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Title
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Engraved Bronze Crossbow Mechanism
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Collection Location
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National Palace Museum
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Date
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Wei Kingdom, 228 CE
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Location
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Wei Kingdom (territory covers modern day Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, northern Hubei, and central Liaoning)
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Description
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This engraved bronze crossbow mechanism held by the National Palace Museum is dated to 228 CE during the Wei Kingdom’s rule in the Three Kingdoms period. It was unearthed within Wei Kingdom territory.
The mechanism comprises 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 two small 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 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. The bronze axle pin at the front of the casing is missing from this specimen.
There are engravings on the crossbow mechanism, however the museum does not provide a transcription. But from the images shown, it can at least be made out that there are engravings that indicate the specific date of manufacture. On the image depicting a flat surface of engraved words, the words “太和二年” (taihe er nian), meaning “the second year of Taihe” can be made out. Taihe is a reign title used by the Wei emperor of the time to designate the period of his reign. Taihe began in 227 CE, so the second year of Taihe corresponds to 228 CE.
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Source
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National Palace Museum
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Crossbow Top Measurements
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Length: 18.5cm
Width: 14.2cm
Thickness: 4.3cm
