The Origins of Mechanized Ranged Combat:

The Development of the Chinese Crossbow

The Creation of Crossbow Technology

Historically China has had many factors which have driven innovation and invention, of which perhaps one of the greatest forces has been that of the ever present need for new military technological. To this end, what may have had its humble origins as a strung and unattended bow used as an animal trap, went on to became one of China’s most devastating long range weapons. It is this weapon technology, that of the crossbow and its advancements, that may have given rise to countless other technologies in its wake. Where it not for the strides made in ranged warfare other aspects of Chinese civilization may not have developed as they did.

Perhaps one of the earliest references to the use of a cross bow is contained in the manuscripts of The Mozi in the 4th and 3rd

centuries B.C. In these manuscripts Mozi had described the use of giant crossbow like devices used during a siege campaign.

Additionally, reliable records of the first uses of crossbows can be traced to references of their use during the Battle of Maling as a means of ranged stealth attacks at night, as well as in The Art of War by Sun Tzu as a means of raining fire arrows down upon opponents encampments from a great distance.

The First Appearance of the Crossbow

The advantages of using these larger crossbows to engage an enemy from greater distances than a hand held bow, seem to have been an obvious choice to the Chinese, yet it was also the initially shorter ranged hand held units that later provided to be an invaluable asset to the standard Chinese military units until the 18th century. There also existed additional advantages for Chinese civilization in shifting to the use of mechanisms to control the firing of a bow that will be discussed in later slides.

Benefits of Crossbow Technology in Warfare

Untrained ForcesOne of the first advantages to be realized through the use of crossbows during the Eastern Zhou period was as an effective means of turning a peasant militia into an effective ranged unit. With the bow string held in place by the mechanism and stock, farmers could be made into useful archers with little training. There was some trade off in terms of draw control and reload time, but this was made up for in accuracy and simplicity of use.

Increases in Power and Capacity

Another advantage to the use of crossbows, over that of normal bows, came about thorough the discovery of new ways of handling the stringing of the bow and projectile delivery of the crossbows. These advancements occurred in several forms as follows.

Scaling up of the technology Increased complexity of the technology Refinement of the primary principles and mechanics related

to the production and use of the technology

Larger VersionsThe Mohist version of the crossbow, descried by Mozi to have been used during the middle Spring and Autumn period, appears to have been an oversized version of the standard hand held crossbow that may have used a crank system to pull the enormous draw of the weapon back, as opposed to the hand drawing used on smaller crossbows.

Multiple ProjectilesThe Lian Nu may have been developed during the Spring and Autumn period but came into use during the Warring States period continued advancement by using multiple projectiles which rode on groves set in the stock or track. This increased the number of projectiles, but at a cost of reducing their power on hand held crossbows.

Increase Rate of FireThe Zhuge Nu, which was most likely invented during the late Spring and Autumn period, increased the number of projectiles that could be launched from crossbows by means of an auto loading magazine that did not reduce firepower. Some models later used both multiplier methods for devastatingly dense, yet under powered, close range barrages.

Rapid Fire Mechanism

Increased Power and Range

The Chuangzi Nu, created during the Warring States period brought about the final major evolution of crossbow technology by means of allowing for multiple bows to be strung in such a way as too multiply its power and range. The increase in power made it an armor piercing weapon at short range, while the increased range allowed for it to be used effectively at incredible long distances to fire at unarmored targets.

Effects on Global Militarization

One hypothetical, yet highly plausible outcome of the creation of Chinese crossbows can be found in the design of modern weapons. Though many possible factors come into play, it is highly unlikely that the shape of pistols, rifles, and missile barrage trucks do not reflect some influence based on the thousands of years these types of weapons existed prior to gunpowder, in the form of kinetic energy transfer via a Crossbow and its release mechanism. Additionally, the concept of modular units for weapon repairs is a legacy that is still being improved on today in such forms as quick replace modular units in military vehicles and structures.

Development of Peripheral TechnologiesDuring China’s evolution of ancient military technology, the crossbow may have brought about more than the ability to attack foes at greater distances or with less skilled combatants. In reality there may exist a number of other advances to Chinese culture that can be directly linked to the increasing demands for crossbows and the technology that went into their production and use. Such examples include the following.

Concept of mass production Refinement of metallurgy specific to mechanics Increase understanding of gear mechanics

Skilled Labor and Mass ProductionOriginally, the production of bronze mechanism that allowed for the operation of the crossbow was handled by skilled craftsman whose job it was to produce each individual mechanism for a crossbow. This process soon gave way to what is perhaps the first example of mass production, line assembly, and modular application of a mechanized weapon design in history. By means of producing completely self contained trigger and release mechanisms, the Chinese where able to assemble parts from mass produced molds that could be plugged directly into stocks and secured by two bolts. This process also allowed for quick and easy replacement of broken units or removing the units for transport as an added security to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.

Example Trigger Housings

Models and Metallurgy

Though Chinese metallurgy would have advanced regardless of the invention of the crossbows, it would seem unlikely to consider that it would have progressed at the same pace. One reason for this would be that even though arrow heads where being produced in the millions, the creation of peasant militias equipped with the new ranged weapons would have facilitated the need to make these bolt tips faster and easier to met the demands of the millions more that would be used. This demand would have spurred the use of sets of multi pour molds to make the heads of the bolts without shaping, while also increasing the demand for metals that where easier to produce yet sufficiently strong. This may have strengthened the adoption of iron as a the new metal for military purposes.

Clock Work Precision

One of the greatest inventions of the Chinese culture was that of the mechanical clock. Yet little is said of the knowledge that must have already been possessed to make such a device. Even though knowledge of the gear, such as those used in a crank mechanism where known to the Chinese prior to crossbows, the constant refinement of triggers, levers, and cranks for the purpose of making crossbows faster, easier, and more powerful would have advanced this technology along at a greater pace as well. For example, the Crossbow guilds of the Tang dynasty did not exist merely as a meeting place for those that liked to used crossbows, but as a place of knowledge and study in the art of crossbow manufacture and its related mechanics.

Ultimate Outcome of the Creation of the Chinese Crossbow

As many advances in technology throughout history have resulted in civil and military applications, so to has the Chinese creation of the crossbow. While remaining at the foreground of ranged weapon technology for nearly two thousand years, this would not have been possible were it not for the mechanical advancements that were needed to facilitate its constant progress. In this way, the Chinese crossbow will always be viewed as a effective and long lasting weapons technology, but should not be over looked as one of the primary precursors to the industrial age of mass production that depended on mechanical parts and the technology that went into their production.

Text Sources UsedEbrey, Patricia. Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Benn, Charles. China’s Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty. Oxford University Press, 2004.

Sun Tzu, The Art of War. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984.

Williams, David, Mass-Produced Pre-Han Chinese Bronze Crossbow Triggers: Unparalleled Manufacturing Technology in the Ancient World, Arms & Armour, Vol. 5 No. 2, 2008, 142–153

Mayer, K.P., On Variations in the Shapes of the Components of the Chinese nu-chi (Crossbow Latch) T'oung Pao, Second Series, Vol. 52, Livr. 1/3 (1965), pp. 1-7

Web Sources Usedhttp://ctext.org/mozi

http://www.grandhistorian.com/chinesesiegewarfare/index-english12122007.html

http://www.atarn.org/chinese/bjng_xbow/bjng_xbow.htm

http://www.atarn.org/chinese/rept_xbow.htm

http://ancientstandard.com/2007/06/29/a-brief-history-of-the-crossbow-ca-4th-c-bc-%E2%80%93-onward/