Chapter 3: First Opening of the Sword Box | Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth
"First Opening of the Sword Box"
Gently open the sword box,retrieve two weapons,
Lift them before him,scrutinizing closely and with care.
The order is given to approach the dais within twenty paces,
Bestowed a thousand taels as reward.
Enfeoffed with ten thousand households,yet he seems to decline;
Several ministers place a wooden table central in the hall.
Golden goblets and fine wine are hurriedly presented,
Glittering gold bars are uniformly offered up.
"Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth"
The hall inquires:Is the visitor a man of Qin?
He replies:A village chief from Langmeng.
No grand title,unnamed, in charge of arrests,
Merely a minor official,that is all.
Asked how he managed to eliminate the threat,
Replies:By defeating them one by one.
Wishing to know more,he is bid to listen and hear,
This battle must be told from the very beginning.
"First Opening of the Sword Box"
Gently open the sword box,retrieve two weapons,
Lift them before him,scrutinizing closely and with care.
The order is given to approach the dais within twenty paces,
Bestowed a thousand taels as reward.
Enfeoffed with ten thousand households,yet he seems to decline;
Several ministers place a wooden table central in the hall.
Golden goblets and fine wine are hurriedly presented,
Glittering gold bars are uniformly offered up.
"Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth"
The hall inquires:Is the visitor a man of Qin?
He replies:A village chief from Langmeng.
No grand title,unnamed, in charge of arrests,
Merely a minor official,that is all.
Asked how he managed to eliminate the threat,
Replies:By defeating them one by one.
Wishing to know more,he is bid to listen and hear,
This battle must be told from the very beginning.
Source: DeepSeek
Analysis as follows:
Zhang Yimou's film Hero is not only a groundbreaking work that ushered in the blockbuster era of Chinese-language cinema, but it also redefined the expressive boundaries of the wuxia genre through its profound philosophical contemplation and极致 formal aesthetics. The scene of the confrontation between Nameless and the King of Qin in the main hall of the Qin palace constitutes the core arena of ideological clash in the entire film. The newly discovered poems, "First Opening of the Sword Box" and "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth," aptly capture the complex relationships between objects and bodies, identity and discourse in this scene through refined poetic language, offering us a new perspective for interpreting Hero through material culture.
"First Opening of the Sword Box": The Politics of Objects and the Discipline of Power
The poem "First Opening of the Sword Box" takes the display of objects as its core imagery, revealing the micro-mechanisms of the King of Qin's power operations through the exposition of material elements like the sword box, gold and silver, and wine vessels.
The Coding of Objects Under the Power Gaze
The lines "Gently open the sword box, retrieve two weapons, / Lift them before him, scrutinizing closely and with care" depict the scene where Nameless displays the weapons before the King of Qin. Here, "scrutinizing closely and with care" refers not only to Nameless's inspection of the weapons but also hints at the King's intense gaze upon Nameless's every movement. In the film Hero, this scene is portrayed as a solemn ritual – Nameless slowly opens the sword box,取出 the weapons of Broken Sword and Flying Snow, while the King of Qin sits high on his throne, exercising invisible power surveillance through spatial distance.
Objects are endowed with special political significance within the specific space of the Qin palace. The phrase "within twenty paces" in "The order is given to approach the dais within twenty paces, / Bestowed a thousand taels as reward" is particularly crucial. In the film, distance is a core parameter of power security; each time Nameless receives a reward, he is permitted to advance closer. This strategy of exchanging material rewards for spatial proximity is an important means for the King to materialize abstract power.
"Enfeoffed with ten thousand households, yet he seems to decline; / Several ministers place a wooden table central in the hall" creates a contrast between the abundance of material rewards and Nameless's seemingly indifferent "yet he seems to decline," revealing the complex psychological game between the exertion and reception of power. In the film, Nameless's transcendent attitude towards the rewards precisely shakes the value system based on material incentives established by the King, foreshadowing the subsequent ideological confrontation.
The Essential Nature of the Reward Ritual
——
The lines "Golden goblets and fine wine are hurriedly presented, / Glittering gold bars are uniformly offered up," through action descriptions like "hurriedly presented" and "uniformly offered up," showcase the efficient operation of the King of Qin's power apparatus. These material rewards are not merely compensation; they are tools for the reproduction of power – through generous giving, the King demonstrates the state's wealth while reinforcing the dependency relationship between ruler and subject.
However, within the narrative of Hero, this reward scene carries a deep irony. The weapons Nameless carries ostensibly prove he has slain the three great assassins, but they actually conceal his true intent to assassinate the King. At this moment, the objects become double signifiers – both proof of loyalty and tools of rebellion; they both submit to the King's power order and potentially subvert it.
