Qiang Chong (鎗銃)

Drawing of a Qiang Chong and its ramrod, from 'Wu Bei Ji Yao (《武備集要》)'.

Qiang Chong (鎗銃, lit. 'Gun spear') was, as its name suggests, a combination of a spear and a gun. It consisted of a two chi long gun barrel mounted on a five chi long spear shaft, with two five cun long spearheads (or possibly one spearhead forged in two halves) mounted near the muzzle, as well as a two cun long butt spike mounted on the rear end of the spear shaft. The gun part of Qiang Chong had a three fen calibre, and was typically loaded with two qian five fen of gunpowder as well as a one qian six fen lead bullet (which was roughly half the weight of a typical Ming arquebus bullet). 

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Patreon supporter only: Firearms regiment of Wen brothers

Some firearms commonly used in Northwest China (in particular Shaanxi and Xuanfu Garrison) around 1600s, roughly to-scale to the soldier.

The reluctance of various garrisons in North China to adopt matchlock gun on a large scale, criticism by general Qi Ji Guang (戚繼光) regarding Ming northern troops' impatience and indiscipline, and the bad impression northern troops left on the Koreans during Imjin War, sometimes give an impression that northern troops were somehow unsophisticated, close-minded and hidebound compared to their southern brethren who eagerly absorbed European science and technology.

However, this is evidently untrue. Ming northern troops were very much shaped by their environment (i.e. strong winds common in North China often blow away gunpowder inside priming pan, whcih makes matchlock gun unreliable), limitations (i.e. difficulties in acquiring good quality iron ore which were mostly produced in Fujian) as well as challenges they faced (i.e. Mongols horsemen), and refined their tactics and equipment along a very different path.

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Di Lei Lian Pao (地雷連砲) and Xun Lei Pao (迅雷砲)

Di Lei Lian Pao (地雷連砲, lit. 'Ground thunder rapid cannon')

Drawing of three soldiers firing three Di Lei Lian Pao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Di Lei Lian Pao was a small volley gun that consisted of 10 small cannons brazed to a solid iron stock in a fan shape. Originated from Shaanxi (陝西) region of Northwest China, Di Lei Lian Pao was a very lightweight weapon weighing only twenty jin (11.8 kg or 26 lbs) which allowed the weapon to be easily deployed and transported without a wheeled gun carriage—an important feature allowing the weapon to be used more effectively against fast-paced Mongol horsemen. Despite being a volley gun that fired its shots in a spread, Di Lei Lian Pao was still fitted with an iron sight.

To prevent the huge recoil generated by all ten barrels firing simultaneously from throwing off such a light weapon, potentially even hurting its user, the iron stock of Di Lei Lian Pao had an integrated ring that allowed the weapon to be staked to the ground during use.

Drawing of one soldier firing multiple Di Lei Lian Pao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Di Lei Lian Pao was originally a tripwire gun that uses Gang Lun Fa Huo (鋼輪發火) as its triggering mechanism (hence 'Di Lei [地雷]' in its name), although this was later changed to having a gunner to manually fire the volley gun, as this was found to be much more convenient and responsive.

Di Lei Lian Pao utilised a two-stage fuse, which consisted of a very short section of normal fuse (i.e. Chinese paper fuse), known as Zou Xian (走線, lit. 'Walking thread'), connecting to a much longer section of flat quickmatch fuse, known as Bian Xian (扁線, lit. 'Flat thread') that extended all the way to the touch hole of the volley gun. The use of long fuse to ignite Di Lei Lian Pao allowed the gunner to stand at a safe distance from the weapon, as well as for a single gunner to operate multiple guns by himself.

Xun Lei Pao (迅雷砲, lit. 'Quick thunder cannon')

Drawing of a Xun Lei Pao, from 'Li Qi Jie (《利器解》)'.

Xun Lei Pao was basically a larger, lighter, more powerful, but single shot version of Di Lei Lian Pao. It was a small iron cannon weighing only 10 jin (6 kg or 13 lbs) and came with a slightly flared muzzle, front and back iron sight, as well as an extended solid portion behind the cannon breach with a hole punched through it to allow the cannon to be staked to the ground during use much like its multi-shot counterpart.

