Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Adventures in the Far East => Topic started by: Kommando_J on December 06, 2019, 01:32:58 AM
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Found this photo online on the 19th century wargaming facebook page by one Geoff Coe (whom I believe has an account on here) I find the picture fascinating and have a few questions:
What are the long sticks attached to two of the men's belts for?
Do each of the men have specific ranks/purposes - I notice one has a going (presumably for announcing his masters presence).
Are the men mercenaries , government servants? Also how are they recruited trained?
Any info would help thanks
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Hi Kommando_J certainly the two figures at either end are regulars , the tunics they wear are similar to those in a photograph of a soldier taken on his way Korea in 1894 . With regards to the long sticks I will assume the are for crowd control!, I may have that wrong. It is likely this rather unusual grouping are a provincial Mandarins escort.
The photograph was taken in Fuzhou by a Spanish descent Italian businessman.
Cheers
Shipka aka Geoff C
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I ran across another period photo of soldiers holding similar sticks
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The long sticks in the first picture almost resemble sugar cane! Whatever the material, might they be for "gentle" crowd-clearing or a symbol of the mandarin's power to order punishment?
The "sticks" in the second picture seem rather flat - might they be blades, instead?
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I had thought maybe the sticks being attached to the belts maybe part of some type of litter/palanquin type device with the belts allowing the bearers to go ''hands free''.
And thank you for the info Shipka, it's all very fascinating.