Zhang Yimou further intensifies the seriousness of object politics through the black color scheme of the Qin palace scenes. The black palace, black court robes, and black weapons collectively constitute a visual representation of the inviolability of power. Meanwhile, the gold of the "Golden goblets and fine wine" and the glow of the "Glittering gold bars" become bright spots against this black background, symbolizing power's temptation and co-option of the individual.
"Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth": Discursive Confrontation and Identity Deconstruction
The poem "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth" takes the dialogue between the King of Qin and Nameless as its main thread, showcasing the tension between power discourse and individual speech through a question-and-answer format.
Identity Interrogation and Discursive Game
" The hall inquires: Is the visitor a man of Qin? / He replies: A village chief from Langmeng" initiates a dialogue about identity. The King's first question concerns geographical belonging (a man of Qin), while Nameless's response emphasizes his official capacity (village chief). In the film Hero, this exchange is significant – Nameless, as a village chief of Qin, should inherently be a维护者 of the power system, yet he becomes its potential颠覆者.
" No grand title, unnamed, in charge of arrests, / Merely a minor official, that is all" further deconstructs the mystique of the assassin. Nameless describes himself as an ordinary official, using a strategy of self-diminishment to lower the King's guard. This discursive strategy is highly consistent with Nameless's behavior in the film – he gradually gains the King's trust through a meticulously woven narrative.
" Asked how he managed to eliminate the threat, / Replies: By defeating them one by one" embodies the collision of two modes of thinking. The King's "how he managed" seeks a methodological answer, reflecting his pragmatic rationality as a ruler; whereas Nameless's "defeating them one by one" offers a simple yet e"First Opening of the Sword Box"
Gently open the sword box,retrieve two weapons,
Lift them before him,scrutinizing closely and with care.
The order is given to approach the dais within twenty paces,
Bestowed a thousand taels as reward.
Enfeoffed with ten thousand households,yet he seems to decline;
Several ministers place a wooden table central in the hall.
Golden goblets and fine wine are hurriedly presented,
Glittering gold bars are uniformly offered up.
"Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth"
The hall inquires:Is the visitor a man of Qin?
He replies:A village chief from Langmeng.
No grand title,unnamed, in charge of arrests,
Merely a minor official,that is all.
Asked how he managed to eliminate the threat,
Replies:By defeating them one by one.
Wishing to know more,he is bid to listen and hear,
This battle must be told from the very beginning.
Source: DeepSeek
Analysis as follows:
Zhang Yimou's film Hero is not only a groundbreaking work that ushered in the blockbuster era of Chinese-language cinema, but it also redefined the expressive boundaries of the wuxia genre through its profound philosophical contemplation and极致 formal aesthetics. The scene of the confrontation between Nameless and the King of Qin in the main hall of the Qin palace constitutes the core arena of ideological clash in the entire film. The newly discovered poems, "First Opening of the Sword Box" and "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth," aptly capture the complex relationships between objects and bodies, identity and discourse in this scene through refined poetic language, offering us a new perspective for interpreting Hero through material culture.
"First Opening of the Sword Box": The Politics of Objects and the Discipline of Power
The poem "First Opening of the Sword Box" takes the display of objects as its core imagery, revealing the micro-mechanisms of the King of Qin's power operations through the exposition of material elements like the sword box, gold and silver, and wine vessels.
The Coding of Objects Under the Power Gaze
The lines "Gently open the sword box, retrieve two weapons, / Lift them before him, scrutinizing closely and with care" depict the scene where Nameless displays the weapons before the King of Qin. Here, "scrutinizing closely and with care" refers not only to Nameless's inspection of the weapons but also hints at the King's intense gaze upon Nameless's every movement. In the film Hero, this scene is portrayed as a solemn ritual – Nameless slowly opens the sword box,取出 the weapons of Broken Sword and Flying Snow, while the King of Qin sits high on his throne, exercising invisible power surveillance through spatial distance.
Objects are endowed with special political significance within the specific space of the Qin palace. The phrase "within twenty paces" in "The order is given to approach the dais within twenty paces, / Bestowed a thousand taels as reward" is particularly crucial. In the film, distance is a core parameter of power security; each time Nameless receives a reward, he is permitted to advance closer. This strategy of exchanging material rewards for spatial proximity is an important means for the King to materialize abstract power.
"Enfeoffed with ten thousand households, yet he seems to decline; / Several ministers place a wooden table central in the hall" creates a contrast between the abundance of material rewards and Nameless's seemingly indifferent "yet he seems to decline," revealing the complex psychological game between the exertion and reception of power. In the film, Nameless's transcendent attitude towards the rewards precisely shakes the value system based on material incentives established by the King, foreshadowing the subsequent ideological confrontation.
