Chinese Armor and Military Uniforms Throughout the Ages

Dear Clive:

I have a serious doubt about the Jin troops wearing helmets that have horns.  Here is my reasoning:

1, To make horns for 400,000 helmets is costly and very useless beyond asethetic appeal.  Form must follow function.

2, I am pretty sure that the Jin armor was similiar to Southern Song armor.  The Jin army is primarily composed of Northerners of the China proper.  It would be a stretch for all of them to wear horns.

3, I have yet to find an army that wears horns, besides the Vikings.

My guess is that Jin helmets are midway between Mongolian and Chinese helmets.  I would not be suprised if it was very similiar to Liao Khitan helmets as well.  After all, with the constant warfare, armor and helmets were bound to be spoils of war and therefore used on both sides.

Sincerely,

poirot

Song dynasty statue 

Does anybody know why the Qing decided not to use armor?  I know they have their version, but to me, it is not armor, but more like symbolic military attire.

I have a hypothesis, but I like to know what others think.

Ming Dynasty Armors

qin armor found in tomb.

Early Qing dynasty armor closely resembled late Ming dynasty armor.  If you take a look at Nurachi's armor, you will find out that it is almost the same as armor in painting of the Jiajing and Wanli periods. 

Compare Nurachi's suit

with Imperial Guards battle armor during the JiaJing Era

The early Qing armor consisted mostly of brigandine armor, which looks like suits.  The brigandine armor was adopted by the Ming Dynasty by the Chongzhen period at the latest.  Thus, it is often a misconception to assume that the brigandine armor were originated by Qing bannermen.  Brigandine armor was adopted by the late Ming Period because it provides more coverage and allows for more mobility, both essential factors in an age of where firearms had become prevalent.

Notice the Ming officer to the far right, in a brigandine suit

By the Qianlong period (after 1735), the existence of firearms has proved that armor in the traditional sense was obsolete.  Like their Western contempories, the Qing army decided to discontinue the use of armor.  Hence forth, the only armor seen were ceremonial armor, suits decorated with color, but without metal bolts, and much of the Qing armor we see in paintings are these types of bannermen ceremonial armor.

Indeed, Manchu armor does derive some of its features from Mongol and Korean armor, especially Mongol.

Good observations about Manchu armor.

However, the upper and lower arm area protection of the Ming is actually quite prevalent in early Manchu armor of Nurachi's period.  The photo posted just doesn't show, but considering that many early Manchu bannermen recycled armor captured from the Ming, it is not unexpected.

Ming armor and Choson armor are virtually identical.  The armor above was worn by Admiral Yi Soon Shin in the Imjin War

The Japanese samurai armour does have horn in the helmet.