Matchlock firearms of the Ming Dynasty

The Ming army had always put great emphasis on handheld firearm, and set up the first specialized firearm division in the world in the form of Shen Ji Ying (神機營). In fact, as the quality of Ming armies deteriorated, they began to rely more and more on firearms, to the point it bacame detrimental to their close combat capability.

Ming Dynasty arquebus found in Xuzhou.

Early Matchlock

Ming Dynasty came into contact with matchlock arquebus — which they called Niao Chong (鳥銃, 'Bird gun') or Niao Zui Chong (鳥咀銃, 'Beak gun') — through the Portuguese no later than 1525 AD and had begun to equip their troops with this advanced weapon in small numbers. After the destruction of the smuggling haven of Shuangyu in 1548, Chinese improved their workmanship and quality control by forcing captured Portuguese gunsmiths to teach them, and began mass-producing the weapon. Chinese gunsmiths manufactured local copies of Portuguese matchlock in very large quantities, numbering tens of thousands, and Ming troops from Southern China quickly accustomed themselves with this new weapon. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Northern troops, many of whom stubbornly refused to give up their ageing handgonnes (although they too picked up the weapon en masse during the last years of the Ming Dynasty).

Wo Chong (倭銃, 'Japanese arquebus')

Drawing of a Niao Zui Chong, from 'Chou Hai Tu Bian (《籌海圖編》)'.

As both Chinese and Japanese adopted their matchlock gun from the Portuguese, Chinese matchlock differ little from Japanese teppō (鉄砲) from a technical perspective. Nevertheless, the superior durability of Japanese gun barrel and fine workmanship of Japanese mechanism was already well known during mid-Ming period. Many Ming generals were impressed by the quality of Japanese matchlock.

Zhao Shi Zhen (趙士禎) was the only Chinese firearm specialist to further differentiate between a Portuguese matchlock gun manufactured at the armoury of Goa and a Japanese copy of the same design. He named the Portuguese design Xiao Xi Yang Chong (小西洋銃, 'Small Western arquebus') to avoid confusion with Xi Yang Chong (see below), another European matchlock design. Despite both designs being nearly indetical, Zhao Shi Zhen deemed Portuguese matchlock to be the superior one due to its simplicity and convenience.

Further Improvement
During the reign of Emperor Shenzong (明神宗, reigned 1572 - 1620 AD), the Ming Empire found itself embroiled in three different wars (the Imjin war, war of Ningxia, and the Yang Ying Long rebellion), another border conflicts with Burmese Taungoo Dynasty, as well as increasingly dire threat from the Jurchen. Around this time Chinese began experimenting with imported matchlock firearms from other parts of the world, no doubt motivated by the pressing needs to improve the performance of Ming arquebusiers.

Xi Yang Chong (西洋銃, lit. 'Western arquebus') or Da Xi Yang Chong (大西洋銃, lit. 'Big Western arquebus')

Drawing of a Xi Yang Chong, from 'Shen Qi Pu (《神器譜》)'.

Xi Yang Chong is the Chinese name for European matchlock. It is characterised by its sear lock matchlock mechanism, backward-dipping serpentine (contrasted with Portuguese/Japanese snap matchlock, which has forward-dipping serpentine) as well as the long squeeze bar. Xi Yang Chong model reverse-engineered by Zhao Shi Zhen also includes a detachable forward grip known as Tuo Shou (托手).

Zhao Shi Zhen considered European matchlock to be light, mobile, reliable, and shoot farther than Japanese matchlock, but less powerful than both Japanese matchlock and Lu Mi Chong. However, it is possible that Zhao Shi Zhen based his opinion on a fowling piece not intended for military use.

Lu Mi Chong (魯密銃, lit. 'Rûm arquebus')

Drawing of a Lu Mi Chong, from 'Shen Qi Pu (《神器譜》)'.

Lu Mi Chong was introduced to China through a Turkish emissary known to the Chinese as Duo Si Ma (朵思麻). It is based on the design of Turkish fitilli tüfek, and features the same modified serpentine lock mechanism and knob-shaped trigger as its Turkish counterpart. Zhao Shi Zhen also added a sharpened blade to the stock of the gun so that it can double as close combat weapon should the need arise.

Zhao Shi Zhen praised Lu Mi Chong for its reliability, range and firepower, which he deemed superior to both European and Japanese matchlock. Due to the increased weight and bulk of Lu Mi Chong, it was usually fired from a kneeling position.

Both Xi Yang Chong and Lu Mi Chong were eventually adopted by the Ming army. After the fall of Ming Dynasty, its successor Qing Dynasty seems to prefer the design of Lu Mi Chong over other variants, and European and Japanese matchlock became less common.

Late Ming period Lu Mi Chong

Late Ming version of the Lu Mi Chong, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Although also called Lu Mi Chong, this matchlock arquebus features a completely different matchlock mechanism that is completely different from its Turkish counterpart. The new mechanism, seemingly based on rack and pinion principle, appears to be an indigenous Chinese design.

Drawing of the rack and pinion mechanism, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

San Chang Chong (三長銃, lit. 'Arquebus with three advantages')

Drawing of a San Chang Chong, from 'Shen Qi Pu (《神器譜》)'.

San Chang Chong is an indigenous innovation created by Zhao Shi Zhen that combines the advantages of Japanese, European and Turkish matchlock into one compact arquebus. It features a stock similar to Japanese matchlock, already familiar to most Ming troops, as well as the matchlock mechanism and long barrel from Turkish matchlock to increase reliability, speed and firepower. Zhao Shi Zhen also intentionally lighten the arquebus so that it can be fired from standing position, similar to European matchlock. Like Xuan Yuan Chong (軒轅銃) and He Ji Chong (合機銃), its matchlock mechanism is connected to flash pan cover so that the cover opens automatically whenever the trigger is pulled.

San Chang Chong is likely the only ordinary arquebus developed by Zhao Shi Zhen. He also tried to devise multiple barrel arquebuses, weatherproofed firearms and breechloaders, with varying degree of success.

Jiu Tou Niao (九頭鳥, lit. 'Nine headed bird')

A gunner firing a Jiu Tou Niao from the shoulder of his comrade, from 'Shen Qi Pu (《神器譜》)'.

Also known as Jingal gun, this heavy matchlock gun is closer to a light artillery piece than a musket. Ming army only used this potent weapon in limited numbers.

Ban Gou Chong (搬鉤銃, lit. 'Moveable hook musket')

Drawing of a heavy musket, from 'Jing Guo Xiong Lue (《經國雄略》)'.

Potentially the most powerful of all Chinese matchlocks, Ban Gou Chong is a heavy musket comparable in size and power to a heavy rampart gun. It is even more powerful than Jiu Tou Niao (see above), and comes fitted with a swivel musket rest so that it can be used by a single gunner.

Owing to the fact that Ban Gou Chong (with its musket rest) looks superficially like a pigeon standing on one leg, it is also known as Ban Jiu Jiao Chong (斑鳩腳銃, lit. 'Wild pigeon leg musket').

Jiao Chong (交銃, lit. 'Jiaozhi Arquebus')

Drawing of a Jiao Qiang, from 'Huang Chao Li Qi Tu Shi (《皇朝禮器圖式》)'. Despite its name, this Qing period Jiao Qiang shows clear Central Asian influence.

Also known as Zua Wa Chong (爪哇銃, Java arquebus), Vietnamese matchlock entered Chinese arsenal during the last years of the Ming Dynasty through border conflicts between the dying Later Mạc dynasty and local Tu Si (土司, government-sanctioned native chieftain) of Guangxi and Yunnan provinces. Ethnic minority troops such as Lang Bing (狼兵) were among the first to pick up this fearsome weapon. Ming loyalists, Chinese rebels, and Manchus alike quickly followed suit, and Vietnamese matchlock became one of the most common handheld firearms during Ming-Qing transition period.

Vietnamese matchlock gun enjoyed a very high reputation during seventeenth century among not just the Chinese, but also European observers (witnessing the ongoing Trịnh–Nguyễn War) as well. Ming Chinese considered Vietnamese matchlock to be "the finest gun in the world", surpassing even Turkish matchlock. It was said to be able to pierce several layers of iron armour, kill two to five men in one shot, yet can fire its shot quietly.

Shortcomings
While Chinese of this period were quick to adopt and even improve upon new firearm technologies, they never managed to catch up with major European powers. Worse yet, because of rampant corruption and general incompetence of the Imperial throne, they were reluctant to phase out their own obsolete firearms, resulting in severe waste of military spending.

22 comments:

Aomari228 September 2016 at 02:30
"By late Ming period, Vietnamese matchlock was considered "the best in the world", surpassing Japanese, European, and even Ottoman matchlocks. Jiao Chong enjoyed the reputation of being highly accurate, extremely powerful (said to be able to kill two to five men with one shot), yet relatively quiet."
This paragraph may be exaggerated. There is no way Vietnamese matchlock can be that powerful.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Andy Lee Chaisiri26 June 2017 at 16:59
Do you know if the Ming ever manufactured pistols?
ReplyDelete
Replies
Hoang Nghiem22 January 2018 at 03:13
Would you happen to know specifically, what made the Jiaozhi Arquebus so advanced (specifically with regards to its design features, such as bore, caliber etc.)? Thank you in advance, and great article by the way.
ReplyDelete
Hoang Nghiem25 January 2018 at 00:14
I posted a comment here the other day, but I think my internet at that very moment also glitched out and prevented me from sending it through. So I'd like to send another one just in case. Sorry about any possible inconvenience this may have caused.

As was the case prior to this day, I was just curious regarding whether you could tell me as to what made the Vietnamese "Jiaozhi Arquebus" so good, with regards to the characteristics and features of the rifle including (but not limited to) caliber, bore etc.

Thank you so much in advance for your response, and great answer by the way.
ReplyDelete
Replies