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Encyclopedia > Huo Long Jing
Ming Dynasty musketeers in drill formation.

The Huolongjing (Wade-Giles: Huo Lung Ching; Simplified Chinese: 火龙神器阵法; English: Fire Drake Manual) is a 14th century military treatise that was compiled and edited by Jiao Yu and Liu Ji of the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) in China. It outlined the use of various 'fire-weapons' involving the use of gunpowder. The book provided info for various gunpowder compositions,[1] descriptions of the Chinese hollow cast iron grenade bomb,[2] descriptions of the Chinese fire arrow,[3] descriptions of explosive land mines,[4] descriptions of explosive naval mines,[5] descriptions of fire lances and proto-guns,[6] descriptions of bombards and cannons,[7] descriptions of hollow, gunpowder-packed exploding cannonballs,[8] descriptions of handguns with possible serpentines used as components in matchlocks,[9] description of rocket launchers,[10] two stage rockets,[11] and fin-mounted winged rockets.[12] Image File history File links Ming_musketeers. ... Image File history File links Ming_musketeers. ... For other uses of this term, see Musketeer (disambiguation). ... Wade-Giles, sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration) system for the Chinese language based on Mandarin. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) era matchlock firearms featuring serpentine levers. ... Liu Ji (Chinese: 刘基, courtesy name Bowen (伯温)) (1311-1375) was a Chinese military strategist and statesman in the Ming dynasty. ... For other uses, see Ming. ... Events Timur ascends throne of Samarkand. ... // Events February to August - Explorer Abel Tasmans second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Blackpowder. ... Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but can mean any of a group of iron-based alloys containing more than 2% carbon (alloys with less carbon are carbon steel by definition). ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A landmine is a type of mine which is placed onto or into the ground and explodes when triggered by a vehicle or person. ... A naval mine is a stationary self-contained explosive device placed in water, to destroy ships and/or submarines. ... The fire lance (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: huÇ’ qiāng) or fire spear is one of the first gunpowder weapons in the world. ... A gun is a common name given to an object that fires high-velocity projectiles. ... A bombard is a type of medieval cannon or mortar, used chiefly in sieges for throwing heavy stone balls. ... Should not be confused with Canon. ... A hollow is loose name for a valley in the earth. ... Different types of cannon balls recovered from the Vasa, sunk in 1628 Round shot is a type of projectile fired from guns or cannons. ... A Browning 9 millimeter Hi-Power Ordnance pistol of the French Navy, 19th century, using a Percussion cap mechanism Derringers were small and easily hidden. ... The Matchlock was the first firearm to have a trigger mechanism for firing. ... Rocket launcher or missile launcher can mean: Multiple rocket launcher Shoulder-launched missile weapon Transporter erector launcher (TEL) for large missiles Rocket propelled grenade launcher This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... A Soyuz rocket, at Baikanur launch pad. ...


Although Jiao Yu did not provide the book's preface until the Nanyang publication of 1412 AD,[13] the book was previously published in the 14th century, and was a compilation of written material that had been compiled since the late 13th century.[14] Nanyang might be: Nanyang, Henan, (南阳) a city in the Peoples Republic of China. ...

Contents

Gunpowder Warfare and weapons

Firearms and flamethrowers

A Korean cannon arrow from the early Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910)

The military treatise of Jiao Yu and Liu Ji went into a great amount of detail on the gunpowder weapons of their time. The fire lance and fire tube (i.e. a combination of a firearm and flamethrower)[15] came in many different versions and were styled with many different names by the time Jiao Yu edited the Huolongjing.[16] The earliest of these were made of bamboo tubes, although the earliest transition to metal was made in the 12th century.[16] Others, according to description and illustrated pictures of the Huolongjing, emitted arrows called the 'lotus bunch' accompanied by a fiery blast.[17] Some of these low-nitrate gunpowder flamethrowers used poisonous mixtures, including arsenious oxide, and would blast a spray of porcelain bits as shrapnel.[18][19] The earliest depiction of a fire lance is dated c. 950 AD, a Chinese painting on a silk banner found at the Buddhist site of Dunhuang.[20] Furthermore, the oldest existent bronze handgun is from the Heilongjiang archeological excavation, dated to 1288 AD.[21] These early metal barrel guns were not designed for high-nitrate gunpowder and a bore-filling projectile; rather, they were designed for the low-nitrate flamethrower fire lance that shot small co-viative missiles.[22] This was called the 'bandit-striking penetrating gun' (ji zei bian chong), and was illustrated in a drawing of the Huolongjing.[22] In the Islamic world the fire lance first appears in a book of 1280, written by Hasan al-Rammah, and again appears in a manuscript of 1320.[23] In Europe the first representation of the fire lance is of a horse-mounted knight wielding the weapon in a Latin manuscript illustration dated to 1396,[24] and also appeared in an illustration of Taccola's De Mechinis (1449). The Huolongjing also described and illustrated metal-barrel handguns as well, including guns with three barrels, five barrels, six barrels, and even up to ten barrels.[25] Furthermore, it described the use of a 'match-holding lance gun' (chi huo-sheng qiang), possibly an early serpentine matchlock.[9] Although a proper illustration for this one was not included, it described its arrangement as a match brought down to the touch hole of three gun barrels one after the other.[26] During the reign of the Yongle Emperor (1402-1424 AD), the Shenji Brigade was formed, with cavalry horses that were said to have tubes filled with flammable materials holstered to their sides, along with troops with firearms and light artillery on carriages.[27] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 976 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Cannon Japanese invasions... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 976 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Cannon Japanese invasions... Korean cannon was first developed by Choe Mu-seon, for exclusive use by the Goryo Army, . Several types were made, and saw successful action during the Mongol invasions of Japan. ... Territory of Joseon after Jurchen conquest of King Sejong Capital Hanseong Language(s) Korean Religion Neo-Confucianism Government Monarchy Wang  - 1392 - 1398 Taejo (first)  - 1863 - 1897 Gojong (last)1 Yeong-uijeong  - 1431 - 1449 Hwang Hui  - 1466 - 1472 Han Myeonghoe  - 1592 - 1598 Ryu Seongryong  - 1894 Kim Hongjip Historical era 1392-1897... Events December 16 - Emperor Go-Kameyama of Japan abdicates in favor of rival claimant Go-Komatsu, ending the nanboku-cho period of competing imperial courts James of Jülich is boiled alive for pretending to be a bishop and ordaining his own priests Korean founder of the Joseon Dynasty General... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... R-phrases , , , S-phrases , , , Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... It has been suggested that Fragmentation (weaponry) be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Chinese Painting Arts be merged into this article or section. ... Silk dresses Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. ... Location of Dunhuang Dunhuang (Chinese: 敦煌, also written as 燉煌 till early Qing Dynasty; pinyin: DÅ«nhuáng; ) is a city in Jiuquan, Gansu province, China. ... Heilongjiang (Simplified Chinese: 黑龙江省; Traditional Chinese: 黑龍江省; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Postal System Pinyin: Heilungkiang) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. ... Riverboat of the U.S. Brownwater Navy shooting ignited napalm from its mounted flamethrower during the Vietnam war. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( â–¶ (help· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Mariano di Jacopo detto Taccola (1382 - c. ... A touch hole is a small hole, through which the propellent charge of a cannon or muzzleloading gun is ignited. ... The Yongle Emperor (May 2, 1360 – August 12, 1424), born Zhu Di (Chu Ti) , was the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China from 1402 to 1424. ... Events September 14 - Battle of Homildon Hill. ... August 17 - Battle of Verneuil - An English force under John, Duke of Bedford defeats a larger French army under the Duke of Alençon, John Stewart, and Earl Archibald of Douglas. ...


