Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300-900

Description

China's history has been shaped by war. Shortly after 300 AD, barbarian invaders from Inner Asia toppled China's Western Jin dynasty, leaving the country divided and at war for several centuries. Despite this, the empire gradually formed a unified imperial order. Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300-900 explores the military strategies, institutions and wars that reconstructed the Chinese empire that has survived into modern times. Drawing on classical Chinese sources and the best modern scholarship from China and Japan, David A. Graff connects military affairs with political and social developments to show how China's history was shaped by war. Between 300 and 900 A.D., both Chinese and barbarian regimes experimented with many different forms of military service, including the tribal warrior, the hereditary military retainer, the part-time farmer-soldier, and the full-time mercenary. Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300-900 is the first survey of medieval Chinese military history to be published in English. This seminal text will be of interest to both students of military history and to anyone with an interest in Chinese history.

'This is an important addition to the rapidly growing literature in English on Chinese warfare.' - The Journal of Asian Studies 'A superlative history of medieval China ... the best historical account in English available.' - War in History