248 



Chinese Clay Figures 



Dynasty (Huang ch'ao It k'i t'u ski, Ch. 13, p. 53) a piece of chain 

 mail is illustrated (reproduced in Fig. 39) under the name so-tse kia. 

 It is recorded that in 1759, after the subjugation of Turkistan, numerous 

 captives were made, and innumerable spoils of arms obtained which 

 were hoarded by imperial command in a building of the palace, the Tz'e 

 kuang ko. Among these trophies were several pieces of chain armor; and 



Fig. 39. 

 Iron Chain Mail from Turkistan (from Huang ch'ao li k'i t'u shi). 



a document recording this event was draughted, and deposited be- 

 neath those objects in the treasury. This shows that in the K'ien-lung 

 period chain armor was foreign to the Chinese and considered an object 

 of curiosity and rarity. The specimen consists of a jacket and trou- 

 sers. The rings are said to be iron; but it is not stated whether they are 

 riveted, nor can this be gathered from the illustration. The shirt of 

 mail is closed in front, and put on over the head. The collar, as ex- 



