Great Ming Military

Drawing of the flat back side of a Xian Mei, with placeholder soldier and military unit names written on it. From 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新...

The movie God of War is truly a breath of fresh air from the China's cinema scene. From the unimaginative bog that's choke-full...

Tactics Drawing of a Pian Xiang Che, from 'Lian Bing Shi Ji (《練兵實紀》)'.

The Mongol Threat It was no secret that the Mongols were formidable and extremely dangerous warriors. Being an all-cavalry army, their str...

Components of Gang Lun Fa Huo, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'. Gang Lun Fa Huo (鋼輪發火, lit. 'Steel wheel igniter'), originall...

Ju Ma (拒馬, lit. 'Horse repeller'), also known as Lu Jiao (鹿角, deer horn) and many other names, is the Chinese name for  cheval de...

'Heng Yu Da Jie (《橫嶼大捷》)' painted by Ma Hong Dao (馬宏道) in 1988 to commemorate Qi Jia Jun's great victory at Battle of Heng Yu....

Image courtesy of Freedesignfile . A happy Chinese New Year to all my readers! 2016 is the "Year of the Monkey" in Chinese z...

Drawing of a Bu Cheng (highlighted), from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'. Bu Cheng (布城, lit. 'Cloth fortress') was a defensi...

Basic layout of the late formation. Note the lack of Ai Pai (挨牌). From second edition 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'. A hero's e...

Heavily armoured Sha Shou Dui, from 'Lian Bing Za Ji (《練兵雜紀》)'. Reunion with the old army Even after the conception of new Mand...

Front (right) and back (left) view of a Ding Pai, from 'Bing Jing (《兵鏡》)'. Ding Pai (釘牌, spiked shield) was a modified Ai Pai...

Transfer to Northern Frontier After the conclusion of the campaign against Wokou (倭寇, Japanese coastal pirates), Qi Ji Guang spent some tim...

Rendition of a five-man team forming Tang Shun Zhi's Mandarin Duck Formation. Pikemen were kept at some distance (about 7 to 10 feet) ...

Drawing of a Kuai Qiang, from 'Lian Bing Shi Ji (《練兵實紀》)'. Kuai Qiang (快鎗, lit. 'Fast gun'), also known as Qiang B...

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'...

A Hu Dun Pao in remarkable preservation condition. Hu Dun Pao (虎蹲砲, lit. 'Tiger crouching cannon') was a type of iron cannon widely...

Drawing of a Gou Qiang, from 'Lian Bing Za Ji (《練兵雜紀》)'. Gou Qiang (鈎鎗, barbed spear) was a cavalry spear with two to four thre...

Drawing of a Xian Qiang, from 'Lian Bing Za Ji (《練兵雜紀》)'. Xian Qiang (線鎗, lit. 'Line spear' or 'Linear spear') ...

MINOR UPDATE DECEMBER 12, 2023 『此自倭犯中國始有之。』 "This (weapon) only became known (to the Chinese) since the incursion of Japanese into ...