Bibliography for Chinese swords and other weapons
Aug 16, 2015 0:54:36 GMT
Post by Timo Nieminen on Aug 16, 2015 0:54:36 GMT
Where can you find more information about Chinese swords and other weapons?
Books
The English-language classic, but not easy to find. This isn't a picture book - get this for the text. (But the pictures are OK.) Lots of stuff on Bronze Age and early Iron Age, and not so much on more recent weapon.
Yang Hong, Weapons in Ancient China, Science Press, Beijing, 1992
www.amazon.com/Weapons-Ancient-China-Yang-Hong/dp/1880132036
The classic picture book is:
Jiang Huangfu, Iron and Steel Swords of China, Tomorrow Publishing House, 2007
www.amazon.com/Steel-Swords-China-Jiang-Huangfu/dp/7533253582
Text in Chinese. Worth it for the pictures alone, even if you can't read Chinese. Lots of stuff on Ming and Qing swords, and covers other dynasties, too. Often available on ebay at a reasonable price.
A newer book, with un-encouraging reviews on Amazon:
Martina Sprague, Chinese Swords: The Evolution and Use of the Jian and Dao,
CreateSpace, 2013
books.google.com.au/books?id=aTpbngEACAAJ
www.amazon.com/Chinese-Swords-Evolution-Bayonets-History/dp/1490526919
Anybody read this, and wanting to comment?
A so-so book, with line art, based on old Chinese sources rather than drawn from photos of specimens, and full of myth and misinformation (reflecting the old Chinese sources, and modern martial arts mythology):
Jwing-Ming Yang, Ancient Chinese Weapons: A Martial Artist's Guide, YMAA
Publication Center Inc, 1999
books.google.com.au/books?id=SBENHIwJshMC
Available online:
William Trousdale, The Long Sword and Scabbard Slide in Asia, Smithsonian, 1975
hdl.handle.net/10088/1332
repository.si.edu/handle/10088/1332
Central Asian swords, and some info on Chinese swords:
Iaroslav Lebedynsky, De l'épée Scythe au sabre Mongol, Errance, 2008 [in French]
books.google.com.au/books?id=TtSLPAAACAAJ
In French. Mostly line drawings, with some photos.
Osprey has some relevant books. Perhaps the best is:
Chris Peers, Soldiers of the Dragon: Chinese Armies 1500 BC-AD 1840, Osprey
Publishing, 2006
books.google.com.au/books?id=S1eqO3Z1rgEC
I think this is 3 of Osprey's other books combined in one volume.
Of course, there are some relevant volumes in Needham's Science and Civilisation in China. These are:
Donald B. Wagner, Ferrous Metallurgy (SSC Volume 5, Part 11), Cambridge
University Press, 2008
books.google.com.au/books?id=FAud8CE5stsC
www.amazon.com/Science-Civilisation-China-Technology-
Metallurgy/dp/0521875668
which covers iron and steel technologies rather than swords.
Joseph Needham, Ho Ping-Yü, Lu Gwei-Djen, Wang Ling, Military Technology: The
Gunpowder Epic (SSC Volume 5, Part 7), Cambridge University Press, 1987
books.google.com.au/books?id=hNcZJ35dIyUC
www.amazon.com/Science-Civilisation-China-Chemistry-
Technology/dp/0521303583
Covers gunpowder weapons.
Joseph Needham, Robin D. S. Yates, Military Technology: Missiles and Sieges (SSC
Volume 5, Part 6), Cambridge University Press, 1995
books.google.com.au/books?id=zeIJQPa-OcUC
www.amazon.com/Science-Civilisation-China-Chemistry-
Technology/dp/052132727X
Bows and crossbows, and siege weapons.
Military Technology: Shock Weapons and Cavalry (SSC Volume 5, Part 8), Cambridge
University Press, publication scheduled for 2016
www.bookdepository.com/Science-Civilisation-China-5-Chemistry-Chemical-
Technology-Part-8-Military-Technology-Shock-Weapons-Cavalry-Vol-5-Joseph-
Needham/9780521327268
www.amazon.com/Science-Civilization-China-Civilisation/dp/0521327261
Not published yet, so I can't comment futher.
