서양, 중국, 한국에서 쇠뇌(弩)의 역사와 전술적 운용 고찰

Abstract

Before chemical weapon emerged, a crossbow was the most scientific weapon among the ancient weapon systems and the most deadly, long-distance weapon taking enemies' lives. There emerged this device at the most same period in the East and the West around 5 B.C. In the West, at first, this device appeared as a weapon at castle warfare and developed into Ballista and Catapult. Ballista which had disappeared after the Roman Republic made an appearance as crossbows and armbrust and then was used by infantrymen supporting heavy cavalry along with bows. Crossbows of the West disappeared as the appearance of chemical weapons around the 15th Century. In China, this device was used at the tank warfare occurring in open terrain to resist by infantrymen. After all, this device became one of the main reasons a tank had disappeared. Later this device was used to fight wandering tribes of the northern region. Also this device helped the emergence of heavy cavalry which had horses armored. And as the siege warfare developed, this device developed into giant crossbow which was more stronger than before. From China's Warring States Period to the Sung Dynasty, this device was the most important, long-distance killing weapon. Although China used a chemical weapon since the 13th Century, this device was used with a chemical weapon until the 17th Century and disappeared after the Ch'ing Dynasty around the mid 17th Century. The Korean considered bows important, so this device was not available, but was used at the Koguryo and the Silla period after the 6th Century. Above all, the Silla designated the crossbow unit as the independent organization and employed the crossbow unit. The Koryo Dynasty used this device to fight back wandering tribes of the northern region, but this device disappeared as the emergence of chemical weapons of the late Koryo Dynasty. The Chosun Dynasty put a great importance on bows and almost forgot how to make this device. But The Chosun Dynasty borrowed the technique of manufacturing this device to support the weakness of bows and the matchlock. In Korea, this device was a kind of weapons to reinforce the role of bows. small crossbow was a main weapon in an ambush and giant crossbow around a castle warfare. Like above, this device had a strong influence on tactics among the ancient weapon systems.