Historical one-handed versions have blades varying from 18-32 inches in length. The weight of an average sword of 28 inches blade-length would be in a range of approximately 1.5-2 pounds.

Parts of the Jian

A guard or hilt protected the hand from an opposing blade. The shape of the guard could be described as short wings pointing either forward or backward depending on the era and region of manufacture. A grip behind the guard would accommodate the grip of both hands or one hand plus two or three fingers of the other hand. Two-handed jian were not as common as the one-handed version. The handle could be used as a lever to lock the opponent's arm if necessary. The end of the handle was finished with a pommel for balance and for striking the opponent in "withdrawing" techniques. Sometimes a tassel hangs from the pommel. There are some kung fu forms which utilize the tassel as an integral part of their swordsmanship style. Originally tassels were used to provide better grip leverage on a potentially blood covered handle in order to pull the jian out of the body of an opponent if it became stuck there. On the whole, however, the tassel today is primarily decorative. The blade itself is divided into three equal parts for leverage in different techniques. A third of the way from the guard to the tip being one section, from that 1/3 point another distance to 1/3 of the way from the tip, and then from that point to the tip, or point. On many jian these three sections of the blade were different thicknesses and sharpened differently, thicker towards the guard, and thinner (sometimes much thinner) towards the point.

Materials

Jian were originally made from bronze, then iron and steel as metal technology advanced. There are some, perhaps ceremonial, jian which are carved from a single solid piece of jade. The swordsmiths of China are often credited with the forging technologies that traveled to Japan to allow swordsmiths there to create the legendary Katana. These technologies include folding, inserted alloys, and differential hardening of the edge. Some early Chinese Dao (saber) (single-edged swords of various forms) closely resemble Katana. In Chinese martial art schools, wooden swords are used for training, so most martial arts students' first experience with a jian in modern times is with one of those weapons. In some religious Taoist sects, those wooden practise swords have come to have an esoteric ritual purpose, claimed by some to metaphorically represent the discipline of an accomplished student.

Effective use of the jian required considerable skill based on good training and long practice. Even in early centuries, jian were largely supplanted by dao on the battlefield. The dao were easier and deadlier to use for the average soldier or civilian. The straight-bladed jian became known as a weapon of the aristocracy, monks, high-ranking military officers, professional martial artists and the wealthy for personal defense, training, ceremony, and prestigious decoration. Most of the martial arts of China, such as Taijiquan, still train extensively with jian, and expertise in its technique (kung fu) is said by many of them to be the highest physical expression of their martial skills.

Today, few historical jian survive due to a time in the 1800s when a Chinese Emperor decreed the destruction of all weapons outside of his own armies. Contemporary jian versions are often forged (shaped with heat and hammer) and assembled by mostly traditional methods for training of practitioners of Chinese martial arts around the world. These jian vary greatly in quality and historical accuracy.

A very badly made sword is often referred to as a "Sword Like Object" (SLO) by collectors and fans of swords. SLO's are examples of extremely poor sword design. Such an item is often too heavy, usually fails to be properly balanced for its intended use, and is often made of stainless steel. There is consensus among sword experts that stainless steel is a poor option for sword construction as it breaks too easily given the stresses involved.