Medievalists.net

Where the Middle Ages Begin

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Online Courses
  • Podcast
  • Patreon Login
  • About Us & More
    • About Us
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Films & TV
    • Medieval Studies Programs
    • Places To See
    • Teaching Resources
    • Articles

Medievalists.net

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Online Courses
  • Podcast
  • Patreon Login
  • About Us & More
    • About Us
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Films & TV
    • Medieval Studies Programs
    • Places To See
    • Teaching Resources
    • Articles
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Books Features

New Medieval Books: Inked

by Medievalists.net
October 25, 2023

Inked: Tattooed Soldiers and the Song Empire’s Penal-Military Complex

By Elad Alyagon

Harvard University Asia Center
ISBN: 9780674291287

This is a sad tale of how the government of the Song Dynasty created and maintained a military force using the lower-class populations of medieval China. Millions of Chinese people were subjected to this system, which included tattooing.

Excerpt:

The story of the Song dynasty has another side, one that has been hidden in plain sight. That is the story of the penal-military complex, the Song empire’s vast system for the extraction of labor, social control, and warfare. Millions of men and women lived under the shadow of the military institutions of the Song state. For these millions, the state was a violent, predatory entity. Economic growth meant exploitation and servitude, while war provided new opportunities for escape, revenge, and glory. At the heart of this group stood the tattooed soldiers of the Song military, and this is their story.

Who is this book for?

This fascinating account is a social history, but will also find a readership in those interested in military history. It also serves as a valuable work about medieval China, and the Song Dynasty era (960–1279) in particular.

The author:

This book is based on Elad Alyagon’s PhD dissertation, which he completed at the University of California-Davis in 2016. Elad is now an independent scholar – click here to view his Academia.edu page.

You can also watch him talk about his research here:

See also Elad’s article, “Toward a Nation Defined by State: Tattooed Loyalty and the Evolution of Yue Fei’s (1103–1142) Image from the Song to the Present”

You can learn more about this book from it’s publisher

You can also buy this book from Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Subscribe to Medievalverse




Related Posts

  • Heresy and orthodoxy in Song dynasty China (960-1279 C.E.)
  • New Medieval Books: Complete Essentials for the Military Classics
  • The Marvelous Tale of Lady Tan: Between Central and Local in Song-Yuan-Ming China
  • The Best Medieval Books of 2023
  • New Medieval Books: Middle Imperial China, 900-1350
Tags2023 Books • China in the Middle Ages • Medieval Military History • Medieval Social History

Post navigation

Previous Post Previous Post
Next Post Next Post

Medievalists Membership

Become a member to get ad-free access to our website and our articles. Thank you for supporting our website!

Sign Up Member Login

More from Medievalists.net

Become a Patron

We've created a Patreon for Medievalists.net as we want to transition to a more community-funded model.

 

We aim to be the leading content provider about all things medieval. Our website, podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages. We hope that are our audience wants to support us so that we can further develop our podcast, hire more writers, build more content, and remove the advertising on our platforms. This will also allow our fans to get more involved in what content we do produce.

Become a Patron Member Login

Medievalists.net

Footer Menu

  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Copyright © 2025 Medievalists.net
  • Powered by WordPress
  • Theme: Uku by Elmastudio
Follow us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter