Er Hu Zhui Yang Jian (二虎追羊箭)

MINOR UPDATE OCTOBER 9, 2024

Drawing of an Er Hu Zhui Yang Jian, from a Qing Dynasty print of 'Huo Long Jing (《火龍經》)'.

Er Hu Zhui Yang Jian (二虎追羊箭, lit. 'Two tigers chasing goat arrow') was a type of rocket arrow equipped with two rocket motors to achieve extended range. It was equipped with a three-pronged arrowhead as well as silk threads wound around the shaft just below the arrowhead, both dipped in poison, a four cun five fen long poison smoke-cum-incendiary warhead, as well as two seven cun long rocket motors, all mounted below the silk thread. The warhead and both rockets were connected to a single fuse.

It is not known if the rocket motors on Er Hu Zhui Yang Jian were configured to be ignited at once or in sequence, although the latter seems more plausible given the difficulties of igniting two rockets at exactly the same time.