-
Title
-
Bronze Crossbow Mechanism
-
Collection Location
-
National Palace Museum
-
Date
-
Han Dynasty - Six Dynasties (202 BCE - 589 CE)
-
Location
-
China
-
Description
-
This crossbow mechanism held by the National Palace Museum is dated between the Han and Six dynasties period. Its specific location of unearthing is not listed.
The mechanism is made of bronze and it comprises most of the typical parts of a Chinese crossbow mechanism. The long rectangular protrusion at the top of the mechanism is the sight, or wangshan (望山) the museum description states that there are silver inlays on the sight as aiming guides, but these inlays are not visible from any angle in the given photographs. The two small triangular hooks sticking out in front of the sight are a part of the same component as the wangshan and serve as the nut, or ya (牙). The rectangular handle at the bottom of the mechanism is the trigger, or xuandao (悬刀), and within the casing there is a sear, or gouxin (钩心) connecting the sight and nut and the trigger. The mechanism is held together by two bronze axle pins and held within a rectangular bronze casing called the guo (郭) which has a groove that goes down the middle of its top surface which would continue onto the wooden stock of the crossbow. This groove would be where the arrow rests during drawing and aiming.
According to the museum description, this crossbow mechanism is recorded in Rong Qing’s old collection “Songzhai Jijin Records”
-
Source
-
National Palace Museum
-
Crossbow Top Measurements
-
Length: 16cm
Width: 9.1cm
Thickness: 2.9cm