The Essential Nature of the Reward Ritual
The lines "Golden goblets and fine wine are hurriedly presented, / Glittering gold bars are uniformly offered up," through action descriptions like "hurriedly presented" and "uniformly offered up," showcase the efficient operation of the King of Qin's power apparatus. These material rewards are not merely compensation; they are tools for the reproduction of power – through generous giving, the King demonstrates the state's wealth while reinforcing the dependency relationship between ruler and subject.
However, within the narrative of Hero, this reward scene carries a deep irony. The weapons Nameless carries ostensibly prove he has slain the three great assassins, but they actually conceal his true intent to assassinate the King. At this moment, the objects become double signifiers – both proof of loyalty and tools of rebellion; they both submit to the King's power order and potentially subvert it.
Zhang Yimou further intensifies the seriousness of object politics through the black color scheme of the Qin palace scenes. The black palace, black court robes, and black weapons collectively constitute a visual representation of the inviolability of power. Meanwhile, the gold of the "Golden goblets and fine wine" and the glow of the "Glittering gold bars" become bright spots against this black background, symbolizing power's temptation and co-option of the individual.
"Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth": Discursive Confrontation and Identity Deconstruction
The poem "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth" takes the dialogue between the King of Qin and Nameless as its main thread, showcasing the tension between power discourse and individual speech through a question-and-answer format.
Identity Interrogation and Discursive Game
" The hall inquires: Is the visitor a man of Qin? / He replies: A village chief from Langmeng" initiates a dialogue about identity. The King's first question concerns geographical belonging (a man of Qin), while Nameless's response emphasizes his official capacity (village chief). In the film Hero, this exchange is significant – Nameless, as a village chief of Qin, should inherently be a维护者 of the power system, yet he becomes its potential颠覆者.
" No grand title, unnamed, in charge of arrests, / Merely a minor official, that is all" further deconstructs the mystique of the assassin. Nameless describes himself as an ordinary official, using a strategy of self-diminishment to lower the King's guard. This discursive strategy is highly consistent with Nameless's behavior in the film – he gradually gains the King's trust through a meticulously woven narrative.
" Asked how he managed to eliminate the threat, / Replies: By defeating them one by one" embodies the collision of two modes of thinking. The King's "how he managed" seeks a methodological answer, reflecting his pragmatic rationality as a ruler; whereas Nameless's "defeating them one by one" offers a simple yet effective strategy, fitting his identity as a martial artist while concealing his true motives
The Struggle for Narrative Authority
The lines " Wishing to know more, he is bid to listen and hear, / This battle must be told from the very beginning" mark the transfer of narrative authority from the King to Nameless. In the film Hero, this turning point is crucial – by gaining narrative control, Nameless temporarily breaks the King's discursive monopoly, creating the possibility for equal dialogue.
The triple narrative structure employed in Hero (Nameless's version, the King's version, the true version) finds its poetic counterpart here. The promise of "told from the very beginning" in the poem foreshadows the complexity and polysemy of the subsequent story, challenging the reliability of a single authoritative narrative.
Zhang Yimou differentiates the narrative versions through color changes: red represents passion and falsehood, blue symbolizes calm and suspicion, and white embodies truth and purity. This color narrative strategy forms a cross-media correspondence with the "listen and hear" in "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth" – just as the poem challenges singular truth through linguistic polysemy, the film also questions narrative objectivity through the变幻 of color.
Intertextuality of the Two Poems and the Material Discourse System in Hero
Reading "First Opening of the Sword Box" and "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth" together reveals that they jointly construct a complete system of material discourse, forming a deep resonance with the formal aesthetics of Zhang Yimou's Hero.
The Dialectics of Power: Objects and Discourse
"First Opening of the Sword Box" focuses on the political life of objects, revealing the material basis of power operation through the circulation and display of weapons and tribute within the power field; "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth" concerns the ideological function of speech, showcasing the discursive dimension of power construction through the exchange of questions, answers, and narratives between subjects. Together, they constitute the two sides of the same coin of power.
In the film Hero, the dialectical relationship between material and discourse is manifested in various forms: on one hand, there is the materiality of the Qin palace – the endless steps, heavy gates, stern arrays constitute the spatial representation of power; on the other hand, there is the discursivity of narrative – different versions of the story, constantly reversing truths constitute the knowledge representation of power.
More profoundly, when Nameless ultimately abandons the assassination and chooses to sacrifice himself for the ideal of "All Under Heaven," both the material sword and the discursive concept of "All Under Heaven" undergo a reversal of meaning: the sword transforms from a tool of killing into a symbol of peace, and "All Under Heaven" changes from a political slogan into a reason for sacrifice. This transformation is already foreshadowed in the "yet he seems to decline" of "First Opening of the Sword Box" and the "he is bid to listen" of "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth" – Nameless's indifference to material rewards and his value placed on narrative authority预示 his transformation from assassin to martyr of an idea.
