



The below list is a translation from the 欽定軍器則例 a work concerning the manufacture and repair of military equipment. This particular list dates from the 7th year of Jiaqing, or 1802. The absence of many items, such as quivers from most provinces, is probably not due to the fact they were not made there, but rather because it was very hard to gather such data across the vast empire effectively. What is interesting is that quivers of differing sizes are noted from province to province. Also, the Yunnan list reflects the local use of crossbows that was continued into recent times by ethnic minorities in the area such as the Miao and Yi.

A note on prices and wages

Prices are in silver tael. One tael is approximately 37,5 gram in weight. The daily wage of a master artisan would be around 0,05 teal and a regular worker would be paid 0,04 in most provinces. Zhili, where the capital Beijing was situated was an exceptionally well-paid area, with 0,08 for the master artisan and 0,06 for a regular worker. An apprentice would only get one day of pay for three days, and an apprenticeship lasted about 5 years. With some dedication though, one could then eventually become a well-paid master artisan. With records of gambling houses showing that around that time in Zhili an average wage was 0,04 taels a day, they would make twice average.









Zhili (Capital Beijing)

Bow 1,5

Big arrow 0,04

War arrow 0,03





Jiangnan

Bow 0,95

Quiver with 19 arrows 0,541

Patrol boat spare arrow 0,025

Manufacturing a war arrow 0,02

Repairing a war arrow 0,015





Jiangxi

Bow and arrow manufacturing prices same as Jiangnan





Zhejiang

Bow 1,05

Arrow 0,03

Zhapu Manchu Army bow 1,272

Arrow 0,034





Fujian

Bow 1,009

Short ear bow 0,756

War arrow 0,0238





Henan

Bow 1,05

War arrow 0,03





Shandong

Bow and arrow prices same as Henan





Shanxi

Bow 1,05

War arrow 0,0225

Practice arrow 0,03

Big arrow 0,085





Shaanxi

Bow 1,13

Long broadhead arrow 0,06

Duckbill arrow 0,035

War arrow 0,03





Sichuan

Bow 1,2637

War arrow 0,035





Guangdong

Bow 1,05

War arrow 0,022

Large broadhead arrow 0,03

Quiver with 13 arrows 0,21





Guangxi

Bow 0,8

War arrow 0,012





Hunan

Bow 1,05

War arrow 0,02





Hubei

Bow 1,05

Quiver with 18 arrows 0,35





Yunnan

Bow 1,05

War arrow 0,03

Crossbow 0,14584

Iron (tipped) crossbow arrow 0,006

Bamboo crossbow arrow 0,002

Crossbow string 0,043

Crossbow arrow tube 0,24518

Crossbow arrow box 0,21578





Guizhou

Bow 1,05

War arrow 0,03

1The word used for quiver in this text is 撒袋 (sā dài) which means "spreading bag", named after the manner in which the quiver spreads the arrows out. The Manchu name for this type of quiver is jebele See "Bow cases and quivers of the Qing" for more information and pictures of antique examples of such quivers.

2Zhapu was a seaport through which trade with Japan and Korea was conducted and where a naval garrison was founded in 1728. Some 1600 Manchu soldiers were stationed there that trained in naval warfare.