Bombards and cannons

In China, the first metal barrel cannon was portrayed in a stone sculpture dated to 1128 AD, found in Sichuan province,[28] although the oldest archeological discovery of a cannon is a bronze cannon of China inscribed with the date "2nd year of the Dade era, Yuan Dynasty" (1298 AD). Jiao Yu wrote that the cannon, called the 'eruptor', was cast in bronze, and had an average length of 4 ft and 5 in.[8] He wrote that some cannons were simply filled with 100 or so lead balls, but others had large rounds that produced a bursting charge upon impact, called the 'flying-cloud thunderclap eruptor'.[8] He wrote of how the Chinese in his day had figured out how to pack hollow cast iron shells of cannonballs with gunpowder to create an explosive effect upon contact with enemy targets.[8] In perspective, exploding cannonball rounds were not discovered in Europe until the 16th century.[29] Furthermore, he noted the use of the 'poison-fog magic smoke eruptor', where 'blinding gunpowder' and 'poisonous gunpowder' were packed into the hollow cannonball shells, and were effective in burning the faces and eyes of enemies, along with choking them with a formidable spray of poisonous smoke.[30] He wrote that cannons were mounted on frames or on wheeled carriages, so that they could be rotated in all directions.[31]   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: SzÅ­4-chuan1; Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in the central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Assorted ancient Bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... For Pb as an abbreviation, see PB. General Name, Symbol, Number lead, Pb, 82 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 14, 6, p Appearance bluish gray Standard atomic weight 207. ... Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but can mean any of a group of iron-based alloys containing more than 2% carbon (alloys with less carbon are carbon steel by definition). ... Cannonball can refer to: The ammunition for a cannon. ... Catherine IIs carved, painted and gilded Coronation Coach (Hermitage Museum) George VI and Queen Elizabeth in a landau with footmen and an outrider, Canada 1939 The classic definition of a carriage is a four-wheeled horse drawn private passenger vehicle with leaf springs (elliptical springs in the 19th century...


Land mines and naval mines

The first recorded use of a land mine stated that the officer Lou Qianxia of the late Song Dynasty created them in order to kill invading Mongol troops in 1277 AD.[32] Jiao Yu wrote that land mines were spherical in shape, made of cast iron, and their fuses ignited by the enemy movement disturbing a trigger mechanism.[33] Although his book did not elaborate on the trigger mechanism, a late Ming Dynasty book of 1606 AD revealed that a complex system of a pin release, dropping weights, and chords and axles worked to rotate a spinning 'steel wheel' that acted as a flint to provide sparks that ignited the mines' fuses underground.[34] For the use of naval mines, he wrote of slowly burning joss sticks that were disguised and timed to explode against enemy ships floating nearby: Northern Song in 1111 AD Capital Kaifeng (960–1127) Linan (1127–1279) Language(s) Chinese Religion Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy History  - Zhao Kuangyin taking over the throne of the Later Zhou Dynasty 960  - Battle of Yamen; the end of Song rule 1279 Population  - Peak est. ... The steel cable of a colliery winding tower. ... A flint nodule from the Onondaga limestone layer, Buffalo, New York. ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ...

The sea-mine called the 'submarine dragon-king' is made of wrought iron, and carried on a (submerged) wooden board, [appropriately weighted with stones]. The (mine) is enclosed in an ox-bladder. It subtlety lies in the fact that a thin incnense(-stick) is arranged (to float) above the mine in a container. The (burning) of this joss stick determines the time at which the fuse is ignited, but without air its glowing would of course go out, so the container is connected with the mine by a (long) piece of goat's intestine (through which passes the fuse). At the upper end the (joss stick in the container) is kept floating by (an arrangement of) goose and wild-duck feathers, so that it moves up and down with the ripples of the water. On a dark (night) the mine is sent downstream (towards the enemy's ships), and when the joss stick has burnt down to the fuse, there is a great explosion.[35] A wrought iron railing in Troy, New York. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... A bladder is a pouch or other flexible enclosure with waterproof or gasproof walls. ...

Suenaga facing Mongol arrows and gunpowder bombs during the Mongol invasions of Japan in 1281 AD, painting dated to 1293 AD.

In the later Tiangongkaiwu ('The Exploitation of the Works of Nature') treatise, written by Song Yingxing in 1637 AD, the ox bladder described by Jiao Yu is replaced with a lacquer bag instead, along with a cord pulled from a hidden ambusher located on the nearby shore, which would release a flint-and-steel firing mechanism to ignite the naval mine.[35] Image File history File links Mooko-Suenaga. ... Image File history File links Mooko-Suenaga. ... Combatants Mongol Empire Japan Commanders Kublai Khan Hōjō Tokimune Strength 35,000 Mongol & Chinese soldiers and 18,000 Korean warriors 10,000 Casualties 16,000 killed before landed minimal Defensive wall at Hakata. ... In a general sense, lacquer is a clear or coloured coating, that dries by solvent evaporation only and that produces a hard, durable finish that can be polished to a very high gloss, and gives the illusion of depth. ...


