Jian Qiang (劍鎗)

UPDATED 10 OCT, 2023

Drawing of a Jian Qiang with its stock, from 'Shi Lv (《師律》)'.

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Da Zhui Feng Qiang (大追風槍)

UPDATED DECEMBER 19, 2023, minor update NOVEMBER 12, 2024

Da Zhui Feng Qiang (大追風鎗, lit. 'Great wind chasing gun')

Drawing of a Da Zhui Feng Qiang, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Da Zhui Feng Qiang, also known as Zhui Feng Qiang (追風鎗, lit. 'Wind chasing gun') and Zhui Feng Pao (追風砲, lit. 'Wind chasing cannon'), was a late Ming period heavy handgonne that possibly modified back from a matchlock gun to simplify the reloading process. Zhui Feng Qiang had a four chi four cun long gun barrel equipped with front and rear iron sight, a stock similar to that of a matchlock gun, as well as an iron tripod gun rest. It was typically loaded with a six qian five fen (24 g) lead ball, as well as six qian (22 g) of gunpowder, making it far more powerful than a typical arquebus.  

Lacking a matchlock mechanism, Zhui Feng Qiang was ignited directly through its touch hole, and thus required a second operator.

Zi Mu Zhui Feng Qiang (子母追風鎗, lit. 'Mother-and-child wind chasing gun')

Late Ming period Liaodong commander Peng Hao Gu (彭簪古) also devised an upsized Da Zhui Feng Qiang with twice the barrel length. Designed to be mounted on ramparts and battlements, Zi Mu Da Zhui Feng Qiang was more powerful than even a heavy musket, although its tremendous length posed a problem for muzzle reloading, necessitating further modification to allow the weapon to be reloaded from an open breech.

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Fei Kong Sha Tong (飛空砂筒)

Fei Kong Sha Tong (飛空砂筒, lit. 'Flying sand tube')

Drawings of Fei Kong Sha Tong and its launch tube, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Fei Kong Sha Tong (飛空砂筒), also known as Fei Kong Shen Sha Huo (飛空神砂火, lit. 'Flying divine sand fire') was a very strange rocket designed to blast poisoned sand to blind enemy soldiers. It was essentially a narrow bamboo slip (which serves as flight stabiliser) with two opposing rockets and a warhead attached to one end, all connected to a single fuse. Several iron barbs were also attached to the bamboo slip so that the rocket could catch onto its target before detonation. 

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