Ji Li (蒺藜)

A string of caltrops, from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'.

Ji Li (蒺藜, lit. 'Puncturevine') was the Chinese name for caltrop. It was usually made of iron, although sometimes wood was used instead. Multiple caltrops, usually five or six, were often strung together with a one bu long rope, so that they could be deployed quickly and retrieved for latter use. Stringed caltrops could be hung on Ai Pai (挨牌) or spear shaft for ease of transportation.

Beside deploying caltrops via normal means, Ming Chinese also used grenades, land mines and explosive shells filled with caltrops.

Standard, four-pointed caltrop was sometimes known as Ling Jiao (菱角, lit. 'Water caltrop'), while caltrop cooked in human feces to inflict infection was called Gui Jian (鬼箭).

A four-pointed wooden caltrop (lower left) and two four-pointed iron caltrops (lower right), from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

A multi-point iron caltrop (highlighted), from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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Weaponised shields of the Ming Dynasty

MINOR UPDATE JANUARY 2, 2024

Throughout the long history of Ming Dynasty, the Chinese had developed all kinds of combination weapons, and shield was no exception. Unlike most other Ming combination weapons which are often gimmicky and impractical, These shields were somewhat more practical and saw limited field use, although they were still far from the most common equipment on the battlefield. 

It should be noted that shields that only have built-in gun loops, such as Wu Di Shen Pai (無敵神牌), as well as firearms that have gun shields, like Xun Lei Chong (迅雷銃), are not covered by this blog post.

Shen Xing Po Zhen Meng Huo Dao Pai (神行破陣猛火刀牌, lit. 'Marvelous travelling, formation breaking, raging fire blade shield')

Drawing of a Shen Xing Po Zhen Meng Huo Dao Pai, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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Shen Wei Lie Huo Ye Cha Chong (神威烈火夜叉銃)

UPDATED MAY 24, 2022

Drawing of a Shen Wei Lie Huo Ye Cha Chong, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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