Gunpowder and explosives

There were several gunpowder compositions proposed by Jiao Yu, with additions to the standard formula of saltpetre, sulphur, and charcoal by adapting gunpowder weapons to early chemical warfare. He described the suitable uses of 'magic gunpowder', 'poison gunpowder', or 'blinding and burning gunpowder' in warfare, which displays the various amounts of compositions used in his time.[36] For the making of poisonous gunpowder in hand-lobbed or catapult-launched grenade bombs,[19] he advised that a mixture of tung oil, urine, sal ammoniac, feces, and scallion juice be heated and then coated upon dozens of tiny iron pellets and bits of broken porcelain.[37] For this, Jiao Yu wrote "even birds flying in the air cannot escape the effects of the explosion".[37] His book also outlined the use of the 'flying-sand magic bomb releasing ten thousand fires'. This included the use of a tube of gunpowder put into an earthenware pot that was previously filled with quicklime, resin, and alcoholic extracts of poisonous plants, which would be released in the explosion.[38] It is important to note that during the 14th century, Chinese gunpowder solutions had reached their maximum explosive potential, with levels of nitrate ranging from 12% to 91% and at least 6 formulas in use by the Chinese that were considered to have maximum explosive force.[39] This also came about due to the enrichment of sulfur from pyrite extracts during the earlier Song Dynasty period,[40] while Chinese gunpowder formulas by the late 12th century and at least by 1230 AD were potential enough for explosive detonations and bursting cast iron shells.[41] The root of all this was a Chinese military handbook (the Wujingzongyao) of 1044 AD, which outlined the earliest use of explosive yet crude formulas for blackpowder.[41] Later, Wei Xing (d. 1164) of the Song Dynasty was said to have created a gunpowder formula of saltpetre, sulphur, and willow charcoal for his projectile carriages launching 'fire-stones' up to 400 yards.[42] Saltpeter is variously: potassium nitrate (niter); or sodium nitrate (soda niter) ... For the chemical element see: sulfur. ... Charcoal is the blackish residue consisting of impure carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. ... Chemical warfare is warfare (and associated military operations) using the toxic properties of chemical substances to kill, injure or incapacitate an enemy. ... Tung oil is used as a wood finishing product. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Sal ammoniac is a rare mineral composed of ammonium chloride, NH4Cl. ... Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) In humans, defecation may occur (depending on the individual and the circumstances) from once every two or three days to several times a day. ... Chopped spring onion The common name scallion(Or Don Patch sword as on Bobobo) is associated with various members of the genus Allium that lack a fully-developed bulb. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... Calcium oxide (CaO), commonly known as lime or quicklime, is a widely used chemical compound. ... Functional group of an alcohol molecule. ... An electrostatic potential map of the nitrate ion. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Standard atomic weight 32. ... This article is about the mineral Pyrite or Fools Gold. ... Black powder is a type of gunpowder invented in the 9th Century and practically the only propellant and explosive known until the middle of the 19th Century. ...


Fire Arrows and rockets

Model of a 16th century Korean hwacha, a two-wheeled cart rocket launcher that fires singijeons.

