Iron Pagoda

Timeline

1. c. 1115–1118Jurchen homeland · HeilongjiangAfter founding the state, Emperor Taizu of Jin integrated the cavalry of the various Jurchen tribes, selecting elite armored warhorses, forming the prototype of a heavy assault force.
2. c. 1118–1121Jin Shangjing Huining Prefecture · HeilongjiangDuring the war of conquest against Liao, the Jin army perfected the Iron Pagoda formation, stipulating groups of three riders with both horse and rider in heavy armor, specialized in frontal line-breaking.
3. 1121–1127Battlefields of the Two Rivers and Bianjing · ChinaAfter 1121, the Iron Pagoda served as the central army's assault force in battles such as Fuping and Bianjing, tearing through Song infantry squares with dense charges, coordinating with Guazima flank attacks to form combined strikes.
4. c. 1127–1140Huai River Basin · ChinaIn the early Southern Song, Yue Fei and others broke the Iron Pagoda at Licheng and elsewhere using hook-scythe spears and tactics targeting horses' legs; thereafter the Jin army reduced purely heavy-armored charges and shifted toward infantry-cavalry coordination.