◎King Wuling of Zhao

King Wuling of Zhao (Zhao Yong,c. 338 BC-295 BC) is the ruler of the State of Zhao,an outstanding statesman,strategist and military reformer during the Warring States Period. He reigned from 326 BC to 299 BC and was praised by Liang Qichao,a great scholar in the late Qing Dynasty,as “the greatest man since the Yellow Emperor.” In 326 BC,when the 12-yearold youngster acceded to the throne,Zhao was surrounded by the states of Qi,Yan,Qin,Han,Wei and Zhongshan on all sides. King Wuling of Zhao believed that the only way to strengthen Zhao's military power was to train cavalries. At the same time,it was necessary to substitute the traditional wide-sleeved robes with the Hu dress featuring tight sleeves,leather straps and boots to meet the needs of mounted warfare. As it was not only a military reform,but also a customs reform and a bold innovation of the traditional concept,it encountered a lot of resistance from the court upon implementation. The king did not get discouraged,but tried to persuade his people to embrace it. He visited his uncle,Lord Cheng several times,who was eventually convinced to put on the Hu dress together with him,and the ministers followed suit. King Wuling of Zhao then ordered all of his people to wear the Hu dress and learn to ride and shoot,promoting the culture of martial arts vigorously. Eventually,he made Zhao a great power that could compete with Qin.(https://www.daowen.com)