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Chinese Swords - The Evolution and Use of the Jian and Dao (Paperback)
Loot Price: R253
Discovery Miles 2 530
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Chinese Swords - The Evolution and Use of the Jian and Dao (Paperback)
Series: Knives, Swords, and Bayonets: A World History of Edged Weapo, 5
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Loot Price R253
Discovery Miles 2 530
Expected to ship within 10 - 15 working days
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Edged weapons became a mainstay in early Chinese history and
through the Ming (1368-1644 CE) and Qing (1644-1912 CE) dynasties.
The Chinese used swords to settle personal disputes, win military
battles, and indicate one's social and martial status through the
end of the Imperial Period. China, a country of vast resources,
developed its metal and iron industry earlier than its western
counterparts and achieved great advances in metallurgic science.
There were two classes of Chinese swords: the straight double edged
jian and the slightly curved single edged dao. The jian proved
effective mainly for chivalry combat in the Zhou Dynasty (1045-256
BCE), and was later carried by the nobility as a symbol of status.
Military officers, perhaps because of their association with the
nobility, seem to have preferred the double edged jian over the
dao. The dao proved useful mainly in cavalry combat, which started
to gain popularity in the Western Han Dynasty (202 BCE-9 CE). The
dao was a true soldier's weapon that required more attention to
fighting skill than finesse. This book follows a chronological path
through China's dynasties, exploring sword design and
swordsmanship. The concluding remarks recap the long history of the
sword with focus on the philosophical value one assigned the
weapon. Knives, Swords, and Bayonets: A World History of Edged
Weapon Warfare is a book series that examines the history of edged
weapons in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East
and surrounding areas before gunpowder increased the distance
between combatants. The book series takes a critical look at the
relationship between the soldier, his weapon, and the social and
political mores of the times. Each book examines the historical
background and metallurgic science of the knife, sword, or bayonet
respectively, and explores the handling characteristics and combat
applications of each weapon. The individual books are excerpted
from the previously published book, A History of Edged Weapon
Warfare, also by Martina Sprague. Look for more books in this
series in the near future.
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