Great Ming Military

Drawing of a Lang Ya Bang, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

The proper Chinese name for mace is Gu Duo (骨朵), which was a corruption of Gua Zhun (胍肫), meaning big belly or flower bud. It was also kn...

Drawing of a Shao Lin Gun, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'. Named after the famous Shaolin Monastery , Shao Lin Gun (少林棍, Shaolin qua...

Fang Tian Hua Ji (方天畫戟, lit. 'Square sky decorated halberd') Drawing of a Fang Tian Ji (highlighted), from 'Si Zhen San Guan...

San Jian Liang Ren Dao of the Ming period, private collection. The San Jian Liang Ren Dao (三尖兩刃刀, lit. 'Three-pointed double-edged bla...

Song Jiang (宋江) employs hooked spears to counter the chained cataphracts of Huyan Zhuo (呼延灼). From a Ming period print of Water Margin...

Drawing of a Yan Yue Dao, from 'Chou Hai Tu Bian (《籌海圖編》)'. Yan Yue Dao (偃月刀, lit. 'Reclining moon glaive'), also known...

An ornate Po Dao once belonged to Taiping general Luo Da Gang (羅大綱). Private Collection. Po Dao was a type of Chinese sword or glaive wi...