Xiu Jian (袖箭)

Xiu Jian (袖箭, lit. 'Sleeve arrow')

Drawing of a Xiu Jian (highlighted), from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

A Xiu Jian was a simple dart with weighted arrowhead. It was usually kept hidden inside its user's sleeves (traditional Chinese clothing had long and broad sleeves), hence its namesake. Although Xiu Jian could also be thrown like a normal throwing dart, it was presumably launched directly from the sleeve with so-called gunslinger throw method. Unlike later models, Ming-style Xiu Jian did not come with spring-loaded launch tube.

Read more

Yu Da You's battle formations

Although Yu Da You (俞大猷) was not as well-known as the legendary Qi Ji Guang (戚繼光), especially to modern audience, during his time he was a renowned commander and celebrated hero, and every bit as capable as Qi Ji Guang, if not moreso. Yu Da You's tactics and formations had profound influence over commanders and tacticians that came after him, including Qi Ji Guang and Xu Guang Qi (徐光啟).

Basic Tactic

Unlike Qi Ji Guang, who had a relatively smooth rise to prominence, Yu Da You's military career was nothing short of miserable. He frequently faced obstacles and hostilities from within and without the Ming court, his contributions intentionally downplayed or stolen by others, and his achievements rewarded with punishments. As such, Yu Da You did not have the luxury of raising, equipping and training a fresh army like what Qi Ji Guang did with Qi Jia Jun (戚家軍), and had to make do with whatever troops assigned to him at the time. Such was the charisma and capacity of the legendary commander that he was always able to turn a ragtag bunch of misfits into formidable warriors and disciplined soldiers.

It was also due to this circumstance that Yu Da You did not go into detail about equipment for his formations. Any and every kinds of weapons could be used, although Yu Da You preferred shorter polearms such as Hu Cha (虎叉, tiger fork), Tang Pa (鎲鈀) and Gou Lian Dao (鈎鐮刀), probably because he himself was a quarterstaff master of legendary calibre. The smallest tactical unit in Yu Da You's battle formations was Dui (隊) of five troops. A basic formation consisted of five Dui working together, although it could be upscaled or downscaled as needed.

Die Zhen (疊陣, lit. 'Stacked formation')

A Die Zhen, from 'Zheng Qi Tang Ji (《正氣堂集》)'.

Read more

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》)'.

Read more