Lu Jiao Mu (鹿角木)

Drawing of a Lu Jiao Mu (highlighted), from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Lu Jiao Mu (鹿角木, lit. 'Deer horn wood') was the Chinese name for abatis. It was simply a cut down tree with dense branches, with its trunk partially buried underground.

This defensive weapon had an ancient Roman counterpart, known as Cippus (plural Cippi).

Read more

Ju Ma (拒馬)

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 frise. Chinese armies had been using archer's stake and cheval de frise as early as Warring States period, and over the years many variant designs and modifications were introduced, and Ju Ma gradually became an essential component, rather than simply a supplement, of Chinese armies.

It should be noted that the names listed below were so-called "fancy names", most probably coined by scholars. In practical usage, it was always known as Ju Ma regardless of design.

Jin Shou Ju Ma Lu Jiao Qiang (近守拒馬鹿角鎗, lit. 'Close defence horse repelling deer horn spear')

Drawing of a Jin Shou Ju Ma Lu Jiao Qiang, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Jin Shou Ju Ma Lu Jiao Qiang was the heavy variant of cheval de frise. It was a wooden log covered with nine or ten projecting iron spears. As this variant was quite heavy, it was often used to defend relatively static position.

Yuan Tuo Gu Ying Ju Ma Qiang (遠馱固營拒馬鎗, lit. 'Far carrying, camp reinforcing, horse repelling spear')

Drawing of a Yuan Tuo Gu Ying Ju Ma Qiang, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Yuan Tuo Gu Ying Ju Ma Qiang was the light variant of cheval de frise. Made from three wooden spears joined together at the middle of their shafts, this variant was lighter and more mobile. Yuan Tuo Gu Ying Ju Ma Qiang came with pre-installed iron chains, so that multiple Ju Ma could be linked together to form a barricade.

It was often used to defend temporary camp and wagon fort. Ming foot soldiers and mounted infantry alike often carried Ju Ma wherever they went, only deploying it when they were expecting combat.

Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》) variant

A Ju Ma with hooks (highlighted), from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'.

Designed by Qi Ji Guang (戚繼光), this variant was similar to Yuan Tuo Gu Ying Ju Ma Qiang, but replaced its spearheads with iron hooks.

Read more

Bu Cheng (布城)

Drawing of a Bu Cheng (highlighted), from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'.

Bu Cheng (布城, lit. 'Cloth fortress') was a defensive cloth wall designed by Ming general Qi Ji Guang (戚繼光). It was intended as a substitute of wagon fort in South China, as the muddy terrain of South China made ordinary war wagons unfeasible.

Read more

Qi Ji Guang's Gang Rou Pai (剛柔牌)

Unlike contemporary European powers where the use of firearms stimulated the development and refinement of plate armour, the Chinese never developed plate armour in the first place. They instead turned to the millennia-old philosophy of "conquering the unyielding with the yielding" for a solution.

Ruan Bi (軟壁, 'Soft wall')

Ruan Bi, from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'.

Read more