Shen Qiang (神鎗)

Early Ming variant

Drawing of a dart-shooting Shen Qiang, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Shen Qiang (神鎗, lit. 'Divine gun' or 'Divine spear'), also known as Shen Ji Chong (神機銃, lit. 'Divine engine gun') and Shen Ji Huo Qiang (神機火鎗, lit. 'Divine engine fire lance'), was a  handgonne of the early Ming Dynasty. It was primarily designed to shoot a heavy metal-tipped dart made of Ceylon ironwood, said to be powerful enough to punch through two men and a horse at the same time, although it could also shoot lead shots or shrapnel.

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Famous Military Unit of the Ming Dynasty — Tian Xiong Jun (天雄軍)

Bust of Lu Xiang Sheng, Museum of Famous Historical Figures, Yixing.

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Maces of the Ming Dynasty

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 known as Chui (錘, can be written as 鎚, meaning hammer), the later term is more common in modern usage.

Suan To Gu Duo (蒜頭骨朵, lit. 'Garlic mace')

Drawing of a Suan Tou Gu Duo, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Suan Tou Gu Duo was a mace with a garlic- or pumpkin-shaped mace head.

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