Defensive Armor of the Han Period 



235 



were in existence, as attested by an illustration in the Lien ping shi ki l 

 (Fig. 37). As this recent epoch lacked any inventiveness in military 

 matters and merely continued the institutions of the T'ang, Sung, and 

 Yuan, it can hardly be credited with the feat of having originated 



■--o 



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iTrg» 



Fig. 37. 

 Detachment of Mail-clad Cavalry (from Lien ping shi ki of 1568). 





mounted lancers; for the present, however, I am unable to say exactly 

 at what date this arm sprang up in China. 



In Yule's edition of Marco Polo (Vol. II, p. 501) is figured an in- 

 teresting sketch from a Persian miniature of the thirteenth century, rep- 

 resenting two mounted soldiers. They are styled by Yule "Asiatic 

 warriors," and in all probability are intended for Mongols. The one 

 of the two encased with a plate mail is charging with a lance; while his 



1 A work on military art by Ts'i Ki-kuang, written in 1568 (Wylie, Notes, 

 p. 91). It is reprinted in Shou shan ko ts'ung shu, Vols. 51 and 52. 



