Distinguished Lectures in Humanities: On the Military in the Qin and Early Han: New Evidence from Excavated and Recovered Sources

Abstract

In this lecture, Prof. Robin D.S. YATES will focus on a review of recent data concerning the military development of the Qin and early Han periods. This information is crucial as these empires were established through the use of armed force. The lecture aims to address several fundamental inquiries that have previously lacked sufficient evidence. For instance, it will explore the command structure of the Qin and early Han forces, the fate of soldiers in victorious Qin armies, the treatment of defeated enemy, the existence of resistance against the Qin conquerors, the deployment of weapons and other equipment, the different types of soldiers present, and the methods employed in treating their wounds.

About the speaker

Prof. Robin D.S. YATES is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and James McGill Professor Emeritus of East Asian Studies and History and Classical Studies at McGill University. He has dedicated his career to researching and publishing extensively on various aspects of early Chinese history, including legal, military, and gender history. His recent publication, Law, State, and Society in Early Imperial China: A Study with Critical Edition and Translation of the Legal Texts from Zhangjiashan Tomb no. 247 (co-authored with Anthony J. BARBIERI-LOW), received Honorable Mention for the Patrick D. Hanan Book Prize for Translation from the Association for Asian Studies in 2018.