Editing Zhou dynasty (section)

=== Military ===
{{main|Military of the Zhou dynasty}}
[[File:Cavalry and Horse Warring States period 475-221 BCE Terracotta Warriors 2013 exhibit at San Francisco's Asian Art Museum 20130320-110726 C4A.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The [[Taerpo Horserider]], a [[Qin (state)|Qin]] terracotta figurine from a tomb near modern [[Xianyang]] in [[Shaanxi]], 4th–3rd century BC<ref name="MK">{{cite journal |last1=Khayutina |first1=Maria |title=From wooden attendants to terracotta warriors |journal=Bernisches Historisches Museum the Newsletter |date=Autumn 2013 |volume=65 |page=2, fig. 4 |url=https://www.iias.asia/sites/iias/files/nwl_article/2019-05/IIAS_NL65_1213.pdf}}</ref>]]

The early Western Zhou supported a strong army, split into two major units: "the Six Armies of the west" and "the Eight Armies of Chengzhou". The armies campaigned in the northern [[Loess Plateau]], modern [[Ningxia]] and the [[Yellow River]] floodplain. The military prowess of Zhou peaked during the 19th year of [[King Zhao of Zhou|King Zhao]]'s reign, when the six armies were wiped out along with King Zhao on a campaign around the [[Han River (Hubei and Shaanxi)|Han River]]. Early Zhou kings were true commanders-in-chief

King Zhao was famous for repeated campaigns in the [[Yangtze]] region, and died on campaign. Later kings' campaigns were less effective. [[King Li of Zhou|King Li]] led 14 armies against barbarians in the south, but failed to achieve any victory. [[King Xuan of Zhou|King Xuan]] fought the [[Quanrong]] nomads in vain. [[King You of Zhou|King You]] was killed by the Quanrong when Haojing was sacked. Although [[Chariot (Ancient China)|chariots]] had been introduced to China during the Shang dynasty from Central Asia, the Zhou period saw the first major use of chariots in battle.{{sfnp|Ebrey|Walthall|Palais|2006|p=14}}{{sfnp|Shaughnessy|1988}} Recent archaeological finds demonstrate similarities between [[horse burial]]s of the Shang and Zhou dynasties with the steppe populations in the west, such as the [[Saka]] and [[Wusun]].<ref name="KrechSteinicke">{{harvnb|Krech|Steinicke|2011|p=100}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rawson |first1=Jessica |last2=Huan |first2=Limin |last3=Taylor |first3=William Timothy Treal |title=Seeking Horses: Allies, Clients and Exchanges in the Zhou Period (1045–221 BC) |journal=Journal of World Prehistory |year=2021 |volume=34 |issue=4 |pages=489–530 |doi=10.1007/s10963-021-09161-9 |s2cid=245487356 |issn=1573-7802|doi-access=free }}</ref> Other possible cultural influences resulting from contact with these Iranic people of [[Central Asia]] in this period may include fighting styles, head-and-hooves burials, art motifs and myths.<ref name="KrechSteinicke"/>

The Zhou army also included "barbarian" troops such as the [[Beidi|Di people]]. King Hui of Zhou married a princess of the Red Di as a sign of appreciation for the importance of the Di troops.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Poo |first1=Mu-chou |title=Enemies of Civilization: Attitudes toward Foreigners in Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China |year=2012 |publisher=State University of New York Press |isbn=978-0-791-48370-1 |pages=87–88}}</ref> King Xiang of Zhou also married a Di princess after receiving Di military support.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Zhao |first1=Dingxin |title=The Confucian-Legalist State: A New Theory of Chinese History: A New Theory of Chinese History |year=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-190-46361-8 |page=86}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px" perrow="4">
File:Gold sword hilt Eastern Zhou BM.jpg|Gold sword hilt, Eastern Zhou, 6–5th century&nbsp;BC{{snd}}[[British Museum]]
File:CMOC Treasures of Ancient China exhibit - bronze sword.jpg|Eastern Zhou bronze sword excavated from Changsa, Hunan
Eastern Zhou Bronze Ji (Halberd) (10338222034).jpg|Eastern Zhou ''[[Ji (polearm)|jǐ]]'' bronze halberd
</gallery>