Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse木牛流马

Mechanical transport devices invented by Zhuge Liang to move supplies through the mountainous terrain of the Northern Expeditions. Their exact design remains debated by historians.

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The Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse (木牛流马 mù niú liú mǎ) were mechanical transport devices invented by Zhuge Liang to solve the critical supply problem during the Northern Expeditions. The mountainous terrain between Shu and Wei made conventional cart transport nearly impossible. These devices could navigate steep mountain paths, carrying heavy loads of grain and equipment. Their exact mechanical design has been debated for centuries, with numerous attempted reconstructions.

References

  • Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志)
  • Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义)
  • Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian (资治通鉴)
  • de Crespigny, Rafe. A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms