Jin Iron Pagoda/ Iron Buddha Horseman in Armor 铁浮屠

Extremely heavy lamellar armor of a Jin Dynasty (1115–1234) "Iron Pagoda horseman" Some historians have referred to these heavy cavalry as cataphracts or clibanarii, in reference to their near identical appearance to heavy Persian cavalry from the 4-7th centuries. 


FULL ARTICLES ABOUT IRON PAGODA CAVALRY
Iron Pagoda Horseman 0. Introduction
Iron Pagoda Horseman 1. Basics and Organization
Iron Pagoda Horseman 2. Combat Record and History



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Comments

Der said…
Nice post.

I wonder where the reference to Buddhism comes from? Were the Jin such devout Buddhists that they would name their famed military unit after their religion?

Dragon's Armory said…
The word "浮屠" actually is a Chinese translation of the literal Sanskrit which is translated to "Floating Map"- because the old translation of Buddhist texts described that Buddha's holy message was like an enlightened- and thus floating map of a higher thoughtscape. But in time, 浮屠 also come to both mean the literal Buddhist mound monuments, like Stupas or the great monument at Borobudur. Or an encompassing synecdoche for the Buddha himself.

But in archaic Chinese (or the Chinese translation of how Jurchen translated the word) it could be translated as both Iron Pagoda Horseman or Iron Buddha Horseman.
kol said…
Have you ever consider doing an Article on the eight banners as well as their armor
Dragon's Armory said…
Maybe, but the subject is already pretty well covered out there. I think I will do it next year once I gather enough images :)