Chinese Bed-Mounted Crossbows

Timeline

1. c. 1240–1245Lin'an · ZhejiangThe Southern Song military ordnance supervisory office standardized bed-mounted crossbow dimensions and winding manpower according to texts such as the Wujing Zongyao; major river fortresses were equipped with dozens to over a hundred crossbows according to city size, with dedicated crossbow teams responsible for loading and aiming.
2. 1241–1250Huainan (west of the Huai River) · AnhuiDuring the continuing Song-Mongol war, cities in Huainan and the Jingxiang region used volleys of bed-mounted crossbows to halt the advance of Mongol siege engines; giant bolts could pierce wooden shields and siege-shed roofs, making them a key means of delaying the fall of cities.
3. 1245–1250Xiangyang · HubeiThe Southern Song experimented at strategic fortresses such as Xiangyang with linked bed-mounted crossbows firing three bolts from one bow, combining with rockets and firearms to form a multi-layered firepower network atop the walls; bed-mounted crossbow tactics matured by the mid-13th century.