Editing Chain mail (section)

=== China ===
{{multiple images|perrow=2| total_width = 220|align=left
|image1=Xixia Chainmail Armor (41985701161).jpg
|image2=宋朝雕刻 02.jpg|Song axeman in mail and lamellar armour
|footer= ''Left:'' [[Western Xia]] mail armour. 
''Right:'' [[Song dynasty]] axeman in mail and lamellar armour}}
Mail was introduced to [[China]] when its allies in Central Asia paid tribute to the [[Tang dynasty|Tang Emperor]] in 718 by giving him a coat of "link armour" assumed to be mail. Earliest assumed reference to mail can be found in early 3rd century record by [[Cao Zhi]], being called "chained ring armor".<ref>{{cite book |title=曹子建集|chapter=8 |url=https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%9B%B9%E5%AD%90%E5%BB%BA%E9%9B%86/%E5%8D%B7%E5%85%AB|quote= 先帝赐臣铠：黑光、明光各一领、两当铠一领、环锁铠一领、马铠一领。今代以昇平，兵革无事，乞悉以付铠曹自理。 }}</ref>  China first encountered the armour in 384 when its allies in the nation of [[Kuchi]] arrived wearing "armour similar to chains". Once in China, mail was imported but was not produced widely. Due to its flexibility, comfort, and rarity, it was typically the armour of high-ranking guards and those who could afford the exotic import (to show off their social status) rather than the armour of the rank and file, who used more common brigandine, scale, and [[Lamellar armour|lamellar]] types. However, it was one of the few military products that China imported from foreigners. Mail spread to Korea slightly later where it was imported as the armour of imperial guards and generals.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}