Subject: nzemo prince / noble

Culture: Yi / Lolo / Nuosuo

Setting: anti-Qing rebellions, Yunnan 19thc

Object: armor

* Harwood International > Rolex

"'Yi suits of armour from China'

These suits of armour, helmets, shields and quiver in this collection date back to the late 18th - early 19th century (all before 1830). This type of armour is extremely rare, was rediscovered in a recent art exhibit in Paris where they generated great interest. These warrior armours belong to an important group of warriors - the 'Yi' that populate a very mountainous area in southwest China. The Yi were slim but known for their muscle strength.

"Note the detail and coloring of the upper torso. The red color is used to represent richness. The armor Pattern [sic] defines the clan the warrior belongs to.

"In the 19th century, there was a large interest by European collectors for all forms of Asian art and armour. The Yi armour is extremely rare, as modern Chinese authorities have spent the last century eliminating all proof of past traditions and objects to gain control of the region's people." [CRITICAL THINKING QUESTION: If this is true, why have modern Chinese authorities in the last century created the Yunnan Provincial Museum to display and publicize proof of past traditions and objects of the region's people?]

* Royal Armouries Museum > Oriental Gallery

"Leather cuirass (pixiongjia) and shield

Chinese,

Yunnan,

19th century

The Yi people in Yunnan and Sichuan continued to make armour of this type for ceremonial purposes until the 20th century. The same leather lamellar armour was made in this area by the Nan Chao people, back in the 8th century, and it is related to the early laced plate armour of the Zhou dynasty." ...