Xun Lei Pao should not to be confused with Xun Lei Chong (迅雷銃), a weapon with similar name.

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Zhao Shi Zhen's Hu Tou Che (虎頭車) and Hu Yi Che (虎翼車)

Hu Tou Che (left) and Hu Yi Che (right) on the move, from 'Xu Shen Qi Pu (《續神器譜》)'. Note that while the protective screen of Hu Tou Che has to be dismantled and transported on the wheelbarrow, the blanket of Hu Yi Che can be simply rolled-up and carried by a soldier.

Hu Tou Che (虎頭車) and Hu Yi Che (虎翼車) were two types of war wheelbarrows meant to be used together in a formation. They were comparatively simple designs devised by Ming firearm specialist Zhao Shi Zhen (趙士楨) before he went on to develop the more complex Ying Chang Che (鷹揚車).

Hu Tou Che (虎頭車, lit. 'Tiger head cart')

Drawing of a Hu Tou Che and its sloped protective screen (highlighted), from 'Xu Shen Qi Pu (《續神器譜》)'.

Hu Tou Che was essentially a wheelbarrow of a fairly typical Chinese design, with two handle bars and a large single wheel placed at the bottom of the barrow. Unlike its civilian counterpart, Hu Tou Che was fitted with a front wooden rack to mount the protective screen, as well as two water tanks beside its wheel that doubled as counterweights. Its sloped protective screen—reminiscence of frontal armour of modern tank—was the most unique component of the war wheelbarrow. Made of two layers of wooden planks, plus a row of split bamboos nailed to its outward-facing side, the lightweight yet sturdy protective screen was constructed in such a way that there was empty space between its two wooden layers that could be filled with dirt (as a defence against firearms). It was usually equipped with two large gun ports designed to accommodate the powerful Ying Yang Pao (鷹揚砲), although some variants may have one additional gun port for either heavy Fo Lang Ji (佛朗機) or Hu Dun Pao (虎蹲砲).

Hu Yi Che (虎翼車, lit. 'Tiger wings cart')

Drawing of a Hu Yi Che and its protective blanket, from 'Xu Shen Qi Pu (《續神器譜》)'.

Hu Yi Che was similar to Hu Tou Che in most respects, only differ in that it had an additional set of handle bars, two wooden racks so that its protective screen could be hung on either side of the wheelbarrow, as well as only one water tank to act as counterbalance to its protective screen. In place of rigid wood-and-bamboo composite plating, Hu Yi Che used a large rectangular blanket as its protective screen, made in the exact same way as the canopy of Ju Ma San (拒馬傘).

Proposed wheelbarrow regiment

Hu Tou Che and Hu Yi Che deployed together, from 'Xu Shen Qi Pu (《續神器譜》)'.

Zhao Shi Zhen proposed a powerful regiment-sized unit for his war wheelbarrows, likely as a throwback to the then-active Ji Defence Region war cart regiments raised by Qi Ji Guang (戚繼光) decades before. A detailed breakdown of Zhao Shi Zhen's proposed regiment is available on my Patreon!

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Niao Chuan (鳥船)

A replica Zhejiang Niao Chuan built in 2003. Although seaworthy, the replica's sails appear much smaller than historical ships.

The last of the "Four Great Ancient Ships" of China, Niao Chuan is perhaps the least known of the four, owing to its confusing history and relatively short (but no less crucial) period of military significance. 

Niao Chuan first came into prominence in the early 17th century, during a period when a beleaguered Ming Dynasty was facing unprecedented threats from the sea due to the rise of powerful Chinese pirate lords and the arrival of Dutch East India Company with their powerful great ships. Being one of the few Junk-type ships capable of meeting the new challenge, Niao Chuan quickly displaced older types of war junks and became the premier warship favoured by Ming navy and pirate lords alike, and later also adopted by the ascending Qing Dynasty. 

