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Ming Army Hand Cannons and the Shenji Camp

Type Object Region China Time 1400–1420

Bronze hand cannons developed in the early Ming from late-Yuan firearms, together with the Shenji Camp established to employ them, formed the core of…

Timeline

  1. 1410–1412Beijing · BeijingDuring the Yongle reign the court established the Shenji Camp in the capital, dedicated to firearms drill and combat. Equipped with bronze hand cannons, bowl-mouth cannons, and Shenji arrows, it formed an infantry-cavalry coordinated firearms tactical system and became a standing elite force of the Ming army.
  2. 1414Kherlen (Hulan Hushiwen) · Mongolian PlateauIn the twelfth year of Yongle the Ming army campaigned north against the Mongols; Shenji Camp hand cannons and Shenji arrows played an important role at the Battle of Kherlen. Firearms volleys effectively suppressed Mongol cavalry charges, marking a landmark case of large-scale field use of firearms in the early Ming.
  3. 1418–1420Cannon-casting workshops near the Nanjing Treasure Ship Yard · NanjingIn the later Yongle reign the court continued to press various regions to cast hand cannons; excavated artifacts bearing dated inscriptions show that bronze cannon output increased and forms became more uniform between 1418 and 1420. Shenji Camp regulations were also gradually perfected, and firearms supply was incorporated into routine capital camp logistics.

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