from chinahistory forum
当匈奴骑手高速冲锋的时候，传统的步兵很难抵挡。从历史记录来看，一种叫弩的远射兵器很可能在秦军击溃匈奴的战斗中发挥了主导作用。
When the Xiong Nu cavalryman makes a high speed charge, traditional infantrymen would find it hard to halt. From the historical records, a weapon called the Nu (crossbow) was possibly the major weapon by which the Qin army defeats the Xiong Nu in their battles.
在兵马俑坑，由于时间太过久远，弩的木制部分已经朽烂，但完整的遗迹仍然可以复原当初的秦弩。据此复原的秦弩，有着惊人的力量。
In the terracotta army pits, the wooden stock and parts of the crossbow had totally decomposed over the long periods of time. But complete traces and depressions allows us to recreate the Qin crossbow. The recreated crossbow has some surprising powers.
与弓不同，秦弩必须用脚蹬、借助全身的力量才能上弦。专家估计，这种秦弩的射程应该能够达到300米，有效杀伤距离在150米之内，秦弩的杀伤力远远高于当时任何一种弓。
Unlike the bow, the Qin crossbow must be loaded with the help of a stirrup and the strength of the whole body. Experts estimate that the range of the Qin crossbow is up to 300 meters (1000 feet) and effecive killing range is at 150 meters (500 feet). Qin crossbows thus have a much higher killing power than any type of bow.
在弩腐烂后留下的痕迹中，考古人员发现了青铜制作的小机械。这些小小的青铜构件就是弩用来发射的扳机。它的设计得非常精巧。令人不解的是，秦人为什么不把它做得更简单一些呢？
In the traces left behind by the decomposed crossbows, archaeologists discover small mechanisms of bronze. These small mechanisms are the trigger of the crossbow that fires the bolt. Its design is intricate. It is confusing why the Qin didn't make it simpler.
假设一种最简单的方案，制造成本可以大大降低。但是，射手完全靠手指的力量把勒得很紧的弓弦推出勾牙， 就要用很大的力气，在击发瞬间，弩肯定会抖动。今天的射击训练，击发瞬间连呼吸调整不好都有可能影响射击的准确性。
A simple protocol would be able to reduce cost by a great deal. But the crossbowman can only use the strength of his finger to fire the highly stressed crossbow to release the catch. This would need a lot of strength. At the moment of fire, the crossbow would quaver. In modern shooting practice, even a slight misstep in breathing at the moment of fire would affect the accuracy of the bullet.
秦军的弩机通过一套灵巧的机械传递，让勾牙在放箭瞬间突然下沉，扣动扳机变得异常轻巧。这恰恰是弩对弓的优势之一，拉弓要用很大的力气，时间越长，越难控制瞄准的稳定。
The Qin crossbow thus has a delicate but intelligent mechanical trigger. At the moment of fire the catch would sink and this eases the trigger action. Thus, this is the advantage of the crossbow versus the bow. A bow requires a great strength to draw, and the longer the string is held, the harder it is to control accuracy.
弩机上的望山，在上弦时可以自动地把扳机重新调整到击发的位置。但它还有另一个不可思议的功能！
The Wang Shan (viewing the mountain) on the crossbow can be readjusted automatically to the position before fire when the crossbow is reloaded. But it has another unbelievable ability!
可以推想，在与匈奴骑兵厮杀的战场上，秦军弩兵射击的情形。当瞄准远处的目标时，射手参照望山估算弩抬高的角度，弩箭沿抛物线轨迹就可以准确命中敌人。望山，很可能是步兵武器最原始的瞄准系统。
We can extrapolate in the battlefields where Xiong Nu cavalry charges in melee and the Qin army retaliate with crossbow fire. When aiming for a distant tget, the crossbowman can estimate using the Wang Shan on how high he should elevate his crossbow. The crossbow bolts fired would thus follow a parabolic path and hit the enemies accurately. Thus, the Wang Shan might be the precursor of aiming systems on infantry weapons.
在兵马俑坑，出土最多的青铜兵器是箭头，由于在坑中没有发现弓，考古人员认为，这些青铜箭头都是为弩配备的。
In the terracotta army pits, most of the unearthed bronze weapons are arrow heads. There isn't any bows discoverd. Hence, archaegologists believe that these bronze arrowheads are made for the crossbow.
战国时代，箭头的种类繁多，这些箭头上的倒刺和血槽让人感到阵阵杀气。而在兵马俑坑中发现的箭头，几乎都是三棱形的。秦军为什么单单选择了这种三棱箭头呢？
In Warring states period, there are many forms of arrowheads with blood grooves and reverse hooks that give the beholders senses of dread and death. But the arrowheads discovered in the pits are almost entirely trigonal pyramidal. Why did the Qin army choose the trigonal pyramidal for their arrowheads?
