In many costume TV series, we often see generals holding spears and fighting bravely. These "guns" are completely different from modern firearms and firearms, and are actually a unique long-handled cold weapon in ancient China.
Although the appearance of this ancient gun is simple, its design reflects the ingenuity and wisdom of the ancients. It is mainly composed of three parts: the head, the barrel and the cable. In some designs, a red rope or leopard skin is also decorated between the head and shaft, hence the names "red tassel gun" and "leopard tail gun".
The reason why this seemingly simple ** occupies an important place in history lies in its structural design. The most crucial part of this is the barrel of the gun, which is far from being as simple as a simple iron rod. The barrel of the gun not only needs to have enough strength and hardness to withstand the impact of combat, but also has some elasticity to increase flexibility and accuracy when used. In addition, the length and diameter of the barrel will also be adjusted appropriately according to the height and strength of the user to ensure optimal combat efficiency.
Therefore, the ancient spear is not only a kind of **, but also the crystallization of ancient craftsmanship and military tactical wisdom. Its extensive use in history not only shows the martial arts style of the Cold Weapon Age, but also reflects the deep understanding of the ancients on the craft and tactical application of weapons.
The spear, as a classic of ancient cold weapons, has a long history.
Its original form dates back to ancient times, and it was first used in chariot combat. Warriors on chariots often used spears with sharp edges as the main ** in battle.
In the Han Dynasty, the spear began to undergo morphological changes, gradually developing in a more delicate and small direction, and constantly evolved into the spear we know today. The emergence of the spear brought about a major tactical change on the battlefield, making the spearmen a powerful combat force and creating countless brilliant records.
In the early days of human history, people would tie sharp flint flakes to tree branches to create primitive spears for hunting and fighting. The heads of these spears are thin and sharp, the shafts are mostly made of wood, and are generally about two meters long. The original form of the spear is the result of the spear's original form by holding the wooden pole and using the momentum of the body's body to stab at the target.
With the advent of the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, the development of metal smelting technology led to a fundamental change in the material of the spear, and the head was made of harder bronze or iron, which significantly increased its lethality. By the Han Dynasty, the horse lance was a weapon, which was between a spear and a spear, with higher flexibility and sharpness, and could be regarded as the prototype of the spear.
In the Sui and Tang dynasties, the spear became the choice of many famous generals. These generals are not only highly skilled, but also use a variety of heavy spears, such as a silver-faced spear weighing 160 catties, and the power of marksmanship is awe-inspiring. At the same time, the spears in the army are constantly being improved to make them lighter and easier to handle.
By the Qing Dynasty, the tradition of using the spear was inherited and carried forward, and many famous generals preferred to let their soldiers refine their marksmanship. Among them, Yue Fei's Yuejia gun is a well-known tactic, and its power is so great that the enemy is terrified.
Over time, the spear gradually transformed from a battlefield into a martial art. Not only is the importance of the spear widely demonstrated in epic works such as "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", but the spear in actual history also reflects the decisive role of the spear in battle. The materials and processes used to make the barrels have also undergone an evolution from simple to complex, a change that has witnessed the progress of ancient crafts and the development of military tactics.
The art of making gun barrels began to mature in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties. As an emergency **, the spear gradually replaced the spear, and its production process was relatively simple, so that the spear was widely used in the army.
Long-lasting materials and processes vary depending on the time period and use. For example, guns used in combat vehicles are usually longer to facilitate the fighters in the vehicle to attack the enemy from a distance;Whereas, the guns used by infantry were relatively shorter and more suitable for hand-to-hand combat. Early gun shafts were mostly made of thicker diameter hardwood, which was strong but lacked sufficient elasticity and impact resistance. The process is relatively simple, just straightening, polishing and lacquering the hardwood.
Subsequently, it was discovered that wood with good flexibility such as ash wood was more suitable for making gun barrels. They can help samurai use more light and agile marksmanship. Wu Zhen, a military general of the Ming Dynasty, mentioned in his military book "Arm Record" that ox tendon wood is a high-quality material for making gun barrels. This wood is produced in Huizhou, which has excellent toughness after processing and is not easy to break.
