Daoist scholar Tao Hong-jing (456-536) of the Northern and Southern Dynasties period wrote: "The art of sword-making has long been known; all the ancient kings and emperors forged them." But sadly ancient texts do not say much more about it.
南北朝的道家學者陶弘景就在《刀劍錄》中說過：「刀劍之由出久已，前王后帝莫不鑄之」，可惜古代文獻中「不甚詳錄」。