Rattan Helmet

original: 藤鱉牟 (Téngbiēmóu). Literally "Rattan Soft-shelled Turtle Helmet," named for its rounded, low profile resembling a turtle's shell.

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Specifications for Helmet Manufacturing

For the construction of each helmet, use five or six cattiesoriginal: 斤 (jīn). A traditional unit of weight. In the Ming period, one catty was roughly 600 grams, meaning a helmet crown used approximately 3 to 3.6 kilograms of iron. of pure iron, reinforced with one catty of steel. The interior is finished by lining it with fine leather. If the helmet includes an attached neck and head guardoriginal: 圍腦 (wéinǎo). Literally "surrounding the brain," this refers to the protective curtain of mail or fabric that drapes from the helmet to cover the back of the head and the neck., that component weighs an additional two catties.

The methods of construction follow these standards, though the styles of the helmet crowns vary. Notable designs include:

• The "Single-Piece Iron" helmet A helmet forged from a single sheet of metal rather than multiple plates, requiring higher craftsmanship but offering fewer weak points.
• The "Four-Opening" helmet
• The "Six-Plate" helmet
• The "Leather-Laced Willow Leaf" helmet A lamellar style where small, leaf-shaped plates are bound together with leather thongs, offering flexibility.

In the southern regions, old cottonoriginal: 舊綿花 (jiù miánhuā). Thick, layered cotton was often used in southern China as a cost-effective alternative to heavy iron, which was prone to rusting in the humid climate. is used to craft helmets. These are considered most advantageous when soaked with water Wet cotton was remarkably effective at absorbing the impact of blunt weapons and could even slow or stop early firearm projectiles due to the increased density and surface tension of the fibers.