Unfortunately, Niao Chuan's heyday ended almost as quickly as it came. After the downfall of Ming Dynasty, the Dutch were evicted from Formosa by Ming loyalist Koxinga, whose kingdom he founded was in turn defeated by the Qing. With naval threats subsiding, Niao Chuan was also retired from active military service, although it continued to play an important role as an armed merchant ship long after.

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Fu Chuan (福船)

UPDATED AUGUST 17, 2025

Drawing of a Fu Chuan with full bamboo palisade, from 'Jing Guo Xiong Lue (《經國雄略》)'. Note its rolled, rather than folded, sails.

The Fu Chuan (福船, lit. 'Fujian ship'), also known as Bai Cao (白艚, lit. 'White junk'), was a class of Chinese sailing junk originating in Fujian. It was the most widely used and well-known of the "Four Great Ancient Ships" of China, and served as the mainstay of the Ming and Qing navies.

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Patreon post: Flaws and gaps of samurai armour

 

This article is a continuation of my previous armour comparison blog post, exploring various gaps and weakness of Japanese armour. The article is available to my patrons one month early, but it is open to public now!

The article can be accessed here. If you like my work, please support me via Patreon!

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Infantry formations of the Imjin War — Part 1

Zhejiang infantry formation

『遂命諸技, 一時呈技, 隊長在前, 橙牌居次, 砲手又居次, 筤筅、長搶、三枝搶, 又次次居之, 迭相進退, 左旋右抽, 各臻其妙。』

"(He) then ordered various branches to perform (their) skills together, captain at the front, (rattan) shields formed the next rank, gunners formed the rank after next, and Lang Xian, pikes, tridents formed subsequent ranks. Then (they) arrayed in intervals (and) advanced and retreated by turn, spun left and drawn right, each had its own ingeniousness."

— Korean description of Ming infantry formation under Chen Yin (陳寅) during a military demonstration.

『南兵每隊原有銅鍋外，每名椰瓢一箇，每隊斧二把，鎬頭一把。除銃兵牌手原有腰刀外，其筅、鎗、鎲手各要快利腰刀一把，不拘一式。狼筅鎲兵各帶火箭十枝。』

“Beside the copper pot originally given to every Southern troop squad, every (soldier) (should be given) a coconut ladle, every squad (should be given) two axes (and) one pickaxe. Beside the swords originally owned by gunners and shieldbearers, every other Lang Xian, pike, and Tang Pa troop should be given a sharp sword, irrespective of the types (of swords). Every Lang Xian and Tang Pa troop (should) carry ten rockets.”

— Excerpt of Jing Lue Fu Guo Yao Bian (《經略復國要編》), detailing various equipment provided to Ming Southern troops during the first invasion.

Conjectured Imjin War-era Ming Southern infantry formation. This image is cropped, edited and pieced together from various Ming military treatises and training manuals by myself.

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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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Zhao Shi Zhen's Ying Yang Che (鷹揚車)

UPDATED MAY 14, 2023

Left: Inner side of Ying Yang Che. Top Right: Outer side of Ying Yang Che. Bottom Right: A Ying Yang Che with folded protective screens for ease of transportation. From 'Shen Qi Pu (《神器譜》)'.

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The bare-footed militia of Changning

A barefoot She man from Luoyuan County. Image cropped from 'Huang Qing Zhi Gong Tu (《皇清職貢圖》)'.

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Po Chuan Fa (破船筏)

Drawing of a Po Chuan Fa, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Po Chuan Fa (破船筏, lit. 'Ship-breaking raft'), also known as Po Chuan Ge (破船舸, lit. 'Ship-breaking barge') was a simple yet effective anti-ship weapon designed for coastal and riverine warfare. It was essentially a heavy log raft assembled from five full-sized, three zhang long tree trunks, waterproofed with tung oil, caulked with putty and hemp, and installed with four to six paddle wheels. For armaments, three Po Zhou Chong (破舟銃, lit. 'Ship-breaking gun') which were essentially oversized Shen Qiang (神鎗) loaded with spear-sized steel darts, were mounted at the bow of the raft. A fully enclosed crew compartment was also built on the raft to allow the crews to operate the guns and paddle wheels in relative safety.

