Secrets of 'Lien Chau magic crossbow'

In order to create the spirit of Lien Chau crossbow, Cao Luu General used the technique of making crossbows with fasteners, and once pulled the trigger to fire many arrows, terrifying the enemy.

On the morning of January 16, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province and the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences organized a scientific conference: "The name of General Cao Lo during the national construction" . Associate Professor Le Dinh Sy, former Vice-President of the Vietnam Military History Institute introduced to the conference "Speech of General Cao Lo with the manufacture and use of crossbow weapons in An Duong Vuong".

PGS said that according to the old history when the Qin Dynasty weakened, Zhao Da occupied three districts of Nam Hai, Que Lam and the District Statue of Nam Viet. In the New Year of the Horse (210 BC), when Qin Shihuang died, Zhao Tuo invaded Au Lac. The invaders originating from Panyu (Guangzhou) entered our country along the Bach Dang River and Dong Trieu - Chi Linh corridors. The direction of the attack is correct as predicted by General Cao Lo. The Trieu army flooded the whole territory north of Co Loa, from the riverside of Cau, Tien Son and Vu Ninh mountains (Bac Ninh).

General Cao Lo was the commander in chief of the entire Au Lac army. He arranged the army, including an army of powerful crossbows in the critical areas protecting the Co Loa citadel. Exploiting the weaknesses of the enemy, Au Lac army and people actively attacked the Tien Du hill, making the Trieu Da army miserable.

Shaking the magic crossbow. (Documentary photo)

Cao Luo trained tens of thousands of soldiers, made a willow again, each time he held a cross shot fired ten names. This miraculous weapon was shot by Linh Nam's book: After helping An Duong Vuong build the Citadel, the golden turtle left. Before the breakup, the king thanked and said: "Thanks to god, the city has been completed. What if there is an enemy out there?". The golden turtle had removed his claws and gave it to the king and said: "It is not worrying to bring this thing to the enemy to fight the enemy." King Cao Cao made a crossbow, took claws to make a wave.

"The story of gold turtles for claws is of course fictional, mythical, but the story of the crossbow is real," said Associate Professor and Professor, archaeologists have provided evidence of the existence of "crossbow machines". Dong Son period. The Vac village crossbows, consisting of four removable castings, are joined together by two cylindrical pegs.

Crossbow is the most important part of Lien Chau crossbow. In the legend, the crossbow is made of magic turtle nails, but according to the researchers, it is possible that turtles are sacred animals worshiped by Vietnamese people, so they attach the power of gods to their "security" weapons. I aim to increase the magic power of that weapon.

In fact, it can be made of copper, horn or hard wood, its shape almost like a tortoise's. It is made up of many pieces that fit together so the crossbow is also called "inter-engine". Normally, the crossbows are stretched, reinstalled, and then use the fingers to pull back the buttons to turn them on, pushing the wings of the name of the wind like wind.

According to Co Loa people, people have dug in the area of ​​Sa market a copper tube about half a meter long, two ends sealed, along the hole like a flute. This is presumed to be the nameplate of the crossbow by the August Revolution, in Co Loa, the procession of god crossbows is carried out, the crossbow is made of paper, between the crossbow body to a wooden jute on the body of many holes, each hole to an arrow. This symbolic wooden crest resembles the peach copper pipe in Sa market.

In order to let a few arrows fly in and out, there is an idea that Cao Lo thought of how to widen his crossbow, cross a lot of trenches, put bunched arrows to turn on the lever, the arrow by the flight track. go."The above data is not enough for people to recover correctly the old" magic crossbow "that caused foreign invaders to invade, but it is enough to confirm the true existence of the dangerous weapons of distant damage. Loss of manufacturing " , Associate Professor said.

Map of Co Loa.

In addition to discovering crossbones, tens of thousands of copper arrows have also dug in Cau Vuc, close to the outskirts of Co Loa. Copper arrow store with tens of thousands of units, weighing nearly 110kg. This is a three-sided, three-pointed arrow with a cylindrical body, a handle, a large throat, and a large size, made perfectly and sharply. Each arrow is also inserted with a bamboo pole of about 1 meter in length, balancing the weight so that the name can fly away and the possibility of great damage.

There are detected crossbows including many parts such as the trigger box, trigger, two pegs and the watch. Recently, the research group of the Museum of Military History and Southeast Asian History Research Center and artisans in Hoa Binh successfully restored the inventive Cao Lo crossbow, though not as perfect as the magic crossbow. once upon a time.

"The most important thing to create the spirit of the Lien Chau crossbow is Cao Lo who knows the technique of making crossbows with continuous pegs so that once a trigger is fired, many arrows can penetrate well and kill the enemy. both terrifying and disbanding, they are the secret magic of this magical weapon, " said Professor Sy.

Attending the workshop, President Truong Tan Sang summarized, Cao Lu Vuong was the general who helped King Thuc Phan An Duong Vuong set up a state of Au Lac, donated the capital to the plain and helped the king build Co Loa. , processing the continent once shot out many arrows. This is considered a magic crossbow, a mighty weapon, a champion to hold the country with the words spoken "keep the magic crossbow will keep the world, losing the magic cross will lose the whole world".

"Cao Lu has far-sighted, alert and vigilant, full of bravery to stop the king from falling into the enemy's demon, even though it is alienated by the king. But when the country is invaded The Fatherland was in danger, he went to the king, rescued the country, and left the country to give the title of eternity to the posterity, "the President said and affirmed, the name of General Cao Lo was a general and symbol of the spirit. Vietnamese wisdom and power in the early days of retaining water, revered by the people, worshiping in many places throughout thousands of years of history.