ABSTRACT
The use of metal armor is substantiated by a number of references in the Edsen-gol slips and by the excavation of actual armor. To judge from the stone reliefs found in Han tombs, it might be assumed that armor was largely dispensed with. The armor most closely associated with the Six Dynasties and probably most frequently seen in the tomb figurines of this period is called the liang-tang. Two types of cord and plaque armor have been observed, The first, from Chang Sheng's tomb of 595, at Anyang, was included in the recent archaeological exhibit, and resembles very much the style of liang-tang armor with plaques. The second type of cord and plaque armor resembles the armor on figures described as resting their left arm on large shields. The chapter concludes with some speculative remarks about the possible social and political consequences of these developments in defensive armor and military techniques.
