Records of Military Armament, Volume 133

Military Equipment: Fire (Section 8)

Illustrated Explanations of Firearms (Part 2)

Page 8

Construct the device using six pieces of hardwood. These staves are shaped so they are narrow on the inside and wide on the outside; when joined according to the diagram, they form a unified circular body three feetOriginal: chi (尺). In the Ming dynasty, this was approximately 31–32 cm. in length.

The internal depth from the upper mouth to the bellyOriginal: fu (腹), referring to the internal chamber where the charge sits. is two feet. The bottom consists of one foot of solid wood, featuring an internal "shoulder" to support the charge.

A single sub-chamberOriginal: zichong (子銃). This is a smaller vessel inserted into the main barrel to hold the powder, acting as a breech-loading or sacrificial component. is used, with a wall thickness of five tenths of an inchOriginal: fen (分), 1/10th of a cun.. It measures five inches in diameter and five inches in height. It is used solely to be packed full of gunpowder. After it is fired, expect it to be damaged or shattered by the force of the blast.

The internal diameter of the wooden cannon's mouth is six inches. If a larger opening is desired, the size may be adjusted at the user’s discretion; however, the dimensions must always be governed by the size of the iron hoopsOriginal: tiegu (鐵箍). used to bind it. At the upper mouth, the wood is three inches thick. The base of the barrel is made of solid wood; from the exterior surface to the interior point where the staves meet, the thickness is six inches. For projectiles, use hard stones shaped to fit the mouth. As there are skilled craftsmen within the army, their services should be employed whenever needed to construct these.

If the weapon is to be used for land warfare, first finish the woodwork by joining the six staves into a single body. Use iron hoops to bind them tightly, following the provided diagram. Separately, prepare the sub-chamber by first installing the fuseOriginal: yaoxian (藥線), literally "powder thread." and packing the gunpowder firmly inside. At the touch-hole on the outside of the sub-chamber, use one taelOriginal: liang (兩), a unit of weight approximately 37 grams. of powder to wrap the fuse, then lower it into the wooden barrel. Ensure the fuse hole is left slightly large, and use coarse...