Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms

Devices and Tools: Volume 8

Page One

Diagram of the Big Beehive

original: "Da Feng Ke." This evocative name refers to the weapon's honeycomb-like internal structure and the way its projectiles swarm the enemy like angry bees.

This illustration details the construction and deployment of the Big Beehive A Ming Dynasty multi-rocket launcher, considered an early form of a "multiple launch rocket system" (MLRS).. The device consists of a wooden or metal canister shaped like a hive, packed with dozens of fire arrows original: "huojian," arrows with small gunpowder rocket engines attached to the shafts..

The diagram shows the launcher in mid-discharge, releasing a concentrated volley of projectiles and star-shaped incendiaries. According to military manuals of this era, the Big Beehive was used to provide suppressive fire, capable of launching thirty to one hundred arrows at once. When the main fuse is ignited, the fire arrows are expelled with a thunderous roar and trailing flames, making it particularly effective against tightly packed infantry or charging cavalry. The psychological impact of the "swarming" arrows was often as significant as the physical damage, as the whistling sound and smoke created mass panic in the enemy's nest original: "zeichao.".