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