三棱箭头拥有三个锋利的棱角，在击中目标的瞬间，棱的锋刃处就会形成切割力，箭头就能够穿透铠甲、直达人体。
The trigonal pyramidal arrowheads has 3 sharp edges. At the moment of impact, the 3 sharp edges would create cutting powers that would allow the arrowhead to cut through armor and into the flesh.
带翼箭头有凶狠的倒刺，但翼面容易受风的影响，使箭头偏离目标。
A winged arrowhead has dreadful reverse hooks, but the wing faces is easily affected by wind and would deviate the arrow from its designated target.
秦军的这种三棱箭头取消了翼面，应该使射击更加精准。专家对这些箭头进行了仔细地分析。当检测数据最终摆到桌面上的时候，研究人员确实感到难以置信。
The trigonal pyramidal arrowhead of the Qin thus takes away the winged faces and makes the shooting more acurate. Experts carried out careful analysis on these arrowheads. When the numbers and results were brought to the table, the researchers also found it hard to believe.
检测结果发现：箭头的三个弧面几乎完全相同，这是一种接近完美的流线型箭头。
The testing results discovered that the 3 faces of the arrowheads are almost perfect matches. This is an arrowhe that with a near perfect streamlined shape.
这种箭头的轮廓线跟子弹的外形几乎一样。子弹的外形是为了减低飞行过程中的空气阻力。我们有理由推测，秦人设计这种三棱形箭头也是出于同样的目的。
The curved faces of the arrowhead resembles the shape of a bullet.. The bullet is thus shaped to reduce drag in flight. We thus have enough reasons to conclude that the Qin designed these trigonal pyramidal arrowhead for the same purpose.
秦人凭经验接近了现代空气动力学的规律。这种古老的箭头是早期飞行器当中的范本，它和今天的子弹一脉相承。秦弩，连同它配备的弩箭，在那个时代很可能是技术含量最高的武器，它使秦军的攻击力大为加强。
The Qin, through experience, thus approaches aerodynamic studies of the modern age. This ancient arrowhead is a model, and it has the same goal as the modern bullet head. The Qin crossbow, along with its bolts, are thus at its time a piece of high technology weapons that allowed the Qin armies to have increaed offensive power.
公元前214年，秦军发动了针对匈奴骑兵的全面战争。仅仅一年的时间，30万匈奴骑兵就被彻底击溃，黄河以南的大片土地重新回归秦国。
In 214 BC, the Qin army started an all out war against the Xiong Nu cavalry. In just about year, the 300000 strong Xiong Nu cavalry army was completely crushed and the huge tracts of land to the south of the Yellow River was recovered by the Qin.
秦军之所以能够取胜，弩的作用至关重要。可以设想，在匈奴骑兵还没冲到眼前时，强劲的秦弩就密集准确地击中战马和骑手。持弩的秦骑兵射击的准确程度是匈奴人的弓无法相比的，匈奴人的皮甲也抵挡不住弩箭强大的穿透力。
The crossbow was crutical in the Qin army's victories. We can thus imagine that even before the Xiong Nu cavalry was within sight, the powerful Qin crossbows were already loosing concentrated showers accurately on the horses and riders of Xiong Nu. The mounted crossbowmen of Qin has far more accuracy than the Xiong Nu horse archers, and the leather armor of the Xiong Nu could not defeat the penetrative powers of the crossbow bolt.
对马背上的匈奴骑手而言，弩是最致命的武器。中国兵书经典《武经讲义》中说：弩是对付古代游牧部落袭击最为有效的武器。青铜弩机的设计是一个惊人的成就，对于匈奴人而言，这种机械装置太复杂了，他们很难装配或仿制。
To the Xiong Nu mounted archer, the crossbow is the most lethal weapon. The Chinese Weapon classic, Wu Jing Jiang Yi, recorded: the crossbow is the most effective weapon against the ancient nomadic tribes. The bronze crossbow design is thus a great accomplishment. To the Xiong Nu, the mechanism is too complex making it difficult for them to equip or copy.
当专家们对秦军兵器的研究逐步深入时，他们又有了新的发现。
When the experts carried out further investigation, they made new discoveries.
铍是一种起源于短剑的长柄兵器，它的形式曾经五花八门。但是，在俑坑中发现的铍，尽管生产日期相隔十几年， 造型和尺寸却完全一致。
The Po is a polearm derived from the short sword. Its designs are greatly varied, but the Po unearthed at the pits, though some being over a decade apart in the time of manfuacture, has the same design and dimensions.
这两件戈也不是同年生产的，但它们也是一模一样。
So are the 2 Ge that was made indifferent years. They are also copies of each other.
