Jin Army Silk-Bowed Crossbows

Timeline

1. 1161Shouchun–Caishi line · Huai WestIn 1161 Wanyan Liang divided his forces to march south; Jin crossbowmen deployed with the main force at Shouchun and elsewhere, using silk-bowed strong crossbows in volleys to suppress Song archers; in siege and field engagements, bed crossbows and infantry crossbows coordinated with Iron Pagoda charges, forming a 'crossbow fire—cavalry charge' combination. Song sources described Jin 'crossbow bolts like rain,' reflecting the dense use of the Jin silk-bow crossbow system in the 1161 campaign.
2. 1162–1170Zhongdu (present-day Beijing) · North ChinaAfter Wanyan Liang's death, Emperor Shizong of Jin ascended the throne; in the mid-to-late 1160s he reorganized crossbow production and storage at Zhongdu and the military offices of the circuits: silk-stringed bow limbs required regular replacement, crossbow triggers were cast in fine bronze, and manufacture and inspection were supervised by crossbow-administering officials of the military offices. Although Song-Jin relations eased during the Dading era, garrisons on the northern frontier and in the interior maintained crossbowman quotas, and the silk-bow crossbow continued to be fielded as the Jin army's standard ranged weapon.