How to Properly Hack One's Enemies to Pieces.docx | |
File Size: | 894 kb |
File Type: | docx |
The document above is a "How to" brochure on Zhou warfare. I apologize if you can't open it, but it would've looked just wrong if I pasted it in here.
By the 5th century B.C.E. all the state defense alliances disappeared. Interstate stability went out the window. A new type of war, much more deadly than anything China had seen before, was born, and battle tactics became a bloody art form.
The Biggest- er, Smallest Bully on the Playground
At this point, the bigger states swallowed the smaller ones like sharks. However, there was one state that, though one of the smallest to begin with, ate all the rest. The Qin (pronounced Chin) state began as a relatively small state in the far west of the dynasty's rule, yet somehow managed to conquer all of the Zhou's land. When they got it all, they became the Qin dynasty.
This period in Zhou history lasted until ca. 256 B.C.E.. (There may be some overlap because of the Qin dynasty.)
Advancements
Because of the new farming techniques we discussed earlier, by the 3rd century B.C.E. the population had ballooned to around 20 million people. Of course, that meant that more land was needed, which lead to arguments over boundaries, which lead to - ta da! - the Warring States period.
This period gave rise to a new type of feudal government. While trade was at an all time high, where there was once agriculture and commercial wealth was military strength instead. Taxes were collected by literate soldiers (soldiers that could read), and state affairs were recorded by literate officials who were taught at academies that were specifically built for them. Below ministers, a literate bureaucracy was made whose individuals were called "shi," a word that until then meant "warrior" and was turned into "scholar-bureaucrat." The nobility was made up of professional commanders, and aristocratic etiquette transformed into talks about military tactics. The expanding territories needed skilled advisers and administrators, and non-nobles were hired because they had that skill.
Advanced weaponry, such as improved chariots, the first cavalry, and catapults, emerged, along with new tactics thanks to Sun Tzu's The Art of War. It used to be that any fighting done was to be scheduled, but the Zhou changed that. Any battles were to be scheduled, but guerrilla (sneak) attacks were okay. The Zhou became notorious for helping an enemy who was having trouble with their chariot, then waiting a few minutes before cutting them to pieces.
The coinage that we talked about before looked like this:
The Biggest- er, Smallest Bully on the Playground
At this point, the bigger states swallowed the smaller ones like sharks. However, there was one state that, though one of the smallest to begin with, ate all the rest. The Qin (pronounced Chin) state began as a relatively small state in the far west of the dynasty's rule, yet somehow managed to conquer all of the Zhou's land. When they got it all, they became the Qin dynasty.
This period in Zhou history lasted until ca. 256 B.C.E.. (There may be some overlap because of the Qin dynasty.)
Advancements
Because of the new farming techniques we discussed earlier, by the 3rd century B.C.E. the population had ballooned to around 20 million people. Of course, that meant that more land was needed, which lead to arguments over boundaries, which lead to - ta da! - the Warring States period.
This period gave rise to a new type of feudal government. While trade was at an all time high, where there was once agriculture and commercial wealth was military strength instead. Taxes were collected by literate soldiers (soldiers that could read), and state affairs were recorded by literate officials who were taught at academies that were specifically built for them. Below ministers, a literate bureaucracy was made whose individuals were called "shi," a word that until then meant "warrior" and was turned into "scholar-bureaucrat." The nobility was made up of professional commanders, and aristocratic etiquette transformed into talks about military tactics. The expanding territories needed skilled advisers and administrators, and non-nobles were hired because they had that skill.
Advanced weaponry, such as improved chariots, the first cavalry, and catapults, emerged, along with new tactics thanks to Sun Tzu's The Art of War. It used to be that any fighting done was to be scheduled, but the Zhou changed that. Any battles were to be scheduled, but guerrilla (sneak) attacks were okay. The Zhou became notorious for helping an enemy who was having trouble with their chariot, then waiting a few minutes before cutting them to pieces.
The coinage that we talked about before looked like this:
The Zhou dynasty had what are called "knife-coins," and above are the types of them. From left to right they are: the strait knife, scissor-head knife, Ming knife, needle-head knife, pointed-head knife, and pointed knife. They were made out of copper, and little holes at the top are loops to hang them on a belt.