Sword Guard with Plum Blossoms and Snowflakes
Sword guards served as both functional and decorative items. They were initially created to be hand guards that separated the blade of a sword from the handle. A sword guard prevented the warrior’s hand from sliding onto his blade as he thrust his sword forward. It also could protect his hand from an enemy’s sword .The guard also balanced the sword’s center of gravity and gave the warrior greater control over his weapon.