Xiang Mo Chu (降魔杵)

Drawing of a Xiang Mo Chu (right), from 'Jin Tang Jie Zhu Shi Er Chou (《金湯借箸十二籌》) '.

Xiang Mo Chu (降魔杵, lit. 'Demon-subduing pestle', or Vajra) was a simple yet effective siege defence weapon designed to counter siege tower. It was simply a long battering ram mounted on top of fortress wall, designed to be used in conjunction with pole hooks to immobilise enemy siege tower so that it could be destroyed more easily.

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Li Pai (立牌)

Different types of Song Dynasty Li Pai. From 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

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Enemy of the Ming — Burmese Toungoo Empire

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

Statue of Bayinnaung, legendary warrior king of the Toungoo Empire.

Rise of the Burmese

The Burmese Toungoo Dynasty, also known as the First Toungoo Empire, was the largest and most powerful empire in the history of Southeast Asia, perhaps second only to the Ming Empire itself. Under its early kings Tabinshwehti and Bayinnaung, the Toungoo Empire was vigorously expansionist, annexing Hanthawaddy Kingdom, Ava Kingdom, Prome Kingdom, Manipur, Lan Na Kingdom, Lan Xang Kingdom, Ayutthaya Kingdom, and large portions of Shan States through military conquest.

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