For the earliest fire arrows launched from bows (not rocket launchers), Jiao Yu had termed these "fiery pomegranate shot from a bow". The term pomegranate stemmed from the fact that the lump of gunpowder-filled paper wrapped round the arrow just below the metal arrow-head resembled the shape of a pomegranate.[43] He advised that a piece of hemp cloth should be used to strengthen the wad of paper, and then sealed fast with molten pine resin.[44] Although Jiao Yu described the fire arrow in great detail, it was mentioned by the much earlier Xia Shaozeng, when 20000 fire arrows were handed over to the Jurchen conquerors of Kaifeng City in 1126 AD.[44] An even earlier Chinese text of the Wujingzongyao (武经总要, "Collection of the Most Important Military Techniques"), written in 1044 AD by the Song scholars Zeng Gongliang and Yang Weide, described the use of three spring or triple bow arcuballista that fired arrow bolts holding gunpowder.[44] Although written much later in 1630 (second edition in 1664), the Wulixiaoshi of Fang Yizhi asserted that fire arrows were presented to Emperor Taizu of Song in 960 AD.[45] Image File history File links Hwacha. ... Image File history File links Hwacha. ... Hwacha or Hwacha [1] was an anti-personnel saltpeter weapon used in Korea, inspired by Chinese fire arrows. ... Rocket launcher or missile launcher can mean: Multiple rocket launcher Shoulder-launched missile weapon Transporter erector launcher (TEL) for large missiles Rocket propelled grenade launcher This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... Singijeon is a Korean gunpowder artillery weapon, first built in 1448 A.D. and used during the Joseon period. ... Binomial name Punica granatum L. The Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 5–8 m tall. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Physics In physics, melting is the process of heating a solid substance to a point (called melting point) where it turns liquid. ... Subgenera Subgenus Strobus Subgenus Ducampopinus Subgenus Pinus See Pinus classification for complete taxonomy to species level. ... Insect trapped in resin. ... The Jurchens (Chinese: 女真, pinyin: nǚzhēn) were a Tungusic people who inhabited parts of Manchuria and northern Korea until the seventeenth century, when they became the Manchus. ... Kaifeng (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: KāifÄ“ng; Wade-Giles: Kai-feng), formerly known as Bianliang (汴梁; Wade-Giles: Pien-liang), is a prefecture-level city in eastern Henan province, Peoples Republic of China. ... It has been suggested that Catapulta be merged into this article or section. ... Emperor Taizu (March 21, 927 - November 14, 976, Chinese 太祖), born Zhao Kuangyin (Chinese 趙匡胤), was the founder of the Song Dynasty of China, reigning from 960 to 976. ...


By the time of Jiao Yu, however, the term 'fire arrow' had taken on a whole new meaning and incorporated what were the earliest rockets found in China.[46][19] The simple transition of this was to use a hollow tube (of bamboo or metal) instead of a bow or ballista firing gunpowder-impregnated fire arrows. The historian Joseph Needham asserts that this fundamental discovery came sometime before Jiao Yu, however, during the late Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD).[46] From the section of the oldest passages in the Huolongjing,[46] the text reads: Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham (December 9, 1900 – March 24, 1995) was a British biochemist and pre-eminent authority on the history of Chinese science. ... Alternative meaning: Song Dynasty (420-479) The Song dynasty (Chinese: 宋朝) was a ruling dynasty in China from 960-1279. ... Conrad III establishes the Hohenstaufen dynasty when he is crowned antiking to the Holy Roman Emperor, Lothair II. First coalition of the Norman princes against Roger II of Sicily. ... For broader historical context, see 1270s and 13th century. ...

A medieval Chinese soldier igniting a bamboo-frame-mounted fire arrow rocket.

One uses a bamboo stick 4 ft 2 in long, with an iron (or steel) arrow-head 4.5 in long...behind the feathering there is an iron weight 0.4 in long. At the front end there is a carton tube bound on to the stick, where the 'rising gunpowder' is lit. When you want to fire it off, you use a frame shaped like a dragon, or else conveniently a tube of wood or bamboo to contain it.[46] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A Soyuz rocket, at Baikanur launch pad. ...

