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.

1) Types of Rocket

1.1) Common rocket

Meng Jian (猛箭, lit. 'Fierce arrow')

Drawing of a Meng Jian (right) and its rocket pod (left), from 'Bing Lu (《兵錄》)'. 

Meng Jian was the smallest of the common Ming military rockets, with a shaft of only two chi long, or roughly two-third the length of a typical Ming arrow. Due to its small size, Meng Jian did not carry a warhead, relying on its sharp arrowhead to inflict injury.

Meng Jian was typically launched from a lightweight bamboo rocket pod carrying five rockets, or a large fifty-shot rocket pod made of bamboo basketry known as Da Yi Wo Feng (大一窩蜂). An even smaller variant of Meng Jian, which was only one chi six cun long but comes with a three cun long rocket motor and iron counterweight, was also carried by Bai Hu Qi Ben Jian (百虎齊奔箭).

Shen Ji Jian (神機箭, lit. 'Divine engine arrow')

Drawing of a Shen Ji Jian (right) and its rocket pod (left), from 'Bing Lu (《兵錄》)'. Note its poison gas warhead.

Shen Ji Jian (神機箭), also known as Shen Ji Huo Jian (神機火箭, lit. 'Divine engine fire arrow') or simply Huo Jian (火箭, lit. 'Fire arrow', i.e. rocket), was the middle-of-the-road (or one might say medium-sized) of the common Ming military rocket. It had a two chi three cun long, iron counterweighted shaft, as well as a five cun long rocket motor, making it roughly the same size as a typical bow-launched arrow. Shen Ji Jian was typically armed with either a Du Huo (毒火) poison gas warhead, in which case it could also be called Du Huo Fei Jian (毒火飛箭, lit. 'Poisonous fire flying arrow'), or a Shen Huo (神火) incendiary warhead, it which case it was also known as Shen Huo Fei Jian (神火飛箭, lit. 'Divine fire flying arrow'), Ming Huo Fei Jian (明火飛箭, lit. 'Bright fire flying arrow'), or simply Ming Huo Jian (明火箭, lit. 'Bright fire arrow').

Shen Ji Jian could be launched from either a slip tube or a three-shot bamboo rocket pod. A longer variant of Shen Ji Jian with a four chi two cun long shaft but a only a four cun rocket motor was also carried by the famous Nest of Bees.

Fei Dao Jian (飛刀箭, lit. 'Flying sabre arrow')
Fei Qiang Jian (飛鎗箭, lit. 'Flying spear arrow')
Fei Jian Jian (飛劍箭, lit. 'Flying sword arrow')

Drawing of a Fei Qiang Jian (left) and Fei Dao Jian (right), from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Drawing of a Yan Wei Jian (left) and Fei Jian Jian (right), from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'

Fei Dao Jian, Fei Qiang Jian and Fei Jian Jian, collectively known as San Fei (三飛, lit. 'Three flying'), were the largest of the common Ming military rockets. They were virtually identical save for their differently shaped arrowheads, sharing the same six chi long, five to six fen wide shaft, eight cun long, one cun two fen wide rocket motor, three fletches, and iron counterweight. San Fei rockets were devised by famous Ming commander Qi Ji Guang (戚繼光) in the sixteenth century, most likely derived from an earlier design dated to early Ming or even Yuan period. Perhaps due to their origin from an older weapon, San Fei rockets were not armed with a warhead despite their large size, and they appeared to fall out of popularity after smaller and more potent rockets became widespread. Nevertheless, a fourth variant with a forked arrowhead, known as Yan Wei Jian (燕尾箭, lit. 'Swallowtail arrow'), was still introduced during late Ming period.

Qi Ji Guang seems to intentionally lengthen the shaft of San Fei rockets so that they could be readily launched from a Tang Pa (鎲鈀) or any forked platform including but not limited to tree branches. On the flip side, due to their large size, San Fei rockets could not be launched from a typical slip tube or carried inside a rocket pod.

1.2) Specialised rocket

Ding Peng Jian (釘篷箭, lit. 'Sail-nailing arrow')

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

Ding Peng Jian was a specialised incendiary rocket designed to set fire to the sail of enemy ship. It was equipped with a barbed arrowhead to prevent easy extraction, as well as an inversely-mounted incendiary warhead that spat fire backward (i.e. in the same direction as the rocket exhaust) to ignite the sail more effectively.

Ding Peng Jian was usually launched from a slip tube.

1.3) Unusual rocket

Da Tong Huo Jian (大筩火箭, lit. 'Big tube rocket')

Detailed plan for Da Tong Huo Jian, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Da Tong Huo Jian is a large (five chi long) rocket with extended range.

Er Hu Zhui Yang Jian (二虎追羊箭, lit. 'Two tigers chasing goat arrow')

(to be updated)

Liu Xing Jian (流星砲, lit. 'Shooting star bomb')

Drawing of a Liu Xing Pao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'. Note that the illustration is inaccurate as Liu Xing Pao had proper fletching.

