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Title
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Crossbow Mechanism
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Collection Location
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National Palace Museum
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Date
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Undated
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Location
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China
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Description
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This crossbow mechanism held by the National Palace Museum is undated. The specific location of its unearthing is not listed.
The mechanism is made of bronze and comprises the typical parts of a Chinese crossbow mechanism. In the photo, the mechanism is positioned upside down. Thus, in the display, the long rectangular protrusion at the bottom of the mechanism is the sight, or wangshan (望山). A part of the same component and hidden within the casing is the nut, or ya (牙). It is not visible from any of the photos here due to the angle of the mechanism. The rectangular handle at the top of the mechanism is the trigger, or xuandao (悬刀), and within the casing sticking out of the opposite side of the trigger 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. A look at the bottom of the mechanism shows how the sear connects with the trigger and the sight and nut.
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Source
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National Palace Museum
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Crossbow Top Measurements
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Length: 11.5cm
Wide: 14.4cm
Thickness: 5.4cm
