According to legend, Huangdi, the Yellow Emperor, is credited with the invention of the horse-drawn chariot, which might have enabled him to transport soldiers and to stage offensive maneuvers against the rebellious southern barbarians in the early years of his reign. However, archaeologists speculate that the chariot actually entered China from the ancient Near East or Mesopotamia during the much later Shang and Western Zhou periods or around 1200 BC, approximately the same time as the legendary fall of Troy. The archaeological evidence for the development of the chariot in China is quite good, and the theory that it was imported from the Near East is based on the similarities of archaeological finds in both locations.

Whether or not this invention can be attributed to Huangdi is less important than the impact the chariot had on military technique and battle strategy. The military supremacy of the chariot against foot soldiers was based on its speed and maneuverability. Troops could be dispatched quickly from cities to areas of need, and information could travel more quickly back and forth from the front line to the commanding officers or kings. These early Chinese chariots were similar to their Near Eastern brethren in design, consisting of a chariot box, axle and wheels, and harnessing mechanism. The lightness of the chariot was its prime innovation when contrasted with lumbering ox-drawn wagons for carrying farm goods and supplies. The chariot box was rectangular and enclosed by a railing that rose to a height of approximately 45 centimeters (17.7 inches). It was open in the rear, allowing for quick entry and exit. The light design allowed for two or three riders between two wheels made with six to eight spokes and connected to a central spine, or yoke. The single wheel axle could be moved toward the horses to balance out the weight of the soldiers and provide some shock absorption, especially for rough terrain. The chariot would remain the prime advantage in military technology in the ancient world until the introduction by the classical Greeks of the hoplite (heavily armed warrior) and the phalanx combat strategy in the fifth century BC. . .

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