Che Lun Pao (車輪砲)

Drawing of a Che Lun Pao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Che Lun Pao (車輪砲, lit. 'Wheel cannon') is a type of primitive rapid-firing cannon. It consists of two set of thirty-six guns arranged into wheel shape. Leather bands are used to cover the muzzles to prevent bullets and gunpowder from falling out. Entire Che Lun Pao including its props weighs two hunderd jin.

As with many rapid-firing weapons of this period, Che Lun Pao isn't terribly practical on the battlefield. It is simply too unreliable to justify the high cost of producing so many iron barrels.

A rotating gun platform, from 'Vier Bücher der Rytterschafft' by Vegetius Renatus Flavius.

Incidentally, similar designs were attempted in Europe in the early sixteenth century, with predictable results.