Fei Chui (飛鎚)

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

Read more

Xiu Jian (袖箭)

Xiu Jian (袖箭, lit. 'Sleeve arrow')

Drawing of a Xiu Jian (highlighted), from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

A Xiu Jian was a simple dart with weighted arrowhead. It was usually kept hidden inside its user's sleeves (traditional Chinese clothing had long and broad sleeves), hence its namesake. Although Xiu Jian could also be thrown like a normal throwing dart, it was presumably launched directly from the sleeve with so-called gunslinger throw method. Unlike later models, Ming-style Xiu Jian did not come with spring-loaded launch tube.

Read more

Li Tou Biao (犁頭鏢)

Li Tou Biao (犁頭鏢, lit. 'Plough head javelin')

Drawing of a Li Tou Biao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Li Tou Biao was a type of specialised harpoon designed for naval warfare. Unlike regular javelin, Li Tou Biao had a very long shaft and weighted spearhead. It was designed to be thrown from a high place (i.e. a fighting top of a large warship) at a target positioned at lower place (i.e. a small boat, enemy boarding parties. etc.), in a fashion not unlike traditional spearfishing. The heavy spearhead of Li Tou Biao could damage or even outright punch through a smaller boat.

Read more

Teng Pai (藤牌), Yao Dao (腰刀) and Biao Qiang (鏢鎗)

The three principal equipments of a Chinese Teng Pai Shou (藤牌手, rattan shieldman) are his Teng Pai (藤牌) shield, his Yao Dao (腰刀) sword, and his Biao Qiang (鏢鎗) javelin.

Teng Pai (藤牌, lit. 'Rattan shield')

Drawing of a Teng Pai, from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'.

Originated from Fujian province, the Teng Pai was one of the more common shield types used by the Ming army. Rattan/wisteria shield outperforms wooden shield in almost every conceivable way—it was cheaper, lighter, more flexible, and sturdier than wooden shield, plus it did not splinter nor split along the grain (as rattan has no wood grain). However, rattan cannot grow in North China (which is colder and drier), so Ming troops from that region had to settle for Tuan Pai (團牌, lit. 'Round shield'), a variant made from woven wicker and covered with leather or rawhide.

The average size of a Ming period rattan shield was two chi five cun  to three chi in diameter. Chinese rattan shield usually did not feature metal shield boss (although exceptions existed), unlike similar shields in Xizang and Southeast Asia region.

Yao Dao (腰刀, lit. 'Waist sabre')

A Yao Dao and scabbard, from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'.

Yao Dao was a generic name for one-handed Chinese sabre normally used in conjunction with a rattan shield. 

Biao Qiang (鏢鎗, lit. 'Javelin')

Drawing of a Biao Qiang, from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'.

Also known as Fei Biao (飛鏢, lit. 'Flying dart'), Biao Qiang was a type of light javelin. Its primary purpose was to distract the enemy, although it could still be lethal if it hit an unprotected vital spot.

Read more