Imperial Chinese Armies (2) 590-1260 AD (Men-At-Arms, No 295) [Paperback]

C.J. Peers (Author), Michael Perry (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Men-at-Arms | Publication Date: July 15, 1996

By AD 589, when Yang Chien established himself at the head of a newly reformed Chinese empire, nearly four centuries had elapsed since the fall of the last great imperial dynasty: the Han. Although Yang's new Sui regime consciously modelled itself on its great predecessor, both China and the world outside had changed. The problem for the Sui and their successors was no longer simply to 'overawe the barbarians', but to deal as equals with other cultures that were just as proud and self-confident as their own. Chris Peers examines the imperial armies of China from 590-1260 AD, covering their history, organisation and tactics.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Packed with specially commissioned artwork, maps and diagrams, the Men-at-Arms series is an unrivalled illustrated reference on the history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the world's military forces, past and present.

About the Author

An acknowledged expert on ancient Chinese armies, C J Peers has written several books for the Osprey Men-at-Arms series.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (July 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855325993
• ISBN-13: 978-1855325999
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.1 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #886,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Imperial Chinese Armies Volume 2, February 9, 2008

By 

K. Murphy "Fortune favors the Bold" (The thriving metropolis of Masury, OH) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Imperial Chinese Armies (2) 590-1260 AD (Men-At-Arms, No 295) (Paperback)

Firstly, I would ask the reader to pay no heed to the previous review that only gave this title two stars. This text is highly informative, readably covering the armies of Imperial China from Yang Chien's reunification of China to Kubilai Khan's final campaign against the Sung. The history of the Army is broken down by dynasty; each section examining the history, leaders, and weaponry of the dynastic armies. Military science (including siegecraft and artillery), military thought, and nine important battles are lastly dealt with. The battles section is particularly useful, as the author used specific campaigns to illustrate his points throughout the book.

Like Christa Hook (one of my favorite Osprey artists), Michael Perry's artwork is often bashed on Amazon reviews. I never saw any of his work until I bought this book, but was not remotely disappointed. Though he may be no Angus McBride (but then again, who is?), his artwork is colorful and detailed; his individual subjects have realistic facial expressions, and the armor and clothing details are excellent. Plate 'F', showing a brave northern Sung light swordsman clashing with a cavalryman, is my favorite.

In short, this is another good title by Osprey Publishing on the armies of ancient/medieval China, and is a great source textually and visually for the historian or wargamer.

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and Enjoyable, November 19, 2011

By 

Ky. Col. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Imperial Chinese Armies (2) 590-1260 AD (Men-At-Arms, No 295) (Paperback)

Imperial Chinese Armies 2 covers a significant time period in the history of warfare. It was during this time frame that gunpowder was invented and the Mongols became an empire. Beginning with the short-lived but important Sui dynasty the author then moves through the T'ang and Song periods. Also discussed are smaller but never-the-less important dynasties such as the Hsia in Northwest China which boasted a formidable military before being swept away during two Mongol invasions. For someone who is not an expert in Chinese (and I am certainly not) Osprey has provided readers with a concise but highly informative volume dealing with land and naval forces/warfare in medieval China. The book is enhanced by maps, colored artwork illustrating warriors from various dynaties, and a section near the end briefly highlighting individual important battles such as An Lu Shan's victory over the T'ang at the Tung Pass.

5 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Weak on some topics, June 9, 1999

By 

Peter Gugerell (Wien) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Imperial Chinese Armies (2) 590-1260 AD (Men-At-Arms, No 295) (Paperback)

The Men-at-arms Series covers ancient and classical China in five books, all by Chris Peers who is very familiar with the subject. This is the third book in this series. The chapters: Chronology -- The Sui dynasty -- The T'ang -- Sui and T'ang armies -- The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms -- The Sung dynasty -- Sung armies -- The Liao -- The Hsi Hsia -- The Kin dynasty -- Military science and technology -- Nine important battles. The text focuses on telling Chinas military history; it is very weak on topics like weapons or battle tactics. The drawings by Michael Perry are ok. The maps are primitive and not very useful. This book is the sequel to "Imperial Chinese Armies 200BC - 589AD" (MAA284). The next book in the series is "Medieval Chinese Armies 1260 - 1520" (MAA 251).