Treatise on Armament Technology, Volume 103: Military Equipment III

Body Armor

The original woodcut illustration (not shown here in text) depicts the 'Shenjia' or 'Body Armor.' It features a prominent protective plate over the midsection, often decorated with a fierce animal mask to intimidate enemies, and sleeves or shoulder guards made of overlapping scales. This 'lamellar' style allowed the wearer to remain mobile while providing significant protection against arrows and blade strikes.

General Introduction to Protective Gear

Master Mao original: 茅子 (Maozi). This refers to Mao Yuanyi, the primary author and compiler of this encyclopedia. states:

The designs and systems of body armor original: 身甲 (shēnjiǎ). Specifically refers to armor protecting the torso and vital organs. are not uniform, and the theories and methods concerning the manufacture of armor are also remarkably numerous. Regarding these military implements, I have provided these illustrations of their designs and gathered these various explanations to inform those of future generations. In this way, this work may constitute a comprehensive synthesis original: 大成 (dàchéng). A term used to describe a definitive or 'Great Completion' of a field of study. of the subject.