The meaning of 封剑?

[chavalit]

I'm wondering what 封剑 means. I can't find it in any dictionary, off-line or online. Also, what does 封剑归隐 mean?

I found these words in an article about Jin Yong. Are these supposed to be Wu Xia terms?

[skylee]

封剑归隐 = stop using the sword (putting it away) and retreat from the wuxia world.

If it is about Jin Yong, could it be about his book Xiao Ao Jianghu?

[chavalit]

ok, I see. So 封 means to "seal" (the sword).

It's from an old newspaper article, interviewing Jin Yong about non-Wu Xia stuff. But I guess they use the expression to make it more colorful, since Jin Yong is well-known for his Wu Xia work.

[fireball9261]

It was an older phrase and used in the Chinese martial art world a lot both in the old time and sometimes in modern days with certain triad members or gangster leaders or great masters in the martial art world, especially when the martial art master was involved heavily with the martial art activities in either the white ways (白道 - being police, bodyguards, martial art teachers, etc.) or the black ways (黑道 - being in secret societies, robbers, thieves, gangsters, etc.).

When he/she did that officially, it means people should not revenge on him/her or try to challenge him/her.

[Quest]

封剑归隐~=金盆洗手

[Asiasy]

it`s a WU XIA terms which meas stop from fighting and quit the game(i dont how to say the 江湖 in English).

Why sword? The sword is mostly widely used weapon considered as a elegant(graceful?) weapon in WUXIA, so it`s said 封剑,not 封刀^0^

[SWWLiu]

I'm wondering what 封剑 means. I can't find it in any dictionary' date=' off-line or online. Also, what does 封剑归隐 mean?

[/quote']

封剑归隐 = stop using the sword (putting it away) and retreat from the wuxia world.

ok' date=' I see. So 封 means to "seal" (the sword).

[/quote']

You probably recognize the word 封 in the everyday word 信封 (envelope -- left to "seal" when the enclosed letter is mailed), chavalit.

In 封剑, as skylee has said, it is to put it away (out of commission), i.e., "mothballing" it, so to speak.

In 归隐, as skylee has also indicated, it is to retreat from martial contests ("returning" to his/her homestead, or "retiring" to "become a hermit").

剑 is a (generally lengthy) two-edge sword as weaponry; 刀 is a more general term for all cutting utensils or weapons, usually with only one sharp edge.

I hope this helps.