Liu Xing Pao was a spear-sized rocket with a four chi five cun long bamboo shaft about as thick as a little finger, four cun five fen long fletchings, a grooved barbed arrowhead (the groove was used to store poison), as well as a five cun long, one cun diameter rocket motor. It was equipped with a firecracker warhead that could produce a very loud salute to disorient enemy troops and startle enemy horses 

Huo Long Jian (火龍箭, lit. 'Fire dragon arrow')

Huo Long Jian was a type of medium-sized rocket with a four chi nine cun long shaft and a five cun long rocket motor. Known to be mass-equipped by Ming border army of Xi Ning (西寧) garrison since at least 1560s, what set Huo Long Jian apart from other rockets was that its rocket motor was made of iron, making it the earliest recorded iron-cased rocket in the world, predating both Mysorean and Congreve rocket by several centuries.

Huo Long Jian was usually launched from a forty-shot rocket pod mounted on a wheelbarrow.

2) Types of launch platform

2.1) Improvised launcher

Tang Pa (鎲鈀)

(to be updated)

2.2) Single-shot launcher

Liu Tong (溜筒, lit. 'Slip tube')

Drawing of a Liu Tong, from 'Bing Lu (《兵錄》)'.

(to be updated)

2.3) Rocket pod

Xiao Zhu Tong Jian (小竹筒箭, lit. 'Small bamboo tube arrow')

Drawing of Xiao Zhu Tong Jian, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Xiao Zhu Tong Jian is the smallest handheld rocket launcher in Ming arsenal. It is essentially a short bamboo tube that carries ten miniature (nine cun long) poisoned rockets. It is so light (entire tube plus ammunition only weigh two catties) that a soldier can carry up to five tubes without issue.

Xiao Zhu Tong Jian is usually carried by close combat troops to be employed as surprise close-in weapon. A very large salvo of miniature rockets can be launched at unsuspecting enemy at extremely close range, just before two armies clash in hand to hand combat. It can still be employed as long range weapon like other rockets, however.

Huo Long Jian (火籠箭, lit. 'Fire basket arrow')

Two soldiers launching Huo Long Jian, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Huo Long Jian is a handheld rocket pod made of bamboo basketry that carries up to twenty incendiary rockets.

Si Shi Jiu Shi Fei Lian Jian (四十九矢飛廉箭, lit. 'Forty-nine shot Fei Lian arrow')

Drawings of Si Shi Jiu Shi Fei Lian Jian and its rocket pod, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Si Shi Jiu Shi Fei Lian Jian is a forty-nine shot rocket pod made of bamboo basketry. It carries a type of specialised rocket that has a three-pronged arrowhead dipped in poison as well as two paper tubes attached to the shaft back-to-back. The front tube is a incendiary-poison smoke warhead, while the back tube is the rocket motor. The rocket can be modified to deliver incendiary-fragmentation payload as well.

Wan Shi Fei Lian Jian (萬矢飛廉箭, lit. 'Ten thousand shot Fei Lian arrow')

Drawing of a Wan Shi Fei Lian Jian, from 'Wu Bei Yao Lue (《武備要略》)'.

Wan Shi Fei Lian Jian is a modified Si Shi Jiu Shi Fei Lian Jian (see above) that can carry one hundred rockets. It is mounted on a swiveling stand similar to Bai Zi Chong (百子銃).

Wu Hu Chu Xue Jian (五虎出穴箭, lit. 'Five tiger emerging from a cave arrow')

Drawing of a Wu Hu Chu Xue Jian, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Wu Hu Chu Xue Jian is a handheld five shot rocket launcher that fires small (two chi five cun long shaft, three cun long rocket motor) poisoned rocket. With a range of five hundred paces, Wu Hu Chu Xue Jian is one of the longest ranged rocket in Ming arsenal (the recorded range might be exaggerated, though), yet still light enough to be used comfortably on horseback.

Xiao Wu Hu Jian (小五虎箭, lit. 'Small five tiger arrow')

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

Xiao Wu Hu Jian is the lightened, but no less deadly, version of Wu Hu Chu Xue Jian. It shoots slightly smaller rockets than the full-sized version.

Bai Hu Qi Ben Jian (百虎齊奔箭, lit. 'Hundred tiger running together arrow')

Drawing of a Bai Hu Qi Ben Jian, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Bai Hu Qi Ben Jian is a box-shaped wooden rocket pod that carries one hundred Meng Jian rockets. It is a bulky weapon that has to be laid on the ground before firing, but can be mounted on wheeled cart or warship as well. When mounted on a mobile platform, Bai Hu Qi Ben Jian can be modified to accommodate larger Shen Ji Jian rocket.

Together with Chang She Po Di Jian, it is the main armament of Jia Huo Zhan Che (架火戰車).

