Medieval Chinese Warfare 300-900

by David Graff

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781134553525
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/02/2003
Series:	Warfare and History
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

David Graff

Table of Contents

List of maps, Preface and acknowledgments, Introduction, 1 The legacy of antiquity, 2 The fall of Western Jin, 3 The north under barbarian rule, 4 The south under émigré rule, 5 From Northern Wei to Northern Zhou, 6 North versus south, 7 The Koguryo? War and the fall of the Sui dynasty, 8 Li Shimin and the military consolidation of the Tang dynasty, 9 The early Tang military and the expeditionary armies, 10 The price of professionalism, 11 Consequences of the An Lushan rebellion, Conclusion, Bibliography, Index

Editorial Reviews

Building around a rather straightforward narrative of political and military events, Graff (history, Kansas State U.) attempts to close the gap that separates the Chinese and Western-language literature dealing with the interrelationship of warfare, state, and society during the six centuries between the fall of the Western Jin dynasty and the fall of the Tang dynasty. Within this basic framework, developments in military institutions, social and political structures, and the techniques of warfare are introduced. Connections between warfare, military institutions, and social change are emphasized. Distributed by Taylor & Francis. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

'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

'This is an important addition to the rapidly growing literature in English on Chinese warfare.' - The Journal of Asian Studies

From the Publisher