tnh nao o. Vao the ky th 17, trc khi kiem
c ban ra eu th trc va khac len nh mot th cau chng tai toa
ve gia tr cua vu kh nay.
Ket luan
Viec ren mot thanh kiem a c nang len thanh mot nghi le mang tnh chat huyen b. Ngi th ren
phai trai gii trong nhieu ngay, qua nhng the thc thanh tay (ritual purification) va khi lam viec ho
mat mot bo o trang nh mot thien s, ao s. Ngay t the ky 13, kiem Nhat a noi tieng tren the gii

9
Jonathan Leornard: Early Japan (1968) tr. 79

12
ma khong ni nao sanh kp. Ngi Trung Hoa cung noi en bao kiem nhng phan ln ch la truyen
thuyet va huyen thoai, ch nghe ma khong thay. Trai lai kiem Nhat co that va nhieu ngi a bo mot
khoan tien ln e at hay mua. Theo nhng chuyen gia ve luyen kim, mai en the ky 19, ngi Au
chau mi u trnh o e tao c nhng hp kim tot nh thep cua Nhat trc o 600 nam va cung
phan ln la v hoc hoi c phng phap cua x Phu Tang.
Kiem Nhat cung noi len mot ac tnh rieng
cua dan toc nay, lam viec g cung muon en
cho tan thien, tan my (zero defect). Khong
biet bao nhieu cau truyen ky ve thanh kiem,
t cach ren uc en nhng cuoc so tai ma
song chet ch trong nhay mat, nhng gng
trung dung cua ay t tra thu cho chu ... Gan
ay nhat, sau the chien th hai, hang tram
ngi dung kiem mo bung t t (seppuku hay
hara kiri) sau khi nghe tin Nhat hoang au
hang ong Minh. Qua la coi cai chet nhe ta
long hong, ung nh tinh than cua ngi vo s
va hieu c rang giac ngo mi thc la muc ch sau cung cua kiem ao, coi s t nh s sinh.
Phep anh kiem cung khong con la mot thuat ma c nang len hang ao. Vao cuoi the ky 19,
Yamaoka Tesshu (1836-88) thay oi phng phap huan luyen cu nang phan xung sat bang loai kiem
tre, mac du trnh t xem ra con kho nhoc hn ca phng phap cu. Phng phap cua ong c goi la
trng phai Muto Ryu () vi chu ao la kiem khong phai la mot vo kh ma ch la mot khai niem
trong au ma thoi.
Ni ngoi en Sengakuji Tokyo hien nay con 48 ngoi mo, ni an ngh cua lanh chua Asano va 47 gia
nhan trung thanh. Asano b mot vien chc ten la Kira lam nhuc tai mot lau ai Edo, a rut kiem
am ong nay. Theo luat trieu nh, Asano phai b t hnh bang loi mo bung, tai san b tch thau va gia
nhan b giai tan. Cac gia nhan cua ong nay t tan khap ni song mot cuoc i be tha, khien Kira cho
rang ho khong con y nh tra thu na.
Trong mot em tuyet ri vao thang 2 nam 1703, 47 ngi trong so tong vien cua Asano a tan cong
vao lau ai cua Kira, giet ong nay chat au em en te ni mo cua chu. Tuy moi ngi eu cam phuc
long trung dung cua ho nhng theo luat ho phai t mo bung v a giet mot vien chc chnh quyen.
Nhng ngi o c chon chung mot ni vi Asano va en nay luc nao cung nghi ngut khoi hng.10
Ngay nay, thanh kiem khong con la mot vu kh, cung chang may ai co y nh dung kiem e lam vat
tuy than. The nhng ngi ta van coi o la mot bieu tng cua danh d, cua ton nghiem va cua mot
thu huy hoang trong lch s khong phai ch cho mot rieng ai ma cho ca mot dan toc.
Xuan At Dau 2005

10
Victor Harris: sd tr. 170

13
 TAI LIEU THAM KHAO
-o-
1. Bottomley, I & A P Hopson: Arms and Armor of the Samurai, The History of Weaponry in
Ancient Japan (New York: Crescent Books, 1996)
2. Christies Catalogue: Japanese Prints, Screens, Swords, Tsuba, Netsuke, Metalwork, Ceramics,
Lacquer and Inro (London: Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd. 1995)
3. Craig, Darrell: IAI, The Art of Drawing The Sword (Japan: Lotus Press Ltd., 1985)
4. Dyer, Gwynne: War (New York: Crown Publishers, Inc. 1985)
5. Earle, Joe (ed.): Japanese Art and Design (Victoria and Albert Museum, 1986)
6. Japan Style (essays by Mitsukuni Yoshida, J.V. Earle, Masaru Katzumie, Jean-Pierre
Lehmann) (Tokyo: Kodansha International, 1980)
7. Kapp, Leon and Hiroko, Yoshindo Yoshihara: Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths,
From 1868 to the Present (Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2002)
8. Leonard, Jonathan Norton: Early Japan (Great Ages of Man A History of the Worlds
Cultures Series) (New York: Time-Life Books, 1968)
9. Nhieu tac gia: Swords and Hilt Weapons (New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1993)
10. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. The Dawns of Tradition (Japan, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., 1983)
11. Phan Khoang: Viet S X ang Trong (Ha Noi: nxb Van Hoc, 2001)
12. Random, Michel: The Martial Arts Swordmanship, Kendo, Aikido, Judo, Karate (London:
Peerage Books, 1985)
13. Ratti, Oscar & Adele Westbrook: Secrets of the Samurai, A Survey of the Martial Arts of
Feudal Japan (NJ: Castle Books, 1999)
14. Tsuchiko, Tamio: The New Generation of Japanese Swordsmiths (trans. byKenji Mishina)
(Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2001)
15. Turnbull, Stephen: Samurai Warlords, The Book of the Daimyo (London: Artillery House,
1989)

14