The public was encouraged during the Ming dynasty to practice martial arts, and people were intensely competitive about it. Ming dynasty metal workers were the first in the world to use coke and piston bellows in swordmaking, and they developed a number of advanced steelmaking techniques that led to the production of outstanding sabers and swords.
明朝時鼓勵民間習武，因此百技爭艷，明朝也是全世界首次使用焦炭與活塞式風箱鑄劍的時代，其炒鋼技術、灌鋼、燜鋼工藝等「串聯式作業」，將鋼料製作發揮到最精妙的境界，也造就了明朝刀劍精純的品質。