Chapter 13 Section 6 Military Uniforms

The armor of soldiers in the Qin Dynasty was mostly made of whole leather or thick woven cotton.It is decorated with armor plates made of metal or rhinoceros hide.The nails are movable and are mainly used on the shoulders, front of the abdomen, back of the waist and neckline, and are painted with colorful patterns.This can be clearly seen from the image of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses unearthed in Lintong, Shaanxi.The other is embroidered with square (or rectangular) nails. The nails are fixed and are mainly used on the chest and back. When wearing them, they are put on and then buckled with hooks. jersey.The former is worn by commanders, and the latter is worn by ordinary soldiers.The style of the armor varies depending on the arms and status of the wearer, and the structure is not the same.

In the Han Dynasty, with the increasingly sophisticated production of crossbow machines and the great increase in efficacy, the armor was also improved.Iron armor has begun to be popularized, and wearing iron armor has gradually become the system.This can be seen from the painted warrior pottery figurines unearthed in Yangjiawan, Xianyang, Shaanxi.The armor surfaces of these warrior figurines are all painted black.Its shape can be roughly divided into two categories: one is tie armor, which uses a rectangular piece of armor, and the two pieces of armor on the chest and back are tied on the shoulders with hemp rope or a belt, or an additional shoulder [bobo] is added. It is the attire of knights and ordinary soldiers; the other is woven with small scaly armor, and the parts below the belt and the cape are still in the form of armor to facilitate activities. This is the attire of generals.