Sancai Tuhui (Vol. 50)

These cannons are constructed from iron and measure five to six feet in length. They are characterized by a "large belly" the breech section and a "long neck" the barrel. Within the breech, there is a long opening designed to hold five "sub-cannons" zichong removable breech chambers that allowed for rapid reloading which are loaded with gunpowder and inserted into the breech one after another to be fired in rotation. The exterior of the cannon is encased in wood and bound with iron hoops to prevent the weapon from bursting under the pressure of the blast.

On naval vessels, four or five of these cannons are positioned on each side beneath the gunwales, allowing them to be fired discreetly from within the ship's cabins. If an enemy vessel draws near and is struck by a single projectile, its hull planks will be shattered, causing water to pour in and the ship to leak. Because of this weapon, these people roam the seas at will, and no other nation can oppose them.

At the time of a campaign against sea pirates, an interpreter presented one of these cannons to the authorities along with the formula for its gunpowder. The device was tested at the military training grounds, but its range was limited to only one hundred paces. Thus, while it is a powerful asset for naval ships and can be used effectively for defending city walls, it is of no use for mobile land battles.

Later, Wang Xuan styled Chengzhai, while serving as the Minister of War, petitioned the   Emperor The original text uses "taitou," a traditional respectful spacing, before mentioning the Sovereign to cast more than a thousand of these cannons to be distributed among the Three Frontiers the strategic northern border regions of the Ming Dynasty. One particular variety is mounted on a wooden frame that allows it to be lowered, raised, or pivoted left and right; this specific design was already an original Chinese invention and did not originate from the Franks original: "Folangji" (佛郎機), the term used for the Portuguese and their artillery.