While not exclusively Chinese (also covers SE Asia, Philippines, Korea and Japan), a most excellent and hefty book:
History of Steel in Eastern Asia: A View on the Development of Weaponry, Macao
Museum of Art, 2007
publication.cip.gov.mo/itemdetails.aspx?id=6983
And available online, too:
www.arscives.com/historysteel/introduction_main.htm
Some books on swordsmanship also have useful information about swords. The best ones I know of are
Zhang Yun, Complete Taiji Dao, Blue Snake Books, 2009
books.google.com.au/books?id=eQjLjqo774QC
www.amazon.com/Complete-Taiji-Dao-Chinese-Saber/dp/1583942270
Zhang Yun,The Art of Chinese Swordsmanship: A Manual of Taiji Jian, Weatherhill,
1998
www.amazon.com/Art-Chinese-Swordsmanship-Manual-Taiji/dp/0834804123
Scott M. Rodell, Chinese Swordsmanship: The Yang Family Taiji Jian Tradition,
Seven Stars Books and Video, 2005
books.google.com.au/books?id=3EY6AAAACAAJ
www.amazon.com/Chinese-Swordsmanship-Family-Taiji-Tradition/dp/0974399949
Also of interest, from the martial arts perspective:
Peter Lorge, Chinese Martial Arts: From Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century,
Cambridge University Press, 2012
books.google.com.au/books?id=Nzjv0uPqUyMC
www.amazon.com/Chinese-Martial-Arts-Antiquity-Twenty-First/dp/0521878810
Mostly deals with archery and other armed martial arts, but covers what is know of the history of unarmed arts as well.
Nicola Di Cosmo, Military Culture in Imperial China, Harvard University Press,
2009
books.google.com.au/books?id=F3baSe8QlPUC
Chapter 9 in Military Culture in Imperial China has some interesting stuff on
sword culture and collecting during the Ming Dynasty.
Supposed to be a classic, but perhaps one to look for in university libraries rather:
Max Loehr and Werner Jannings, Chinese bronze age weapons, University of
Michigan Press, 1956
books.google.com.au/books?id=GYUrAAAAMAAJ
For archery, the best work is:
Stephen Selby, Chinese Archery, Hong Kong University Press, 2000
books.google.com.au/books/about/Chinese_Archery.html?id=6fyBAAAAMAAJ
Has translations and commentary on Chinese sources for archery.
Various books:
www.paragonbook.com/html/browsesubj/browse.cfm?regionid=5&subjectid=53
Various online info
chinesemartialstudies.com/
Great River Taoist Center Forums
forum.grtc.org/
sevenstarstrading.com/site/articles/
mandarinmansion.com/articles/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_swords
The Asian Traditional Archery Network
atarn.org/
Some more at this bibliography:
myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=996
Books
The English-language classic, but not easy to find. This isn't a picture book - get this for the text. (But the pictures are OK.) Lots of stuff on Bronze Age and early Iron Age, and not so much on more recent weapon.
Yang Hong, Weapons in Ancient China, Science Press, Beijing, 1992
www.amazon.com/Weapons-Ancient-China-Yang-Hong/dp/1880132036
The classic picture book is:
Jiang Huangfu, Iron and Steel Swords of China, Tomorrow Publishing House, 2007
www.amazon.com/Steel-Swords-China-Jiang-Huangfu/dp/7533253582
Text in Chinese. Worth it for the pictures alone, even if you can't read Chinese. Lots of stuff on Ming and Qing swords, and covers other dynasties, too. Often available on ebay at a reasonable price.
A newer book, with un-encouraging reviews on Amazon:
Martina Sprague, Chinese Swords: The Evolution and Use of the Jian and Dao,
CreateSpace, 2013
books.google.com.au/books?id=aTpbngEACAAJ
www.amazon.com/Chinese-Swords-Evolution-Bayonets-History/dp/1490526919
Anybody read this, and wanting to comment?
A so-so book, with line art, based on old Chinese sources rather than drawn from photos of specimens, and full of myth and misinformation (reflecting the old Chinese sources, and modern martial arts mythology):
Jwing-Ming Yang, Ancient Chinese Weapons: A Martial Artist's Guide, YMAA
Publication Center Inc, 1999
books.google.com.au/books?id=SBENHIwJshMC
Available online:
William Trousdale, The Long Sword and Scabbard Slide in Asia, Smithsonian, 1975
hdl.handle.net/10088/1332
repository.si.edu/handle/10088/1332
Central Asian swords, and some info on Chinese swords:
Iaroslav Lebedynsky, De l'épée Scythe au sabre Mongol, Errance, 2008 [in French]
books.google.com.au/books?id=TtSLPAAACAAJ
In French. Mostly line drawings, with some photos.
Osprey has some relevant books. Perhaps the best is:
Chris Peers, Soldiers of the Dragon: Chinese Armies 1500 BC-AD 1840, Osprey
Publishing, 2006
books.google.com.au/books?id=S1eqO3Z1rgEC
I think this is 3 of Osprey's other books combined in one volume.