In the late 14th century, the Chinese had figured out how to combine the rocket launching tube with the fire lance.[47] This involved three tubes attached to the same staff, and as the first rocket tube was fired, a charge was ignited in the leading tube which expelled a blinding lachrymatory powder at the enemy, and finally the second rocket was fired.[47] A depicted illustration of this was featured in the publication of the Huolongjing, where it described the effectiveness of this weapon to confuse the enemy of where the rockets were fired from.[47] Apart from these hand-held rocket launchers, the Huolongjing also provided description and illustration for two different kinds of mounted rocket launchers that featured the firing of multiple rockets.[48] There was a cylindrical basket-work rocket launcher called the 'Mr. Facing-both-ways rocket arrow firing basket', as well as an oblong-section rectangular box rocket launcher known as the 'magical rocket-arrow block'.[10] Rockets described in the Huolongjing weren't all in the shape of standard fire arrows, however, as there were some that had artificial wings attached.[49] An illustration of this was provided, showing that fins were clearly used to inscrease aerodynamic stability for the flight path of the rocket,[50] which according to Jiao Yu could rise hundreds of feet before landing at the designated enemy target.[51] Categories: Stub | Chemical weapons ... In geometry, a rectangle is a defined as a quadrilateral polygon in which all four angles are right angles. ... A Laughing Gull with its wings extended in a gull wing profile Aircraft wing planform shapes: a swept wing KC-10 Extender (top) refuels a trapezoid-wing F/A-22 Raptor A wing is a surface used to produce lift and therefore flight, for travel in the air or another... A fin is a surface used to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media. ... Aerodynamics is a branch of fluid dynamics concerned with the study of gas flows, first analysed by George Cayley in the 1800s. ...


Historical perspective

Chinese Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) era matchlock firearms featuring serpentine levers.

Gunpowder warfare found its birthplace in medieval China, yet its technological and methodical perfection would occur outside of it. Although the inventions and written work of Jiao Yu and the Chinese 'fire-weapons' of his time revolutionized warfare in China, there wasn't an incredible amount of Chinese innovation in gunpowder weapons (i.e. firearms, cannons, etc.) during the 15th century onwards.[52] When the Portuguese arrived in China during the early 16th century, they were not very impressed with Chinese firearms in comparison to their own.[52] With the continual progression of the earliest European arquebus, to the matchlock, to the wheellock, and then the advent of the flintlock musket of the 17th century, they surpassed the level of earlier Chinese innovation.[53] The Chinese of the late Ming Dynasty would even adopt the Ottoman Turkish rifleman's kneeling position, while purchasing European firearms for their infantry riflemen.[54] Illustrations of Ottoman and European riflemen with detailed illustrations of their weapons appeared in Zhao Shizhen's book Shenqipu of 1598 AD.[55] For other uses, see Ming. ... Events Timur ascends throne of Samarkand. ... // Events February to August - Explorer Abel Tasmans second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia. ... The Matchlock was the first firearm to have a trigger mechanism for firing. ... An assortment of modern hand-held firearms using fixed ammunition, including military assault rifles, a sporting shotgun (fourth from bottom), a tactical shotgun (third from bottom), and a sporting rifle (top). ... This article is about the continent. ... Japanese arquebus of the Edo era (teppo) The arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus, harkbus[1] or hackbut; possibly related to German Hakenbuechse or Dutch Haakbus) was a primitive firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. ... Flintlock of an 18th Century hunting rifle, with piece of flint missing. ... Motto دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299–1326) Bursa (1326–65) Edirne (1365–1453) Constantinople (Ä°stanbul, 1453–1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–22 Mehmed VI...


