The Iron Age in China

Casting weapons of bronze and iron (click here)

Other alloys like bronze became popular in China long before the use of iron, so the Chinese had a working knowledge of how to smelt metals using high temperatures and hammering to create tools and weapons. Early forms of iron date back to the Shang Dynasty that ruled China from 1600 through 1100 BC. However, bronze was still the predominant metal in use in China at the time for weaponry, tools, and for artistic expression.

Original uses for iron were in the making of knives, as blades of iron were frequently set into hilts made from bronze. As in other civilizations of the period iron use in China began in crude forms during their Bronze Age, as meteoric iron or iron found from meteors that crashed into Earth long ago. Early casts of iron have been found in China that date back to their Bronze Age.

As the Shang Dynasty lost its grip on power to the Zhou Dynasty (1046 through 256 BC), iron use became more advanced.

The Zhou came into power by way of force, and after establishing their dominance brought China into a period of advanced technology that included using more iron to create better and stronger weapons. These years were the beginning of the Iron Age in China, which officially began around 600 CE.

The Zhou Dynasty was able to hold absolute power until 776 BC when the Warring States Period began in China. As the name of the period describes, this period was exceptionally bloody as the Zhou struggled to hold on to power....

...A new form of iron replaced meteoric iron during the Chinese Iron Age called pig iron, which was easier to work with and malleable. It was also easier to cast, or set into shape. The Chinese would have used huge fire pits that would have heated pig iron into a melted form, and then hammered it into form allowing it to cool and set using water....

So, we know now that the Chinese were on track with cultural advancements of war.