ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the retrieval of Chinese martial arts with the rise of militarism in the Han and Three Kingdoms period, when Emperor Yingzheng of Qin banned the practice of any kind of martial arts by the public. First, war with the Xiongnu people led the Han emperors to once again promote martial arts among the public so as to strengthen the armed forces. Second, a number of martial classics were published and taught during military training. Third, the sword evolved to be made using bronze, and was then gradually replaced by the sabre in military combat, while dozens of new forms of weapon were introduced and developed martial arts and military applications.
