China Horses in East Asian warfare

ceramic statues of prancing horse (foreground) , cavalryman on horseback (background), eastern han dynasty (25-220 ad)



a sancai lead-glazed earthenware horse statue saddle, tang dynasty (618-907 ad)

there horse-driven chariots of shang (c. 1600 - c. 1050 bc) , zhou (c. 1050 - 256 bc) periods, horseback riding in china, according david andrew graff, not seen in warfare prior 4th century bc.

king wuling of zhao (340 bce-295 bce), after realizing advantages of light cavalry warfare on of heavy , cumbersome chariots, instituted reforms known 胡服骑射 (wearing of hu-nomadic people s attire, , shooting arrows horseback), increased combat-effectiveness of army of zhao.

although mounted archers represented initial tactical advantage on chinese armies, chinese learned adapt. conservative forces opposed change, affected proportional balance amongst cavalrymen, horse-drawn chariots , infantrymen in chinese armies.

the benefits of using horses light cavalry against chariots in warfare understood when chinese confronted incursions nomadic tribes of steppes.

feeding horses significant problem;and many people driven land imperial horses have adequate pastures. climate , fodder south of yangtze river unfit horses raised on grasslands of western steppes. chinese army lacked sufficient number of quality horses. importation remedy potential suppliers steppe-nomads. strategic factor considered essential in warfare controlled exclusively merchant-traders of enemies.

the chinese used chariots horse-based warfare until light cavalry forces became common during warring states era (402-221 bc); , speedy cavalry accounted in part success of qin dynasty (221 bce–206 bce).

the chinese warhorses cultivated vast herds roaming free on grassy plains of northeastern china , mongolian plateau. hardy central asian horses short-legged barrel chests. speed not anticipated configuration, strength , endurance characteristic features.

during han dynasty (206 bc–220 ad), records tell of chinese expedition fergana (in present-day uzbekistan) , superior horses acquired. horses acquired military use , breeding.

horses foundation of military power, great resources of state but, should falter, state fall







-- ma yuan (14bc - 49ad), han general , horse expert.

during jin dynasty (265–420), records of thousands of armored horses illustrate development of warfare in period.

the map of asia in 800 shows tang china in relation neighbors, including uighur empire of mongolia.

horses , skilled horsemen in short supply in agrarian china, , cavalry distinct minority in sui dynasty (581–618) , tang dynasty (618–907) armies. imperial herds numbered 325,700 horses in 794

the song (960–1279) through ming dynasty (1368–1644) armies relied on officially supervised tea-for-horse trading systems evolved on centuries.

tea , horses inextricably related officials repeatedly requested tea laws , horse administration supervised same man. perspective of chinese court, government control of tea first step in creation of rational , effective policy aimed @ improving quality of horses in army.

in late ming dynasty, marked inferiority of chinese horses noted jesuit missionary , ambassador matteo ricci (1552–1610), observed:

[the chinese] have countless horses in service of army, these degenerate , lacking in martial spirit put rout neighing of tartars steed , practically useless in battle.






^ graff, david andrew. (2002). medieval chinese warfare, 300-900, p. 22., p. 22, @ google books
^ http://www.nciku.com/search/zh/detail/%e8%83%a1%e6%9c%8d%e9%aa%91%e5%b0%84/120629
^ graff, p. 28., p. 28, @ google books
^ ellis, john. (2004). cavalry: history of mounted warfare, pp. 19-20.
^ goodrich, p. 100., p. 100, @ google books
^ sinor, denis. horse , pasture in inner asian history, oriens extremus, vol. 19, no. 1-2 (1972), pp. 171-183.
^ goodrich, p. 99., p. 99, @ google books
^ gilbey, walter. (1900). small horses in warfare. p. 26., p. 26, @ google books
^ amnh: origin of horses.
^ church view antiques: importance of horse in chinese art.
^ graff, p. 42., p. 42, @ google books
^ graff, p. 176., p. 176, @ google books
^ graff, p. 228., p. 228, @ google books
^ perdue, peter. (2005). china marches west, pp. 36-52., p. 36, @ google books