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Elite Unit of the Ming Dynasty — Jia Ding (家丁)

MINOR UPDATE JUNE 9, 2025

Armoured cavalry escorting a commander and a mandarin. From 'Kang Wo Tu Juan (《抗倭圖卷》)'.

As Ming empire began to weaken, its once-mighty military machine based on Wei-Suo System (衛所制) also fell into disarray. Soldiers were undertrained and underpaid, and desertion became increasingly rampant. Realising the worrying decline of the army's combat strength, some Ming commanders took it upon themselves to recruit and train better troops out of their own personal pockets. However, Ming Dynasty laws explicitly forbid its commanders to raise private armies, so these commanders exploited a loophole in the law—by categorising these private troops as Jia Ding (家丁), or "housemen/house servants" instead of soldiers. This was the origin of Jia Ding system.

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Patron only: A look into an interesting battle account

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Zhao Shi Zhen's Chong Feng Lei Dian Che (衝鋒雷電車)

From left to right: front view, side view and rear view of Chong Feng Lei Dian Che, from 'Shen Qi Pu (《神器譜》)'.

Chong Feng Lei Dian Che (衝鋒雷電車, lit. 'Assault lightning cart'), also known as Chong Feng Huo Che (衝鋒火車, lit. 'Assault fire cart'), was yet another war wheelbarrow designed by Ming firearm specialist Zhao Shi Zhen (趙士楨). True to its namesake, Chong Feng Lei Dian Che had a more offensive role compared to its smaller cousin. Specifically, it was a close-range incendiary attack weapon that functioned both as a mobile mantlet to protect sappers as they close in to their target under enemy fire, as well as being the primary incendiary weapon itself.

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Duo Qian Fang Pai (奪鉛防牌)

MINOR UPDATE JUNE 28, 2023

Drawing of a Duo Qian Fang Pai (highlighted), from 'Wu Bei Ji Yao (《武備集要》)'.

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Patron only: A brief overwiew of the invention and development of naval mine during the Ming Dynasty

A brief overview of the development of naval mine during Ming period. Article highlight includes limpet mine and a primitive torpedo.

This blog post is exclusive to my Patrons and can be accessed here. If you like my work so far, please support me via Patreon!

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Shui Di Long Wang Pao (水底龍王砲) and Hun Jiang Long (混江龍)

Shui Di Long Wang Pao (水底龍王砲, lit. 'Underwater dragon king bomb')

Drawing of Shui Di Long Wang Pao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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Jue Chong (钁銃)

Drawing of a Jue Chong, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Jue Chong (钁銃, lit. 'Mattock gun'), also known as Gou Tou Chong (勾頭銃, lit. 'Hooked head gun'), was an odd-looking firearm used for siege defence. It was simply a handgonne fixed perpendicularly to a five chi long wooden pole, designed to allow a gunner to shoot at enemy troops at the base of the wall without exposing himself.

Due to the inherent difficulties in aiming with this weapon, Jue Chong was typically loaded with six to seven lead balls to offset its low accuracy. Its muzzle was also sealed with paper in order to prevent the bullets from falling out of the barrel.

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Si Chuan Fei Shi (四川飛石)

Drawing of a Si Chuan Fei Shi, from 'Zhan Shou Quan Shu (《戰守全書》)'.

Si Chuan Fei Shi (四川飛石, lit. 'Sichuanese flying stone') was a type of lightweight, two-man operated traction trebuchet. True to its namesake, the trebuchet was commonly found in Sichuan, although it was also manufactured in Beijing during the twilight years of the Ming Dynasty.

Unlike other Chinese trebuchets, Si Chuan Fei Shi had a A-shaped arm mounted on a single pole, which allowed it to be propped on narrow places and pivot easily. This was presumably an adaptation to the mountainous, narrow and uneven terrain of western Sichuan, where many Tusi mountain fortresses stand.

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