The Pattern of the Chinese Past(III)

In chapter seven Elvin says that originally the Sung empire had a large land force: it had 300,000 soldiers in Hopei to check the Khitan, and 450,000 in Shensi to deter the Hsi-hsi. Yet eventually the Mongols could defeat the southern Sung. Elvin suggests that Sung's defeat lied pre-eminently in the transfer of technology across the imperial frontier to the less civilized peoples.1 Elvin says that the output of pig iron per person in China multiplied several times between late Tang and early Sung. Later Chinese even produced steel either by means of co-fusion of pig iron and wrought iron, or by direct decarbonization in cold oxidizing blast. According to Elvin, such technical knowledge on iron work spread to the north-eastern frontier to the Khitan, and later to Chin Tartars. The latter put this knowledge into good use, and combine them with cavalry warfare which they always excelled. In the battle field, the Khitan relied mostly on mounted archery which was much effective than the Chinese crossbows. Also in the battle field, the Chinese lacked the supply of horse, perhaps their increasing population had let to a conversion of pasture to arable land. When the Chin Tartar captured northern China in 1127, it deprived the Sung of their important sources of iron and coal. Iron later flow freely through commercial channels into Mongolia, and this resource helped the Mongol to become a formidable war machine. Another technological evolution that changed the face of warfare was the use of gunpowder. According to Elvin it was the Chin who were responsible for improving the powder and turned it into true explosive.2 In 1221 the Chin use 'iron fire bombs' in the battle field against the Chinese in Hupei to help shattering city walls. This technique was taken up by the Mongols eventually. Another technological success achieved by the Mongols in their conquest of the Sung empire was the building of fleets. In 1279, the Mongol seagoing fleet defeated the Southern Sung naval forces at the battle of Yai-shan and thus sealed the fate of Sung dynasty. Elvin concludes this chapter by noting that "it was by acquiring the techniques of civilization that the barbarian had become truly formidable'. 3 (to be continued)

Notes:
1. Elvin, Mark. The Pattern of Chinese Past. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1973, page 84
2. page 88
3. page 90