Text: Lao Dazi
This article has a total of 3102 words and a reading time of about 6 minutes
Preface
In the dynasties of ancient China, war was the norm, and the importance of the army was self-evident. Unlike modern times, the ancient way of fighting was even more spectacular, with the generals dressed in majestic clothes and armor sitting on chariots to fight in all directions.
Today, Lao Dazi will take you to review the history of Chinese civilization for thousands of years, take stock of the military uniforms of ancient Chinese dynasties, and restore the original appearance of history for you with realistic restoration pictures~
Shang Dynasty
After a long period of evolution, the ancestors of the Chinese nation gradually learned and mastered Xi the most primitive production methods and survival skills, including sewing clothes, in the struggle against the natural world.
In 1927, a bone needle was discovered in the ancient human site of Zhoukoudian Cave in Beijing, and it is inferred that the cave people began to use animal skins to sew clothes 18,000 years ago.
In 1935, the remnants of leather armor of the Shang Dynasty were found in the south tomb road of No. 1004 tomb of Houjiazhuang in Anyang, Henan. Based on the maximum diameter of the remnants of about 40 centimeters, it is speculated that it was a whole piece of leather armor. This is the earliest and relatively credible example of dating found to date, presumed to be the late Shang dynasty.
Shang Dynasty (c. 17th century BC - 11th century BC) samurai restoration
Western Zhou
One of the most important innovations in the armor of the Zhou Dynasty was the appearance of the armor. The principle of the armor is to use leather or bronze to make small pieces of armor, punch holes in the nails, and then use rope to pass through the holes, adding a leather lining as needed. The restoration of bronze armor unearthed in Pudu Village, Chang'an, Shaanxi Province is shown in the figure below.
This armor has a total of 42 bronze armor pieces of similar size, and there are traces of leather fibers on the back of the armor, so it is speculated that there should be leather as a lining, the armor pieces do not overlap each other, the four corners are spaced, and the use of rope or leather strips to weave embellishments, the weaving method is similar to the golden jade clothes of the Western Han Dynasty.
Restoration of warriors in the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC - 771 BC).
Eastern Zhou
In terms of armor in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, except for a small part that continued the system of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the princes of various places had their own unique designs. In addition to the widespread use of leather armor, iron armor also began to appear on the stage of armor.
According to the physical restoration of the Warring States Tomb in Jiangling, Hubei Province, the armor is made of wood, and the front and back are pasted with leather, and the lacquer treatment is carried out. According to records, the rhino armor has seven layers, the armor has six layers, and the combined armor has five layers, and the "genus" here refers to the number of rows of the armor, that is, the number of layers of the armor.
This armor, which combines leather and wood, is exactly a five-layer arrangement, so it can be classified as a type of armor mentioned in the Western Zhou Dynasty, which belongs to the hardest type.
Eastern Zhou Dynasty (Spring and Autumn Warring States) (770 BC-221 BC) samurai restoration map
Qin Dynasty
In the Qin Dynasty, the shape of the uniform was the same from the general down to the soldiers. They are all dressed in dark clothes and trousers, and they wear boots or shoes on their feet.
The implementation of this clothing system made the army of the Qin Dynasty look uniform and uniform. And the difference between different branches of the military, officers and soldiers is mainly reflected in the jewelry. Among them, the curtains, crowns, hats, and buns all have different designs that can reflect the identity, status, and responsibilities of different branches and officers.
Restoration of the costumes of the generals of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC).
Restoration of cavalry and infantry costumes of the Qin Dynasty
Han dynasty
The Han Dynasty's military uniforms were similar to those of the Qin Dynasty in many ways. All those in the army, regardless of status, wore Zen robes with trousers underneath. This kind of Zen clothes are generally dark in color and are also known as sand hub Zen clothes. In addition, in the Han Dynasty, the headdresses of the soldiers were roughly the same, and they wore flat scarves and crowns.
Although the Han Dynasty military costumes looked similar to those of the Qin Dynasty, there were some subtle differences between them. For example, the Zen clothes of the Han Dynasty soldiers were looser, more suitable for combat, and at the same time more comfortable. Moreover, the weapon-making technology of the Han Dynasty was improved, and armor and weapons became more refined.
In addition, the military of the Han Dynasty also paid more attention to the personalization and specialization of equipment. According to the needs of different branches of the army and positions, the army began to adopt a variety of different ornaments and clothing.
Han Dynasty (202-220 BC) general costume restoration map
Han knight holding an iron hammer to restore the diagram
Wei Jin
The military uniforms of the Wei and Jin dynasties generally consisted of a battle robe and a trouser pleated suit. The robe was knee-length and had wide sleeves, while the trousers were pleated to the crotch and had tight sleeves. In general, the shirt and trousers have a straight collar, but there are also styles with a round neckline.
In addition, during the Wei and Jin dynasties, pants gradually became an important part of military uniforms. Unlike the deep coats and small-mouth pants of the Qin and Han dynasties, the pants of the Wei and Jin dynasties adopted the design of large-mouth pants, similar to the culottes worn by women today.
It is worth noting that the trouser cuff size was different between the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the Western Jin Dynasty. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, trousers were larger and comparable to today's women's culottes, while during the Western Jin Dynasty, the trouser cuffs were slightly reduced, but still much larger than those of the Qin and Han dynasties. This change reflects the changing concept of clothing design and aesthetics of the times, and also provides us with a new perspective on history and culture.
Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420) Restoration of military costumes during the Wei and Jin dynasties
Northern and Southern Dynasties
The uniforms of the Northern and Southern Dynasties have unique characteristics, not only in a variety of styles, but also in the integration of clothing elements of multiple ethnic groups. At the same time, with the further improvement of the military attache system, the difference between officers and soldiers in terms of clothing has become more obvious.
