Happy 2026! 新年快乐!

January 02, 2026

Happy 2026! 新年快乐!

Tang dynasty man in Fanlingpao or "lapel robe"

Art: 白人阿又

Hi all. Thank you for returning to check on Dragon's Armory in 2026. I can promise you it will be an interesting year and ambitious year- with the conclusion of the Yue Fei arc and Warring States period in mind! This year I am also eager to produce several reviews and recommendations of video games and C drama that has great fidelity to Chinese history so definitely stay tuned. Some of the other topics I may cover include Shang dynasty in broad strokes and those that is also focused on medieval China- given that medieval era China has became a point of interest for a lot of games and game settings. I wish you a happy, auspicious new year and a lot of good talks in the days head. Cheers.

Mid Tang dynasty Lady

Han dynasty dancer with distinctive buyao hairpin she wears an intimate one piece zhiju robe which has a long triangular wrap that wraps around the wearer like a bathrobe, the clothing is then secured via a belt. These type of zhiju were part of Shenyi 深衣 or informal robes worn by a great number of the gentry. The elites of the realm could afford translucent outer robes. Zhijus were worn at least as early as the Warring States period and were part of the courtly attires of classical antiquity.

Han dynasty noblewoman before a tomb entrance.

Nobleman- Warring States~ Han era: classical antiquity. Despite many of the stringent reforms enacted during the Qin unification, there were still cultural continuity into the ensuring Han dynasty. Lacquerware which were long associated with Han ingenuity often has earlier antecedents in the Warring States era: the state of Chu for example was renowned for its exquisite lacquerware and sericulture.

Warring States era nobleman/ sovereign. Inspiration based upon silk painting depicting a man riding on a dragon.

Nobleman of the Warring States period in elaborate zhiju robe with distinctive striped striations. The design is based on artifacts unearthed from the Mashan Chu Tomb, dating back to the Warring States Period. Fantasy painting