Ji Li (蒺藜)

A string of caltrops, from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'.

Ji Li (蒺藜, lit. 'Puncturevine') was the Chinese name for caltrop. It was usually made of iron, although sometimes wood was used instead. Multiple caltrops, usually five or six, were often strung together with a one bu long rope, so that they could be deployed quickly and retrieved for latter use. Stringed caltrops could be hung on Ai Pai (挨牌) or spear shaft for ease of transportation.

Beside deploying caltrops via normal means, Ming Chinese also used grenades, land mines and explosive shells filled with caltrops.

Standard, four-pointed caltrop was sometimes known as Ling Jiao (菱角, lit. 'Water caltrop'), while caltrop cooked in human feces to inflict infection was called Gui Jian (鬼箭).

A four-pointed wooden caltrop (lower left) and two four-pointed iron caltrops (lower right), from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

A multi-point iron caltrop (highlighted), from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.