Xuan Feng Pao (旋風砲)

Drawing of a Xuan Feng Pao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Xuan Feng Pao (旋風砲, lit. 'Whirlwind trebuchet') was a type of traction trebuchet first invented in China but later spread westwards to Middle East and Europe. It was a "single pole" type trebuchet with its axle and frame mounted on the top of a single pole.

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Chinese arming garments: A preliminary look

UPDATED MAY 8, 2022

A recent comment from my other blog post reminds me that I have yet to write anything about Chinese arming garments, so this is the blog post that aims to provide some insight into various garments worn under and over Chinese armour. Unfortunately, there are very few written records and archaeological finds of Chinese armour padding, so I have to turn to period novels like Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin (both of which reflect the fashion of author's time) and other pictorial sources for reference. As such, be warned that this blog post is only a preliminary look and very much incomplete, although it is the best I can come out with until more information surfaces.

A divine messenger wearing the full suite of kerchief (light yellow) over Fu Tou (black), neckerchief (light yellow), Zhan Pao (green), Xiu Shan (red with blue border), Guo Du (light blue) and Han Yao (embroidered), but without visible armour. From 'San Jie Chi Fu Si Zhi Shi Zhe (《三界持符四直使者》)'.

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Elite Unit of the Ming Dynasty — Jia Ding (家丁)

MINOR UPDATE NOVEMBER 24, 2025

Armoured cavalry escorting a commander and a mandarin. From 'Kang Wo Tu Juan (《抗倭圖卷》)'.

As Ming empire began to weaken, its once-mighty military machine based on Wei-Suo System (衛所制) also fell into disarray. Realising the worrying decline of the army's combat strength, some Ming commanders took it upon themselves to recruit and train better troops out of their own personal pockets. However, Ming Dynasty laws explicitly forbade its commanders to raise private armies, so these commanders exploited a loophole in the law—by categorising these private troops as Jia Ding (家丁), or "housemen/house servants", instead of soldiers. This was the origin of Jia Ding System.

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