Battles of Ancient China

By Chris Peers

In the field of military history as in so many others, the Chinese have often been both admired and seen as something utterly mysterious and inscrutable. Chris Peers illuminates the evolution of the military art in China with reference to ten battles, spanning more than 2,000 years, from the Battle of Mu in 1027BC to the Fall of Chung Tu in 1215 AD. Selected both for their historical importance and for the light which they shed on weapons and tactics, the author uses these examples to discuss the many myths still current in the West about ancient Chinese warfare: for example that the Chinese were an unwarlike people, always preferring subterfuge over the use of force; or that they were essentially defensive minded, relying on works such as the Great Wall. On the other hand, a recent reaction to this dismissive attitude portrays China as technologically far in advance of the West. Battles of Ancient China shows that none of these stereotypes are accurate. Comparison with contemporary Western practice is a major theme of the book which adds a new perspective not developed in the author's previous works on the subject.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Oct 9, 2013
• ISBN: 9781473830110

Chris Peers

Chris Peers is the author of several books on African colonial warfare including The African Wars: Warriors and Soldiers of the Colonial Campaigns, Osprey’s Warrior Peoples of East Africa and Death in the Dark Continent: Wargame Rules for Sub-Saharan Africa 1870–1899. He has an MA in History from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and has travelled extensively in Africa.

Reviews for Battles of Ancient China

[jcbrunner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chinese military history is a topic that is hardly covered by Western authors. Given the limited interest in the West, short-sighted books such as this one try to cover the gap by covering 2000 years of Chinese history in 150 pages. Such a concept is bound to fail and it does as the author has to spend too many of the limited number of pages just to catch up with the intermittent centuries that pass between chapters. Characters and places are introduced rather sloppily and one never begins to care about the sort of the protagonists. The book is also not about battles but selected campaigns but it is unclear what criteria were used to include or exclude these. Fittingly, the maps are bad too. Overall, this book was produced without love and care. The author probably had to fulfill a long outstanding contract and handed in an ailing manuscript. Readers are better off with the author's collection of his Osprey titles about the Chinese armies, "Soldiers of the dragon : Chinese armies 1500 BCE-1840 CE".Ancient Chinese military history is still waiting for its Stephen Turnbull, someone who collects what is available in Chinese and makes it accessible and interesting for Western audiences. A well made title about the Three Kingdoms should sell well in the West. Hopefully, someone will undertake a real effort.

[Bruce Gyde · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

More on period from 700s to 1100s would be nice.