Bai Zi Chong (百子銃, lit. 'Hundred bullet gun')
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| Late Ming Bai Zi Chong discovered at an ancient battle site in Sichuan. |
Bai Zi Chong, also known as
Bai Zi Lian Zhu Pao (百子連珠砲, lit. 'Hundred bullet rapid fire cannon'), was the Chinese name for a muzzle-loading
swivel gun. Prized for its wide arc of fire and accuracy, the Bai Zi Chong served primarily as shipborne anti-personnel ordnance and in siege defence.
Shou Shang Bai Zi Chong (手上百子銃, lit. 'Handheld hundred bullet gun')
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| Drawing of a small Bai Zi Chong (highlighted), from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'. |
Shou Shang Bai Zi Chong was the handheld variant of Bai Zi Chong and appeared to be simply a swivel gun with its yoke removed. Despite its name, it was usually equipped on war carts such as
Qing Che (輕車) and
Jia Huo Zhan Che (架火戰車).
Had the idea that Baizi might have something to do with the cannon being shot with something akin to grape shot. This theory hold any water?
ReplyDeleteYes, it was loaded with scattershot. Most Ming cannons were scattershot in one way or another.
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