Longchuan Husa Knife

Longchuan Husa Knife

　　There is also a beautiful and touching legend about the origin of the Husa Knife:

It is said that in the very distant past, there were two brothers, the elder named Ado and the younger called Xingguo, who made a living by hunting. One day, the two brothers invited people from their village to go hunting together. While searching, they spotted a golden deer. Everyone then gave chase after the golden deer. The deer ran for its life, and no matter how hard they tried, they just couldn’t catch up. When they chased it to a mountain ridge, the golden deer darted into a deep, shadowy mountain valley. The dense trees blocked out the sky, making the place seem eerie. The elder brother got scared, fearing they might encounter fierce tigers in the forest, so he turned back and didn’t dare continue the chase. But Xingguo, the younger brother, was a fearless young man. He led the others and continued deeper into the valley. They chased the deer for three full days and nights until they finally reached a small river—where the golden deer suddenly vanished. By then, Xingguo and the rest were utterly exhausted. After resting a while, they slowly walked along the riverside, passed through a dense forest, and suddenly found themselves in a vast, flat plain. Everyone was overjoyed to see this fertile and well-watered land and decided not to turn back. So, they settled down here.

After quite some time, Xingguo heard that not far from this plain, on the other side of the mountain, there was another plain inhabited by many renowned blacksmiths. The knives they forged were of excellent quality—so sharp they could cut iron like mud and even slice through iron rods. He decided to go there.

When market day came around every five days, he packed the deer antlers and animal hides he had hunted and prepared to trade them for a treasured knife. Just as Xingguo entered the market, he was captivated by a beautiful girl walking toward him. Noticing the pile of animal hides he was carrying, the girl could tell he must be a skilled hunter. She shyly smiled at him and then disappeared into the bustling crowd. Xingguo picked a bouquet of flowers and searched for the girl in the crowd. With effort, he found her in front of a blacksmith’s shop, where she was embroidering a traditional cloth bag.

Boldly, Xingguo stepped forward and offered her the flowers. Instead of accepting them, the girl asked to see the knife he wore at his waist. Xingguo handed her the knife. After taking a look, she showed a disappointed expression, returned the knife to him, and walked into the blacksmith shop.

Xingguo stood watching in awe. Upon asking those nearby, he learned that the beautiful girl’s name was Ruanuo and that she was the daughter of the old blacksmith in the shop. Realizing this, Xingguo made up his mind not to return home that night. In the evening, he played the lusheng (a traditional flute) in front of the blacksmith’s shop to express his love and propose marriage. The beautiful, melodious music caught the attention of the old blacksmith and his daughter. The old man came out, opened the door, and invited Xingguo inside. That night, Xingguo and Ruanuo sang to each other throughout the night. They shared their joys and sorrows, dreams and loves, expressing all that was in their hearts.

The next day, Xingguo happily returned home. He gathered all the precious animal hides and items he had saved over the years, loaded them onto a horse, and brought them to the blacksmith’s shop to propose to Ruanuo. The old man told Xingguo, “Brave young man, I accept your golden-hearted intentions. Take these things back with you. Our Achang people have been known for generations for our craftsmanship in making knives, earning respect and praise from people of all regions and ethnicities. I hope to see you again during next year’s Water-Sprinkling Festival.”

The master craftsmen of the Longchuan Husa (Achang) Knife each have their own unique mark, so that every consumer can easily identify who made the knife. Through these marks, customers can recognize the quality and price of the knives, making it easier to choose ones they love and wish to collect.