During the “May Day” holiday in China, many people were carrying a replica of the famous historical sword “Goujian Sword” by Yue King on airplanes, only to be stopped by security at the Wuhan Tianhe Airport and told that they could not bring it on board. According to the relevant regulations, any blade longer than 6 centimeters is prohibited from being carried onboard, even if it is not sharpened and is considered a souvenir.
On May 4th, a netizen posted online that a security advisory sign was set up at the Wuhan Tianhe Airport explicitly stating that the “Goujian Sword” cannot be carried onto the aircraft.
This sign quickly sparked heated discussions on social media platforms, with some netizens joking, “This move is too strict.” “Even Yue King himself would have to check it in, this rule even overlooks history.” “Do these souvenirs really need to be sharpened?”
At the same time, many passengers who have had similar experiences shared their encounters with security checks.
One netizen from Guangdong said that they had previously attempted to bring three Goujian Sword refrigerator magnets through security, only to have their bags opened and inspected on the spot, leaving them confused throughout the process. The security personnel even specifically requested not to take out the display piece while on the plane.
Other netizens also displayed small models of the Goujian Sword they bought, complaining that in previous years they were allowed to bring them onboard, and they couldn’t understand why such cultural and creative souvenirs have now become the focus of security checks.
According to “Upstream News,” on May 5th, in response to passengers’ various concerns, the staff at the Tianhe Airport security checkpoint stated that the sign was indeed placed as a reminder based on the Hubei Provincial Museum’s collection of the “Goujian Sword,” reminding passengers that knives with blades exceeding 6 centimeters cannot be brought onboard and must go through storage, check-in, or mailing procedures. During peak times, they confiscate four to five Goujian Swords a day.
The staff mentioned that the restriction on carrying knives with blades longer than 6 centimeters has already been issued by the Civil Aviation Administration, and the cultural and creative version of the Goujian Sword falls within the scope of regulation.
As for the specific time the sign was set up, the staff admitted that they were not sure.