Traditional Chinese and Byzantine armour components: A brief introduction and analysis

Left: An unnamed commander or guard in Chinese-style "Cataphract" armour. Middle: Wu Dao Jiang Jun (五道將軍), one of the Chinese deities of afterlife. Right: Saint Nicetas the Goth, Christian martyr and military saint of the Russian Orthodox Church.

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Gong Cheng Lin Chong Lu Gong Che (攻城臨衝呂公車)

Stylised illustration of a Lu Gong Che, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志 》)'.

Gong Cheng Lin Chong Lu Gong Che (攻城臨衝呂公車, lit. 'City-siege approaching assault cart of Lord Lu'), often shortened to Lin Chong Lu Gong Che (臨衝呂公車, lit. 'Approaching assault cart of Lord Lu') or simply Lu Gong Che (呂公車, lit. 'Cart of Lord Lu'), is the Chinese siege tower. It was named after the semi-legendary Lu Shang (呂尚), better known as Jiang Zi Ya (姜子牙).

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Da Feng Ke (大蜂窠)

A Da Feng Ke, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Da Feng Ke (大蜂窠, lit. 'Great wasp nest'), also known as Huo Feng Wo (火蜂窩, lit. 'Fire wasp nest') and Yi Ke Feng (一窠蜂), was a type of primitive but powerful bomb and land mine. Made of one hundred layers of paper and ten layers of fabric, its payload included everything from incendiary and poison gas gunpowder, firecrackers, Di Shu (地鼠), small bomblets, darts, poisoned ceramic fragmentation, iron fragmentation and caltrops, to sulphur, resin, human hair and feces. Da Ke Feng was usually thrown by hand or launched from siege engine, and was most useful during siege or naval warfare. It is sometimes confused with Yi Wo Feng (一窩蜂) due to similarly sounding names.

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Shen Huo Wan Quan Tie Wei Ying (神火萬全鐵圍營)

Drawing of a Shen Huo Wan Quan Tie Wei Ying, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Shen Huo Wan Quan Tie Wei Ying (神火萬全鐵圍營, lit. 'Perfect iron fence of divine fire'), sometimes shortened to Shen Huo Tie Wei Ying (神火鐵圍營, lit. 'Iron fence of divine fire'), was probably the earliest iteration of the Chinese rocket cart. It was a heavy wagon mounted with four wooden cabinets. Each cabinet contained four Shen Nu (神弩, lit. 'Divine crossbow'), four Shen Jian (神箭, lit. 'Divine arrow'), four Shen Qiang (神槍) and four Shen Qian (神鉛, lit. 'Divine lead') or Shen Dan (神彈, lit. 'Divine bullet'), for a total of sixty-four firearms.

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