Bows of the Ming Dynasty

Despite the importance of archery in Chinese culture and warfare, very little is known about Ming bows because of their eventual complete replacement by Manchu bow and its derivatives. In fact, much of the knowledge about Ming bows come from studies of written records, period artworks as well as experimental reconstructions. While these studies produced fruitful results, they remain (and will continue to remain) speculative.

Generally speaking, Ming bows exhibits strong influence from other Asiatic composite recurve horsebows such as Mongol, Tartar and Turkish bows. They can be categorised into two general groups: Xiao Shao Gong (小稍弓) and Da Shao Gong/Kai Yuan Gong (大稍弓/開元弓).


Xiao Shao Gong (小稍弓, small siyah bow)

Drawing of a Xiao Shao Gong, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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Crossbows of the Ming Dynasty

MINOR UPDATE MARCH 05, 2024

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

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Unique weapon of the Ming Dynasty — Zhu Ge Nu (諸葛弩)

Repeating crossbow is one of the unique inventions of China. Although the invention is commonly attributed to Zhu Ge Liang (诸葛亮), the basic design actually predates him by several centuries.

Liang Shi Bing She Lian Fa Nu (兩矢并射連發弩, lit. 'Double-shot rapid fire crossbow')

Earliest surviving example of a repeating crossbow, excavated from a Chu tomb. Currently kept at Jingzhou Museum.

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Shao Lin Gun (少林棍)

Drawing of a Shao Lin Gun, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Named after the famous Shaolin Monastery, Shao Lin Gun (少林棍, Shaolin quarterstaff) is a simple quarterstaff measuring eight chi to eight chi five cun in length and two and a half to three catties in weight. It is usually slightly longer than Da Bang (大棒), another Chinese quarterstaff, but lighter. There is also an iron version of Shao Lin Gun, which is one chi shorter, but weighs five times as much as the wooden version.

Unlike Da Bang, Shao Lin Gun is rarely employed as battlefield weapon (except by the monks themselves). However its techniques can be integrated into the techniques of Chang Qiang (長鎗).

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Mao (矛)

Drawing of a Mao, from 'Deng Tang Bi Jiu (《登堂必究》)'.

The Mao (矛, spear) is simply another name for Qiang (鎗). There is no functional difference between a Mao and a Qiang, in fact both terms can be used interchangeably to refer to the same weapon. Nevertheless, Mao is sometimes used to designate a specific type of spear with a snake-like, curvy spearhead, colloquially known as She Mao (蛇矛, snake spear).

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Unique weapon of the Ming Dynasty — Chan (鏟)

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Fang Tian Hua Ji (方天畫戟)

Fang Tian Hua Ji (方天畫戟, lit. 'Square sky decorated halberd')

Drawing of a Fang Tian Ji (highlighted), from 'Si Zhen San Guan Zhi (《四鎮三關志》)'.

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San Jian Liang Ren Dao (三尖兩刃刀)

Drawing of a San Jian Liang Ren Dao (highlighted), from 'Si Zhen San Guan Zhi (《四鎮三關志》)'.

San Jian Liang Ren Dao (三尖兩刃刀, lit. 'Three points double edged blade'), also known as Er Lang Dao (二郎刀) because of its association with Chinese war deity Er Lang Shen (二郎神), is a versatile but sadly underrepresented Chinese polearm.

Like its namesake, San Jian Liang Ren Dao has three points and two long, slightly flared cutting edges. The three points of San Jian Liang Ren Dao allow it to parry, or even bind, opponent's weapon effectively while retaining the ability to deliver powerful stabs, while its forward-weighted cutting edges render it a devastating chopping weapon.

Being symmetrical, San Jian Liang Ren Dao is also better balanced than other multipurpose polearms such as halberd.

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Gou Lian Qiang (鈎鐮鎗)

Song Jiang (宋江) employs hooked spears to counter the chained cataphracts of Huyan Zhuo (呼延灼). From a Ming period print of Water Margin.

Gou Lian Qiang (鈎鐮鎗, lit. 'Hook sickle spear') is a famous Chinese polearm that combines a spearhead with a single sharpened hook. It should not be confused with Gou Qiang (鈎鎗) or Tie Gou Qiang (鐵鈎鎗).

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Gou Lian Dao (鈎鐮刀)

Drawing of a Gou Lian Dao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Gou Lian Dao (鈎鐮刀, lit. 'Hook sickle glaive') is a Chinese polearm that resembles, but distinct from, Yan Yue Dao (偃月刀). Instead of a forward-pointing protrusion like that of Yan Yue Dao, Gou Lian Dao has a sharpened hook on the back of its blade that points backwards.