Poetic Echoes of Body Politics in Hero
The descriptions of body and space in the two poems resonate with the body politics in Hero. The "scrutinizing closely" in "First Opening of the Sword Box" implies power's discipline of the body, while the questioning and answering in "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth" embodies power's interrogation of identity.
In the film, the rituals Nameless's body undergoes – the search, the kneeling, the advance – are all instances of power disciplining the individual body. His narration of his own identity ("Merely a minor official") is a form of resistance at the discursive level. This coexistence of bodily submission and ideological independence constitutes the inner tension of Nameless's character and is highly consistent with the perspective offered by the two poems.
Zhang Yimou intensifies this tension of body politics through cinematography. When Nameless ultimately walks out of the main hall and allows his body to be承受 by ten thousand arrows, he completes the transformation from a body disciplined by power to a body that freely chooses death. This scene stands in sharp contrast to the display of objects in "First Opening of the Sword Box" – the former achieves spiritual freedom by accepting destruction through materiality (arrows), while the latter seeks power's recognition by displaying materiality (weapons).
The Aesthetic Innovation and Cultural Reflection of Hero Viewed Through Material Narrative
Through the lens of "First Opening of the Sword Box" and "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth," we can gain a deeper understanding of Zhang Yimou's unique contributions in terms of aesthetic innovation and cultural reflection in Hero.
Eastern Aesthetics of Material Narrative
In Hero, Zhang Yimou constructs an Eastern aesthetics of power through material elements such as objects, costumes, and architecture. The black tones of the Qin palace, the cold gleam of weapons, the gold of the rewards not only create a strong visual impact but also carry profound cultural connotations.
Echoing the concise descriptions of the two poems, the material elements in the film are also highly symbolized: the sword is not just a weapon but also a carrier of calligraphy and the martial way; the arrow阵 is not merely a military tactic but the ultimate expression of collectivism; the palace is not only a place of power but also a visual representation of Yin-Yang philosophy.
This aesthetics of material narrative finds its poetic counterpart in the "Golden goblets and fine wine are hurriedly presented" of "First Opening of the Sword Box" and the "The hall inquires: Is the visitor a man of Qin?" of "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth" – objects and discourse jointly construct a Warring States world that is both real and abstract, a power field that is both specific and universal.
Contemporary Reverberations of Historical Narrative
The two poems, "First Opening of the Sword Box" and "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth," together with the film Hero, participate in the reconstruction of contemporary Chinese historical narrative. The "settling scores freely" of traditional assassin stories is replaced by contemplation on the order of "All Under Heaven," and individual heroism gives way to collective rational consideration.
This transformation is subtly reflected in the two poems: the "yet he seems to decline" in "First Opening of the Sword Box" hints at the rejection of material temptation, while the "he is bid to listen" in "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth"预示着 the beginning of a grand narrative. Correspondingly, Nameless in the film ultimately accepts Broken Sword's concept of "All Under Heaven," transforming from an assassin into an identifier with order.
Zhang Yimou's historical reconstruction has sparked considerable controversy. Some critics view it as a "beautification of tyranny," but other scholars point out that it is a modern reflection on the traditional concept of the knight-errant (Xia). Regardless, Hero and its poetic resonators – "First Opening of the Sword Box" and "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth" – all prompt us to ponder a fundamental question: at historical turning points, how should the individual face power? Should one persist in opposition, or seek consensus? Cling to local justice, or focus on overall harmony?
Conclusion
Although brief, the two poems "First Opening of the Sword Box" and "Famed, Yet Questioned for the Truth," through their focus on objects and discourse, provide us with a unique perspective to glimpse the deep structure of Zhang Yimou's Hero. Through these micro-politics of material and language, we see the eternal tension between power and the individual, and we also see complex thinking that transcends simple binaries.
The true "hero" is perhaps neither a complete resister nor a total submitter, but an individual capable of maintaining independent thought within the historical tide, and upholding spiritual autonomy amidst material temptations and discursive mazes. Nameless's choice – to abandon the assassination and accept death – stems not from fear, but from understanding; it is not a mark of failure, but a symbol of wisdom.
In the contemporary context, Hero and these two poems continue to resonate with us. When we face complex social realities and personal choices, Nameless's dilemma and抉择 still illuminate our thinking: What is true heroic spirit? How can the individual maintain dignity and conscience within power structures and historical currents? The answers to these questions are perhaps hidden in that cautious meticulousness of "Gently open the sword box," in those self-statements of identity like "A village chief from Langmeng," and in those moral choices of "yet he seems to decline."
