Text | Xiaofeng talks about history
Edit | Xiaofeng talks about history
As a continent that has never been broken in history from ancient times to the present. In the "memory" of the millennium, there are countless intertwined fusions of war and peace.
After all, the alternation of the old and new dynasties is inseparable from disputes.
In ancient times, in order to dominate the world, in addition to the number of soldiers, the quality of weapons was also an important factor in determining the final victory.
It is precisely because of this that all kinds of soft armor have become a hot existence. But it is easy to explain that soldiers wearing armor are like "lightning rods" on the top of their heads?
1. Armor
As an important defensive equipment in ancient warfare, armor has occupied an important place in Chinese history since the Xia Dynasty.
With the changes of the times, the development of armor has gone through a process from simple animal skin armor to refined iron armor, and then to complex armor that integrates decoration and protection.
It is said that during the reign of the seventh Xia King of the Xia Dynasty, in order to deal with the arrow attacks of the Dongyi people, he invented armor made of animal skins, which reduced the damage of arrows and successfully quelled the rebellion, which was also the earliest leather armor.
Later, with the advent of bronzes, the number of armor parts began to increase, the first of which was the appearance of bronze helmets, which greatly strengthened the defense of the head.
Compared with the Xia Dynasty, the armor of the Shang and Zhou dynasties has been improved to a certain extent in terms of overall defensive performance.
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, due to the frequent outbreak of wars and the improvement of smelting technology, the armor became more complete. From being able to protect only the chest and head, to being able to protect the entire upper body.
However, due to the emergence of steel weapons and their use on the battlefield, the defensive ability of leather armor can no longer guarantee the lives of soldiers, and on this basis, iron armor appears in front of the public's eyes.
With the development of time, the production itself has become more and more refined.
From the rough armor to the thin fish scale armor, iron armor gradually replaced leather armor and became the main armor used on the battlefield.
But the tide of history is not static, and under the urging of the needs of war, chain mail began to prevail in the world. The so-called chain mail is also made up of small iron rings.
Countless iron rings form the shape of clothes, and this can be regarded as the existence of a "new" soft armor. It is effective against stabbing damage such as bows and arrows, but has poor defense against blunt injuries.
During the Song Dynasty, the development of armor on the mainland reached its peak. Song Jia's collar is more decorative and protective, with a variety of shapes such as lotus petal style, iron leaf style, and shawl style.
At the same time, during this period, the heavy armored cavalry of the Jurchen tribe of the Jin State of the Song Dynasty had even more special armor. It could even cover the war horse, and this heavy armor was called "Tiefutu", and in combination with the unique kidnapping horses of the Jurchen tribe at that time, there was basically no army to compete with in the early battlefield.
During the Ming Dynasty, the development of armor continued to advance. At this point, the armor resembles a belly pocket in appearance, with one end hanging around the neck and then around the waist, or attached to a heart goggle.
Its protection is also better, in addition to these, the Ming Dynasty also has face armor known as "Golden Lion Face" and "Dragon Scale Face". It's just that these more protective armors are more expensive than "normal" armor.
Of course, in the evolution of the whole history. In addition to the armor itself, the "hat" on the soldier's head is also constantly changing.
Second, the symbol of status
During the Qing Dynasty on the mainland, soldiers' helmets often wore designs like "helmet guns".
It is also this small design that visually makes the soldiers look taller and burly, showing the mighty and strong image of the army.
And on the helmets of the generals, these designs are also different, depending on the rank of the general, the length and decoration of the helmet and gun also vary.
This differentiated design not only allows generals of all levels to distinguish themselves on the battlefield, but also highlights their special status.
Interestingly, in ancient warfare, the decoration and color of the helmet were also used to distinguish friend from foe. Due to the lack of means of communication on the battlefield, it was difficult for soldiers to distinguish between friend and foe.
However, different units often use different styles of spears and tassels to distinguish each other, and by looking at the spears and tassels on enemy helmets, soldiers can quickly identify their own ranks and maintain stability and continuity in the battle.
It can be said that the tip of the helmet is indeed endowed with an important identification function on the battlefield.
In addition to distinguishing the identity and the difference between soldiers in the army, the tip of the helmet is also versatile and practical.
Just like when soldiers need to cook or drink water temporarily during the march, they can use the tip of their helmet and gun to support it, boil the water or use it as a simple dish.
The helmet tip of this design not only meets the practical needs of soldiers, but also highlights the versatility and practicality of the equipment.
With the change of the times, the design of the helmet gradually withdrew from the stage of history.
However, it must be admitted that as an important symbol in military culture, the tip of the helmet and gun has also inspired us to understand and inherit a lot of history.
It can even be said that it is the design of the helmet and gun tip that makes people feel the majesty of war and the solemn presentation of the ancient army.
In addition to the status symbol, the greater role of this "lightning rod" is also the "hidden weapon" of the success of the soldier's final hand-to-hand combat.
At the critical moment, it was the helmet gun that "decided" the ultimate success or failure.
3. Defense and offense
In the era of cold weapons, the tip of the gun is not only an ornament on the helmet, but also an indispensable weapon on the battlefield. From peacetime life to wartime fighting, the role of the tip of the gun should not be underestimated.
It is important to know that in ancient warfare, the tip of the gun embedded in the helmet can effectively disperse the force area and pressure caused by blunt force smashing, and reduce the direct injury to the soldier's head.
When faced with the attack of charging cavalry or heavy weapons, the tip of the spear can withstand a part of the impact force, improving the soldier's chance of survival and resistance.
In addition to the fact that these spear tips have an important offensive role in combat, when a spear or spear-like weapon in a soldier's hand is damaged, the tip of the spear on the helmet can be easily removed and used as a spare weapon.
The emergence of this kind of detachable short weapon also solves the problem that it is difficult for long weapons to give full play to their advantages in hand-to-hand combat.
It can even be said that during the Song Dynasty, it was this innovative tactical change that made the situation powerless in the face of external cavalry attacks, and increased the probability of the Central Plains Dynasty winning the war.
It's just that at this time, its name is not a loss gun, but a pocket.
Moreover, on the battlefield, with the different combat progress, the activity of the red tassel on the tip of the gun will also change, and the commander can judge the combat state and morale performance of the army by observing the swing of the red tassel on the tip of the gun.
If the red tassel swings, the soldiers show high morale and active action, and if the red tassel is not performing or hangs low, the soldiers may be experiencing low morale and mood.
Based on these observed details, the commander can adjust the soldiers' motivation to fight at critical moments and further contribute to the victory of the war.
It can be said that the tip of the gun plays an indispensable role in continuing to participate in the battle as a backup weapon, both in terms of defense and in attack.
The author thinks
It can be said that in the ancient army, this seemingly inconspicuous tip of the gun brought convenience to the life and combat of the army in many aspects, showing the outstanding wisdom of the ancients.
At the same time, the application of its own helmet in modern life also proves the inheritance and development of this design, it also allows us to realize the wisdom of the ancients, and also reminds future generations to continue to explore and innovate.