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Yan Yue Dao (偃月刀)

Drawing of a Yan Yue Dao, from 'Chou Hai Tu Bian (《籌海圖編》)'.

Yan Yue Dao (偃月刀, lit. 'Reclining moon glaive'), also known as Chun Qiu Da Dao (春秋大刀, lit. 'Spring and autumn great glaive') or simply Da Dao (大刀, lit. 'Great glaive'), is arguably the most iconic Chinese polearm. Due of its association with legendary Chinese general/war deity Guan Yu (關羽), it is also known as Guan Dao (關刀).

Yan Yue Dao is very similar to Zhan Ma Dao (斬馬刀) and can be used in pretty much the same manner (as both are glaive-like polearms). It has a trailing point blade with a sharpened protrusion on the back of its blade that aids in parrying, and always mounts a three-sided butt spike, which distinguish it from other Chinese glaives.

While some Yan Yue Dao are extremely heavy and considered impractical for the battlefield, lightweight version intended as practical weapon do exist.

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Long Dao Qiang (龍刀鎗)

Drawing of a Long Dao Qiang, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Long Dao Qiang (龍刀鎗, lit. 'Dragon blade spear') is a polearm that combines a spearhead with a single curved blade pointing upward.

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Tie Gou Qiang (鐵鈎鎗)

Drawing of a Tie Gou Qiang, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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Liang Guang Yao Jian (兩廣藥箭)

Drawing of a crossbow with poisoned quarrel, from 'Chou Hai Tu Bian (《籌海圖編》)'.

Liang Guang Yao Jian (兩廣藥箭, lit. 'Poisoned arrow from Liangguang') is a type of poisoned arrow commonly found in Guangdong and Guangxi region. As simply smearing the arrowhead with poison often proved ineffective in warfare because the poison can be easily wiped off if the arrow hit its target through his clothes, Liang Guang Yao Jian has its arrowhead specifically drilled hollow and filled with poison.

It was the preferred weapon of Lang Bing (狼兵).

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Bian Jian (邊箭)

Drawing of a Bian Jian, from 'Bing Lu (《兵錄》)'.

Bian Jian (邊箭, lit. 'Border arrow' or 'Side arrow') is a short arrow designed to be shot from an arrow-guide. The arrow-and-guide combination allows the archer to shoot small but high velocity arrows, which are hard to spot and harder still to dodge. Furthermore, Bian Jian has longer range than normal arrows and cannot be reused by enemy archer unless they have arrow-guides of their own.

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Yan Wei Pai (燕尾牌)

A different Yan Wei Pai, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Yan Wei Pai (燕尾牌, lit. 'Swallowtail shield'), also known as Shou Pai (手牌, hand shield), is a long and narrow hand shield that has a characteristic “swallow tail” shape. It is made of poplar, pine or tung wood and measuring five chi seven cun long and about one chi wide. Despite its length, Yan Wei Pai is light and agile. While it provides adequate protection to its wielder, it is too narrow to protect those who stand behind him.

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Zuan Feng Shen Huo Liu Xing Pao (鑽風神火流星砲)

Drawing of a Zuan Feng Shen Huo Liu Xing Pao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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Zi Mu Chong (子母銃)

UPDATED FEBRUARY 13, 2022, minor update DECEMBER 29, 2023

Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》) variant

Drawing of a Zi Mu Chong and its ammunition, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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Sai Gong Chong (賽熕銃)

A Sai Gong Chong and its ramrod, from 'Bing Lu (《兵錄》)'.

Sai Gong Chong (賽熕銃 or 賽貢銃, lit. 'Gun that can match a Fa Gong') is another cannon designed by Ming general Qi Ji Guang (戚繼光). It is a three chi long muzzle-loading cannon, usually loaded with one lead cannonball weighing half catty, a departure from the standard practise of using multiple smaller shots in most Ming artillery.

Sai Gong Chong is a jack of all trades design said to combines the portability of arquebus, reloading speed of Fo Lang Ji (佛狼機) and firepower of Fa Gong (發熕). While it cannot surpass these weapons in their respective strength, Sai Gong Chong is nevertheless a very versatile weapon. As muzzle-loader, Sai Gong Chong is more powerful and efficient than Fo Lang Ji, yet it still retains comparable firing rate as Fo Lang Ji due to simplified reloading process.

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Rocket weaponry of the Ming Dynasty

UNDER REVISION

Overview

While first rocket was believed to be invented around twelfth century and had been fielded in battle almost as soon as it became viable, it was not until Ming period that rocket was employed en mass as practical battlefield weapon. Ming weapon engineers constantly sought to create more deadly rocketry, and developed many platforms to better utilise this devastating weapon, whether stationary, handheld or mobile.

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