During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, due to the cultural exchange and integration of various regions, the styles of military uniforms became more diverse. One can see the fusion of costume elements from different ethnic groups in the uniform, showing a colorful style.
Restoration of the samurai of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589).
Sui Dynasty
The costumes of the Sui and Tang dynasties mainly used two common types of armor: two-crotch armor and Mingguangkai. Compared with the previous generation, the two-crotch armor has made some progress and changes in structure and shape.
Often, the body armor was woven from a number of small scale-like pieces of armor that extended to the abdomen, replacing the previous leather armor skirt. The shape of the Ming Guang Kai is basically the same as that of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, except that the leg skirt has become longer.
In addition, in the Sui Dynasty, the military costume was generally in the style of a round-necked robe.
Restoration of the warriors of the Sui Dynasty (581-618).
Tang dynasty
Among the attire of the Don Army, the most striking thing was the metal helmets worn by the soldiers. The helmet is made of metal and has a dome-shaped shape, decorated with a jagged animal face and braids, giving it a strong military vibe.
The soldier's armor consisted of iron plates and metal rings, which were heavy and thick, and could effectively resist enemy attacks. These costumes not only show the magnificent image of the Tang Army, but also reflect the military system and cultural characteristics of the time, allowing people to feel the style of that glorious era.
Restoration of a warrior wearing Ming Guang armor and military uniforms during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
Mingguang Kai
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
During the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the regime changed frequently, and the order changed every day, so the system of the late Tang Dynasty was basically continued in terms of clothing. The shape of the Mingguang armor has basically withdrawn from the stage of history, and has been replaced by armor made entirely of armor pieces, and the shape has become a two-piece suit. One is a mantle and shoulder pads, and the other is a shawl and shoulder pads that are tied back and back with two shoulder straps.
In addition, leather armor, which was made of large pieces of leather, was still used during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, and was worn with a hood and guards.
Restoration of samurai wearing armor and military uniforms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907-960).
Song dynasty
The Song Dynasty was known for its economic and cultural prosperity, while at the same time reaching a high level of antiquity in terms of military equipment. The Song Dynasty focused on infantry strength and designed the most advanced infantry armor of the time.
The armor was crafted from 1,825 small pieces of armor weighing a total of 29 kilograms. Despite its bulkiness, this sturdy infantry armor provided excellent protection, giving the Song infantry a formidable defensive force on the battlefield. However, this bulky armor limited the flexibility of the infantry and was gradually replaced by lightweight chain armor.
The color of the military uniforms of the Song Dynasty horse army was mainly red, which usually included red satin shawls and crimson gloves. This exaggerated and intricate costume reflects the high level of military spending of the Song government at the time.
Restoration of warriors from the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
Infantry armor
The military uniform of the horse army of the Song Dynasty
Liao Dynasty
During the Khitan period, the Liao army had already begun to use armor, mainly adopting the style of the late Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, with the Song Dynasty as the main reference.
The upper structure of the armor was exactly the same as that of the Song dynasty, but the length of the leg skirt was significantly shorter than that of the Song dynasty. In addition, the front and back two square falcon tail armor cover the leg skirt, which continues the style of the late Tang Dynasty and the fifth dynasty, adding a unique feature to the overall look.
Restoration of the armor and military uniforms of the Liao (916-1125) warriors
Yuan Dynasty
The main Mongol army of the Yuan Dynasty was dominated by cavalry, which was well-organized and well-equipped, and was also equipped with firearms. Special mention should be made of their armor. The armor body is all made of mesh armor, the outer part is decorated with copper and iron wire, and the inner layer is padded with cowhide, and the production process is very exquisite.
In the early days of the founding of the Yuan Dynasty, whether it was a general or a soldier, their uniforms adopted the costumes of their own nation, that is, the quality of the grandson clothes. The head of the Mongolian costume consists of a hat and a hat.
bright
The design of the helmet of the Ming army is simple and elegant, made of metal material, usually golden yellow, and decorated with red feathers, giving it a sense of majesty and might. The crossbody knives they wore were an iconic weapon that reflected their bravery and combat prowess.
The military attache system of the Ming Dynasty was very complete in history, and the difference in the rank of the sergeant's clothing was also very obvious. One of the Ming Dynasty sergeants' clothing was the fat jacket, which was made with "knee-length length, narrow sleeves, and cotton filling inside", and was usually red in color, so it was also called "red fat jacket".
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Ming Dynasty warrior restoration map
Ming Army
clear
During the Qing Dynasty, one type of armor that was widely used was cotton armor. This armor was made of strong cotton or silk cloth with iron plates inlaid and held securely in place with copper nails. The overall look looks like a thick cotton coat. Cotton armor has good cold protection properties, which is very suitable for infantry and cavalry in northern China.
The thick cloth is embedded with dense pieces of iron armor, which gives it a certain protection against cold weapons and firearms. This design combines warmth with effective protection.
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Qing Dynasty samurai restoration map
Old Dazi said
Through these restoration drawings of military uniforms of past dynasties, we can see the evolution of ancient Chinese military uniforms. Each period has its own unique characteristics and style, showing the history of Chinese civilization for thousands of years.
According to historical records, the evolution of military uniforms has gone through a development process from simplicity to complexity, and then from complexity to simplicity. The form of the military uniform not only shows the majesty of the country and the morale of the soldiers, but also tells people about the merits and reasons for the defeat of the war through its design and style. This process of evolution continues to this day and provides us with important clues to our understanding of history.
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