Pen Tong (噴筒)

MINOR UPDATE JUNE 9, 2025

Pen Tong (噴筒, lit. 'Spurt tube') was a type of important but often overlooked gunpowder weapon of the Ming Dynasty. Nothing more than a hollow tube filled with various types of gunpowder, the weapon nevertheless remained a crucial weapon in the Ming arsenal.

Man Tian Pen Tong (滿天噴筒, lit. 'Sky-filling spurt tube')

Drawing of a Man Tian Pen Tong, from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'.

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Dang Tian Mie Kou Yin Yang Chan (蕩天滅寇陰陽鏟)

UPDATED MAY 24, 2022

Drawing of a Dang Tian Mie Kou Yin Yang Chan, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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Yi Hu Chong (翼虎銃)

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

Yi Hu Chong (翼虎銃, lit. 'Winged tiger gun'), sometimes also known as Yi Hu Pao (翼虎砲, lit. 'Winged tiger cannon') was a rare type of fire lance with three bamboo barrels and five hooks. It was a fairly long weapon, measuring one zhang five chi in length, and shot lead or iron shots.

Not to be confused with another weapon with the same name.

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