In a broad sense, ancient Chinese chariots refer to the general term for various combat vehicles specially used for combat. They evolved from wooden round-wheeled land vehicles in the late primitive society. In addition to baggage vehicles and special siege vehicles,

There are mainly wooden combat vehicles used to carry soldiers in combat during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, as well as combat vehicles equipped with various weapons after the Song Dynasty.

According to literature records, our country had chariots in ancient times. With the development of social productivity and the expansion of the scale of war, more and more chariots were used. In Muye (now south of Qixian County, Henan Province) where King Wu of Zhou destroyed the Shang Dynasty

In the battle of the area north of the Wei River), three hundred chariots were used. By the Spring and Autumn Period, chariots reached their peak stage, and they were no longer rare in the country of thousands of chariots. In the 20th year of King Zhou Xiang (632 BC)

, in the battle between Jin and Chu in Chengpu (now Puyang, Henan, some say Puyang Ji, Juancheng, Shandong), each side dispatched 700 chariots. By the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, some vassal states had as many as 4,000 chariots.

Multiply the above. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, although the status of chariot warfare gradually declined due to the rise of infantry and cavalry warfare, the number of chariots owned by various vassal states was still considerable. Until the early Han Dynasty, chariots still played a certain role in wars.

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The chariots in the chariot warfare era are similar in shape and structure. The shape and structure of the chariots in the Shang and Zhou dynasties are not only recorded in detail in "Kaogong Ji", but also unearthed physical objects can be inspected. They are generally independent shafts.

It has two wheels and a long hub; the carriage (carriage) is a rectangle with wide width and short verticality, with the door opening at the rear; the rear end of the shaft is pressed between the carriage and the axle, and the tail of the shaft is slightly exposed behind the carriage; the front end of the shaft is horizontally placed with a scale.

There are two yokes attached to the scale for driving horses; the body of the carriage is made of wood, and various bronze tools are usually installed in important parts. The purpose is to increase the firmness of the body and facilitate galloping. In general, "cross-hub"

"It will not be damaged in the battle.

The chariots in the chariot war era were drawn by two or four horses, with four horses being the main ones. From the chariot and horse equipment unearthed at Yin Ruins, we can see that during the Wuding period of the Shang Dynasty, about the 14th century BC, the number of each four-horse chariot was

The equipment has been standardized. According to the regulations at that time, each vehicle was equipped with three soldiers on the left, middle and right. The soldiers on the left held bows and arrows to shoot far, and were called the left side of the vehicle, which was the front of the vehicle; the soldiers on the right held arms or spears to attack the enemy.

The thorn is called the right side of the chariot; the soldier in the middle is called the charioteer and carries a sword. Under normal circumstances, the chariot is equipped with five weapons, which is called the "five soldiers of the chariot". According to "Kaogong Ji", the "chariot"

The "Five Weapons" are Ge, Shu, Halberd, Chief's Spear, and Barbarian Spear, which are inserted into fixed positions on the sides for soldiers to use in battle. This equipment method of weapons has the characteristics of both long and short, and a combination of long and near. However, in battle

The weapons equipped on the vehicles are not the same for every vehicle, and the types and quantities are slightly different.

By the Western Zhou Dynasty, in order to meet the different needs of combat, the classification of chariots had become more and more obvious. According to "Zhou Li-Chun Guan" records, the chariots at that time had been divided into Ronglu, light chariots, Que chariots, Ping chariots and Guangzhou chariots.

There are five categories of chariots. Ronglu, also called military chariots, are command chariots used by monarchs or commanders. Light chariots are easy to ride and are offensive chariots. Que chariots are responsible for guarding and replenishing damaged chariots. Ping chariots are defensive chariots.

s (according to Zheng Xuan's note "Ping Ju Ping Ye") can be connected with each other to form a barrier to resist or block the enemy's attack. The chariots have both offensive and defensive functions and are mainly used for defense.

After the Western Han Dynasty, infantry and cavalry gradually replaced chariots. As chariots in the era of chariot warfare, they gradually lost their original role.
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