Crossbows of the Ming Dynasty

MINOR UPDATE MARCH 05, 2024

Drawing of a crossbow, from 'Chou Hai Tu Bian (《籌海圖編》)'.

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Unique weapon of the Ming Dynasty — Zhu Ge Nu (諸葛弩)

Repeating crossbow is one of the unique inventions of China. Although the invention is commonly attributed to Zhu Ge Liang (诸葛亮), the basic design actually predates him by several centuries.

Liang Shi Bing She Lian Fa Nu (兩矢并射連發弩, lit. 'Double-shot rapid fire crossbow')

Earliest surviving example of a repeating crossbow, excavated from a Chu tomb. Currently kept at Jingzhou Museum.

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Shao Lin Gun (少林棍)

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 quarterstaff) was a simple quarterstaff measuring eight chi to eight chi five cun in length and two and a half to three jin in weight. It was usually slightly longer than Da Bang (大棒), another Chinese quarterstaff, but lighter. There was also an iron version of Shao Lin Gun, which was one chi shorter, but weighed five times as much as the wooden version.

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