Editing Chariot (section)

== Introduction in Ancient China ==
{{Main|Chariots in ancient China|South-pointing chariot}}

The earliest archaeological evidence of chariots in China, a chariot burial site discovered in 1933 at Hougang, [[Anyang]] in [[Henan]] province, dates to the rule of King [[Wu Ding]] of the [[Late Shang]] ({{circa|1250 BC}}). [[Oracle bone inscription]]s suggest that the western enemies of the Shang used limited numbers of chariots in battle, but the Shang themselves used them only as mobile command-vehicles and in royal hunts.<ref>{{Cite journal|last= Shaughnessy |first= Edward L. |title= Historical Perspectives on The Introduction of The Chariot Into China |journal= Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies |volume= 48 |issue= 1 |year= 1988 |pages= 189–237 |doi= 10.2307/2719276 |jstor= 2719276}}</ref>

[[File:Shang Chariot Burial 04.jpg|thumb|War chariots at [[Shang dynasty]] [[Yinxu]] ruins, c. 1200 BC]]

During the Shang dynasty, members of the royal family were buried with a complete household and servants, including a chariot, horses, and a charioteer. A Shang chariot was often drawn by two horses, but four-horse variants are occasionally found in burials.

[[Jacques Gernet]] claims that the [[Zhou dynasty]], which conquered the Shang ca. 1046 BC, made more use of the chariot than did the Shang and "invented a new kind of harness with four horses abreast".<ref>{{cite book |last=Gernet |first=Jacques |title=A History of Chinese Civilization |publisher=Cambridge University Press |edition=2nd |year=1996 |isbn=0-521-49781-7 |page=51 }}</ref> The crew consisted of an archer, a driver, and sometimes a third warrior who was armed with a spear or [[dagger-axe]]. From the 8th to 5th centuries BC the Chinese use of chariots reached its peak. Although chariots appeared in greater numbers, infantry often defeated charioteers in battle.

Massed-chariot warfare became all but obsolete after the [[Warring States period|Warring-States period]] (476–221 BC). The main reasons were increased use of the [[crossbow]], use of long halberds up to {{convert|18|ft|m|2}} long and pikes up to {{convert|22|ft|m|2}} long, and the adoption of standard cavalry units, and the adaptation of [[mounted archer]]y from nomadic cavalry, which were more effective. Chariots would continue to serve as command posts for officers during the [[Qin dynasty]] (221–206 BC) and the [[Han dynasty]] (206 BC–220 AD), while armored chariots were also used during the Han dynasty against the [[Xiongnu]] Confederation in the [[Han–Xiongnu War]] (133 BC to 89 AD), specifically at the [[Battle of Mobei]] (119 BC).

Before the Han dynasty, the power of Chinese states and dynasties was often measured by the number of chariots they were known to have. A country of a thousand chariots ranked as a medium country, and a country of ten thousand chariots ranked as a huge and powerful country.<ref>[Mencius · Liang Hui Huang (King the Hui of Liang, Hui is a posthumous name) Volume One] 'The kingslayer of a country of ten thousands chariots, must be the house of thousand chariots. The kingslayer of a country of thousand chariots, must be the house of hundred chariots.' [Zhao Qi's note] Zhao Qi's note: ' Ten thousands chariots, is the son of heaven (King of Zhou).'</ref><ref>[Zhan Guo Ce·Zhao Ce] 'Nowadays, Kingdom of Qin is a country of ten thousands chariots, Kingdom of Liang (Kingdom of Wei, 'Da Liang' is the capital of Wei) is also a country of ten thousands chariots.'</ref>

<gallery widths="150" heights="150">
Warring States Chariot Model a.jpg|Model of a chariot, [[Warring States period]]
Charioteer figure, bronze, Eastern Zhou Dynasty.JPG|Bronze Chinese charioteer from the [[Warring States period]] (403–221 BC).
Powerful landlord in chariot. Eastern Han 25-220 CE. Anping, Hebei.jpg|Powerful landlord in chariot ([[Eastern Han]], 25–220 AD, [[Anping County]], Hebei).
File:Eastern Han Bronze Cavalry & Chariots - from Gansu.jpg|[[Han dynasty]] bronze models of cavalry and chariots
File:Han Chariot Model (11867134353).jpg|Model recreation of [[Han dynasty]] chariot, from Tomb of [[Liu Sheng, Prince of Zhongshan|Liu Sheng]]
</gallery>