Of course, there are some relevant volumes in Needham's Science and Civilisation in China. These are:
Donald B. Wagner, Ferrous Metallurgy (SSC Volume 5, Part 11), Cambridge
University Press, 2008
books.google.com.au/books?id=FAud8CE5stsC
www.amazon.com/Science-Civilisation-China-Technology-
Metallurgy/dp/0521875668
which covers iron and steel technologies rather than swords.
Joseph Needham, Ho Ping-Yü, Lu Gwei-Djen, Wang Ling, Military Technology: The
Gunpowder Epic (SSC Volume 5, Part 7), Cambridge University Press, 1987
books.google.com.au/books?id=hNcZJ35dIyUC
www.amazon.com/Science-Civilisation-China-Chemistry-
Technology/dp/0521303583
Covers gunpowder weapons.
Joseph Needham, Robin D. S. Yates, Military Technology: Missiles and Sieges (SSC
Volume 5, Part 6), Cambridge University Press, 1995
books.google.com.au/books?id=zeIJQPa-OcUC
www.amazon.com/Science-Civilisation-China-Chemistry-
Technology/dp/052132727X
Bows and crossbows, and siege weapons.
Military Technology: Shock Weapons and Cavalry (SSC Volume 5, Part 8), Cambridge
University Press, publication scheduled for 2016
www.bookdepository.com/Science-Civilisation-China-5-Chemistry-Chemical-
Technology-Part-8-Military-Technology-Shock-Weapons-Cavalry-Vol-5-Joseph-
Needham/9780521327268
www.amazon.com/Science-Civilization-China-Civilisation/dp/0521327261
Not published yet, so I can't comment futher.
While not exclusively Chinese (also covers SE Asia, Philippines, Korea and Japan), a most excellent and hefty book:
History of Steel in Eastern Asia: A View on the Development of Weaponry, Macao
Museum of Art, 2007
publication.cip.gov.mo/itemdetails.aspx?id=6983
And available online, too:
www.arscives.com/historysteel/introduction_main.htm
Some books on swordsmanship also have useful information about swords. The best ones I know of are
Zhang Yun, Complete Taiji Dao, Blue Snake Books, 2009
books.google.com.au/books?id=eQjLjqo774QC
www.amazon.com/Complete-Taiji-Dao-Chinese-Saber/dp/1583942270
Zhang Yun,The Art of Chinese Swordsmanship: A Manual of Taiji Jian, Weatherhill,
1998
www.amazon.com/Art-Chinese-Swordsmanship-Manual-Taiji/dp/0834804123
Scott M. Rodell, Chinese Swordsmanship: The Yang Family Taiji Jian Tradition,
Seven Stars Books and Video, 2005
books.google.com.au/books?id=3EY6AAAACAAJ
www.amazon.com/Chinese-Swordsmanship-Family-Taiji-Tradition/dp/0974399949
Also of interest, from the martial arts perspective:
Peter Lorge, Chinese Martial Arts: From Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century,
Cambridge University Press, 2012
books.google.com.au/books?id=Nzjv0uPqUyMC
www.amazon.com/Chinese-Martial-Arts-Antiquity-Twenty-First/dp/0521878810
Mostly deals with archery and other armed martial arts, but covers what is know of the history of unarmed arts as well.
Nicola Di Cosmo, Military Culture in Imperial China, Harvard University Press,
2009
books.google.com.au/books?id=F3baSe8QlPUC
Chapter 9 in Military Culture in Imperial China has some interesting stuff on
sword culture and collecting during the Ming Dynasty.
Supposed to be a classic, but perhaps one to look for in university libraries rather:
Max Loehr and Werner Jannings, Chinese bronze age weapons, University of
Michigan Press, 1956
books.google.com.au/books?id=GYUrAAAAMAAJ
For archery, the best work is:
Stephen Selby, Chinese Archery, Hong Kong University Press, 2000
books.google.com.au/books/about/Chinese_Archery.html?id=6fyBAAAAMAAJ
Has translations and commentary on Chinese sources for archery.
Various books:
www.paragonbook.com/html/browsesubj/browse.cfm?regionid=5&subjectid=53
Various online info
chinesemartialstudies.com/
Great River Taoist Center Forums
forum.grtc.org/
sevenstarstrading.com/site/articles/
mandarinmansion.com/articles/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_swords
The Asian Traditional Archery Network
atarn.org/
Some more at this bibliography:
myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=996
