Treatise on Armament Technology: Illustrated Naval Firearms

Take the whites of goose, duck, and chicken eggs—ensuring all yolks are removed—and mix them with tung oil. Fill porcelain jars with this mixture and seal their mouths tightly. Attach a thin rope to serve as a handle or sling, allowing warriors with great arm strength to wield them. When the jars are approximately twenty to thirty feet original: 二三丈 (er-san zhang); a zhang is a traditional unit roughly equal to 3.3 meters or 11 feet from the enemy vessel, they should be hurled so that they shatter upon impact, causing the liquid to scatter and flow in all directions.

Combined with the surging wind and waves, the deck becomes so slippery that it is impossible to stand, and the enemy's equipment original: 噐 (qi); referring here to heavy weapons and defensive tools that require stable footing to operate cannot be effectively deployed. Furthermore, once the oil coats the ship's planks, it catches fire easily and is prone to burning.

Our troops should further take advantage of a windward position to either scatter Divine Sand original: 神砂 (shensha); a blinding powder, often composed of lime or ground irritants, intended to cloud the enemy's vision to blind them, or release Divine Fire original: 神火 (shenhuo); a category of incendiary devices or handheld fire-weapons to charge their formation, or fire Fire Cannons original: 火砲 (huopao); early gunpowder artillery or incendiary projectiles to break through their front line. Although these may appear to be minor methods and small tricks, the contribution they make toward victory is immense. A commander must be careful not to overlook them; if cherished and employed, they offer an infallible advantage.