Qun Bao Heng Ben Jian (羣豹橫奔箭, lit. 'Prowl of leopards stampede arrow)

Drawing of a Qun Bao Heng Ben Jian, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Also known as Qun Bao Chu Lin Jian (羣豹出林箭, lit. 'Prowl of leopards emerging from a forest arrow'), this is a octagonal wooden rocket pod that carries forty Shen Ji Jian rockets. Like Bai Hu Qi Ben Jian, it has to be laid on the ground before firing. The rocket pod is slightly flared so that it can spread the rockets over a large area.

Chang She Po Di Jian (長蛇破敵箭, lit. 'Long serpent enemy-breaking arrow')

Drawing of a Chang She Po Di Jian, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Chang She Po Di Jian is a wooden rocket pod that carries thirty medium-small (two chi nine cun long shaft, four cun long rocket motor) poisoned rockets. Unlike other weapons in this article, Chang She Po Di Jian is specifically designed with handheld shooting in mind without sacrificing firepower or number of shots. It even comes with a "gun sling" that allows the soldier to carry the rocket pod over his back.

Together with Bai Hu Qi Ben Jian, it is the main armament of Jia Huo Zhan Che (架火戰車).

Qun Ying Zhu Tu Jian (羣鷹逐兔箭, lit. 'Convocation of eagles chasing hare arrow' )

Drawing of a Qun Ying Zhu Tu Jian, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Qun Ying Zhu Tu Jian is a double-ended rocket pod that carries thirty small (one chi four cun long shaft, three cun long rocket motor) poisoned rockets on each ends, for a total of sixty rockets. Like Chang She Po Di Jian, it comes with a "gun sling" for ease of carrying.

Yi Wo Feng (一窩蜂, lit. 'Nest of bees')

Drawing of a Yi Wo Feng, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

See my other post.

Huo Jian Xia (火箭匣, rocket box)

Drawing of a Huo Jian Xia, from 'Jun Qi Tu Shuo (《軍器圖說》)'.

Huo Jian Xia is a box-shaped rocket pod that carries twenty-seven poisoned rocket. It is the main armament of Gai Shi Wu Gang Che (改式武剛車).

Shen Huo Jian Ping (神火箭屏, lit. 'Divine fire arrow screen')

Drawing of a Shen Huo Jian Ping, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Shen Huo Jian Ping is a stationary rocket launcher that carries one hundred rockets. It can be activated by a pressure plate Zhong Huo Ku (種火庫).

Huo Long Shen Ji Gui (火龍神機櫃, lit. 'Fire dragon divine engine cabinet')

Drawing of a Huo Long Shen Ji Gui, from 'Huo Long Shen Qi Zhen Fa (《火龍神器陣法》)'.

Huo Long Shen Ji Gui is a box-shaped rocket pod that carries thirty-six Shen Ji Huo Long Jian (神機火龍箭, lit. 'Divine engine fire dragon arrow', which is just a fancy name for ordinary rocket). It is possibly the earliest iteration of Ming Dynasty multiple rocket launcher.

Huo Long Shen Ji Gui is light enough that one man can carry two at the same time. However, it is not a handheld weapon, and must be laid on the ground before firing.

2.4) Unusual launch platform

Huo Jian Liu (火箭溜)

Drawing of a Huo Jian Liu, from 'Shen Qi Pu (《神器譜》)'.

Invented by Zhao Shi Zhen (趙士楨), Huo Jian Liu is a matchlock gun that shoots rocket instead of the usual lead ammunition.

For more information, see my other post.

Huo Jian Dao Liu Xing (火箭刀溜形)

Drawing of a Huo Jian Dao Liu Xing, from 'Shen Qi Pu Huo Wen (《神器譜或問》)'.

Another invention by Zhao Shi Zhen.

For more information, see my other post.

Huo Jian Pan Qiang (火箭盤鎗, lit. 'Rocket tray spear')

Huo Jian Pan Qiang and rocket (highlighted), from 'Si Zhen San Guan Zhi (《四鎮三關志》)'.

Huo Jian Pan Qiang is an unusual spear with two attached round plates that function as rocket rack.

Qi Tong Jian (七筩箭, lit. 'Seven tubes arrow')

Drawing of Qi Tong Jian, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Qi Tong Jian is a handheld rocket launcher that carries seven rockets. Instead of a single, large rocket pod, Qi Tong Jian is assembled from seven small bamboo tubes, each loaded with a single rocket. It comes with a disc-shaped hand protector made of cowhide.

Shuang Fei Huo Long Jian (雙飛火籠箭, lit. 'Twin flying fire basket arrow')

Drawing of Shuang Fei Huo Long Jian, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Shuang Fei Huo Long Jian is a very interesting weapon—it is not a rocket pod in the traditional sense, but a rocket launching incendiary rolling bomb made of bamboo basketry. Once the fuse is lit, entire basket is rolled down a slope (or thrown from high place) into enemy formation and will soon start blasting away with rockets from both ends.