Zhao Shi Zhen's Ju Ma San (拒馬傘) and Ruan Pai (軟牌)

Beside improving and designing various advanced firearms, Ming firearm specialist Zhao Shi Zhen (趙士楨) also came out with many innovative ideas to improve the effectiveness of other equipment. Ju Ma San (拒馬傘, lit. 'Horse-repelling umbrella') and Ruan Pai (軟牌, lit. 'Soft shield') were two such creations. Zhao Shi Zhen was well aware of the protective qualities and usefulness of soft fabric shields like Gun Bei (滾被), Ruan Bi (軟壁) and Gang Rou Pai (剛柔牌), but he also knew that flexible protective equipment can be awkward to handle and difficult to deploy, so he designed the aforementioned Ju Ma San and Ruan Pai as portable, convenient, and easy-to-use improvements to existing flexible shields.

Ju Ma San (拒馬傘)

Components of a Ju Ma San, from 'Xu Shen Qi Pu (《續神器譜》)'.

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Li Pai (立牌)

Different types of Song Dynasty Li Pai. From 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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Ding Pai (釘牌)

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 (挨牌) that was reinforced with bamboo and covered in iron spikes. Although dangerous looking, Ding Pai was not intended as an offensive weapon, as its size and the way it was gripped (i.e. with straps) prevented it to be used effectively for bashing. Instead, Ding Pai was designed to be discarded should the need to retreat arise—the spiked shield served as makeshift caltrop to slow the advance of pursuers.

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Ai Pai (挨牌)

Front (right) and back (left) view of Ai Pai, from sixteenth century military treatise 'Chou Hai Tu Bian (《籌海圖編》)'.

Ai Pai (挨牌 or 捱牌, lit. 'Leaning shield'), also came to be known as Gao Li Pai (高麗牌, lit. 'Goryeo shield' or 'Korean shield') during late Ming period for reasons unknown, was a large wooden shield made of poplar wood, measuring five chi long and one chi five cun to three chi wide.

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