In order to enhance the impact resistance of the gun barrel, composite materials began to be used in the manufacturing process later. This usually involves using beef tendon wood as the core, wrapping bamboo pieces on the outside, wrapping rattan or silk rope, and applying several layers of putty lacquer. This practice not only maintains the toughness of the barrel, but also adds a certain rigidity.
When making the barrel of the gun, the ancients would first soak the selected beef tendon wood in tung oil and repeatedly penetrate and soak it for about a month to ensure that the oil in the wood was sufficient to prevent cracking. After soaking, a thin piece of green bamboo is wrapped around the wood to enhance firmness and toughness.
To prevent slipping, a very thin piece of hemp rope is wrapped around the outside of the bamboo piece. Finally, the surface is brushed with three to five layers of bright vermilion lacquer that is antiseptic. Through this series of complex processes, a flexible and strong gun barrel can be made.
In some special cases, if possible, a higher quality horse lance will be selected as the core material. Unlike cow tendon wood, horse lance wood has high hardness and toughness, and the toughness after making is even better. In the process, the wood is bonded with tung oil and fish glue, then tightly bound with strips and coated with multiple layers of lacquer. Such a lance has very good elasticity and resilience. However, due to the high cost of materials and processes, it is usually only available to senior generals.
The entire process of making a gun barrel is very tedious and requires a high degree of skill on the part of the craftsman. From the selection of high-quality wood to the meticulous craftsmanship and maintenance, these skills are valuable lessons that have been passed down from generation to generation. The wisdom of ancient gun barrels is not only reflected in the choice of different woods and processing techniques, but also in how they skillfully balanced the characteristics of these materials, so that the barrels were both flexible and powerful, but also light and flexible to exert their maximum lethality as cold weapons.
As a cold weapon that has been tested for thousands of years, the power of the gun lies not only in its design, but also in the skill of the user. To get the most out of the gun, it depends not only on the strength of the arms, but also on the power of the waist and abdomen.
Although guns and spears are similar in appearance, there are essential differences in the way they are used. The spear relies more on the explosive power of the shoulders and arms, while the key to marksmanship is to use the waist and abdomen as the core of power. This explosive power from the waist and abdomen is the killer weapon of the gun.
Guns have much more obvious advantages over swords. It can easily break through hard armor and deal heavy damage to enemies. Even beginners can easily inflict a fatal blow on the enemy with the use of a gun. This super lethality made the gun widely popular in the Warring States period and became a must-have for soldiers.
The use of the gun requires the athlete to use the powerful waist and abdominal muscles to drive the whole body, so that the gun head draws a smooth arc trajectory in the air. When the hilt meets the enemy's blade, the impact and inertia of the gun head are still strong. Even if the first hit is missed, a skilled gunner can quickly adjust the direction of the handle and continuously adjust the angle of attack to maintain the attack.
This seemingly simple marksmanship actually contains profound skills. The power of the gun, while powerful, is not for everyone to reach its full potential. For example, although Yuan Shao had 10,000 iron horsemen under his command, all armed with sharp guns, they were still inferior to Guan Yunchang's marksmanship.
This shows that the way the gun is used is crucial. The right use can create the "King of a Hundred Soldiers" in cold weapons. The use of guns focuses on a combination of strength and skill, rather than relying solely on agility and agility in the wrists and arms.
The way the gun was used was very different from other weapons, and the drive of the waist force made the marksmanship varied, so that many excellent marksmanship masters were trained. From ancient times to the present, many heroes in literary works, such as Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Ma Chao among the Five Tiger Generals of the Shu Han Dynasty, are all masters of using spears.
The flexibility of the gun far exceeds that of other weapons, mainly due to the small contact area of the gun head and the light weight of the gun body. Historically, guns have almost never been removed from the battlefield and are still shown in movies and television to this day. The importance of "waist strength" in marksmanship has been passed down from generation to generation.
Guns are also one of the oldest in human use. In prehistoric times, ancestors began to inlay sharp weapons into wooden sticks to make spears for hunting. The original spear tip was usually made of flint or animal bone, and later with the advent of metal tools, the ** structure was gradually perfected. However, the basic action law of using the waist and hips to drive the arms to wave has gone through thousands of years of precipitation and is still used today.