Although not perfected until the 19th century with the cartridge of Samuel Johannes Pauly in 1809, Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse's 'Needle Gun' in 1836, and the steel-cast Krupp cannon in the 1850s, the history of the European breech-loading gun spans back to the late 14th century, the earliest models found in Burgundy.[56] Before the improvements by those mentioned above, these early breech loading rifles and cannons were somewhat unsatisfactory due to serious loss of gas when firing, resulting in the decreased force of the propellant.[57] Nevertheless, the 16th century breech-loading model entered China after the Portuguese attempted to assault southern China from Tuen Mun and were expelled by the Ming Dynasty navy in 1521.[58] In 1523 the Chinese navy captured two Western ships with Portuguese breech-loading culverins aboard, which the Chinese called a fo-lang-ji (Frankish culverin). According to the Ming Shi, these cannons were soon presented to the Jiajing Emperor by Wang Hong, and their design was copied in 1529 AD.[58] However, earlier Ming records indicate that it was actually the War Ministry official He Ru who first got a hold of these guns in 1522, while copies of them were made by two Westernized Chinese at Beijing, Yang San (Pedro Yang) and Dai Ming.[59] In an even earlier account of Wang Yangming (1472-1529), the philosopher and governor of Jiangxi, he intended to use fo-lang-ji cannons in suppressing the rebellion of Prince Zhu Chen-hao in 1519 AD.[59] In any case, the arrival of the breech loading rifle and cannon signified the beginning of continual European influence upon Chinese firearms and artillery.[59] The word cartridge has different meanings, depending on context: Cartridge (electronics) - a module to be inserted into a larger piece of equipment, for example a games cartridge in a games console, or an ink cartridge in a printer. ... Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse (1787 - 1867) was a German firearms inventor and manufacturer born in Sömmerda, Germany, the son of a locksmith. ... The Dreyse needle-gun (German das Zündnadelgewehr or figuratively firing-pin rifle) was a military breechloading rifle, famous as the arm of the Prussians in 1866 and of the Germans in 1870 and 1871. ... For the U.S. town, see Krupp, Washington. ... Breech from Russian 122 mm M1910 howitzer, modified and combined with 105mm H37 howitzer barrel An interrupted screw style breech plug in the M109 howitzer An animation showing the loading cycle for a large naval breech-loader. ... région of Bourgogne, see Bourgogne. ... Tuen Mun (屯門) is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. ... The multinational Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) The British Grand Fleet, the supreme naval force of World War I A rare occurrence of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. ... A culverin is a cannon that fires an 18-pound solid round shot. ... Statue of Charlemagne (also called Karl der Große, Charles the Great) in Frankfurt, Germany. ... The Jiajing Emperor (September 16, 1507–January 23, 1567) was the 11th emperor of China (Ming dynasty) between 1521-1567. ... Wang Yangming (王陽明, Japanese ÅŒ Yōmei, 1472–1529) was a Ming Chinese idealist Neo-Confucian scholar–official. ... February 20 - Orkney and Shetland are returned by Norway to Scotland, due to a defaulted dowry payment Possible discovery of Bacalao (possibly Newfoundland, North America) by João Vaz Corte-Real. ... Events April 22 - Treaty of Saragossa divides the eastern hemisphere between Spain and Portugal, stipulating that the dividing line should lie 297. ... Jiangxi (Chinese: 江西; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Kiangsi) is a southern province of the Peoples Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south. ...


See also

The Song Dynasty (960–1279) was a period of Chinese history and human history in general that provided some of the most prolific advancements in early science and technology, much of it through talented statsemen drafted by the government (see Imperial examinations). ... // [edit] Classical texts Main article: Chinese classic texts China has a wealth of classical literature, both poetry and prose, dating from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BCE) and including the Classics attributed to Confucius. ... Military history is composed of the events in the history of humanity that fall within the category of conflict. ... China is the worlds oldest continuous major civilization, with written records dating back about 3,500 years and with 5,000 years being commonly used by Chinese as the age of their civilization. ... Black powder was the original gunpowder and practically the only known propellant and explosive until the middle of the 19th century. ... Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) era matchlock firearms featuring serpentine levers. ... Liu Ji (Chinese: 刘基, courtesy name Bowen (伯温)) (1311-1375) was a Chinese military strategist and statesman in the Ming dynasty. ... Gunpowder was developed in far eastern countries, notably India and China, for display at religious festivals. ... Gunpowder warfare is associated with the start of the widespread use of gunpowder and the development of suitable weapons to use the explosive. ... Combatants Jurchen Jin Southern Song Commanders Su Baoheng and Wanyan Zhengjianu Li Bao Strength 600 warships and 70,000 troops 120 warships and 3000 troops It was followed with another naval Battle of Caishi (采石之战) taking place in 1161 and was the result of an attempt by forces of the Jurchen... Combatants Jurchen Jin Southern Song Commanders Hailingwang Unknown The naval Battle of Caishi took place in 1161 and was the result of an attempt by forces of the Jurchen Jin to cross the Yangtze River, thus beginning an invasion of Southern Song China. ...

Notes

  1. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 180-187.
  2. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 183.
  3. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 153-154.
  4. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 192-196.
  5. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 203-205.
  6. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 229.
  7. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 314-325.
  8. ^ a b c d Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 264.
  9. ^ a b Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 459.
  10. ^ a b Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 489.
  11. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 508.
  12. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 498-502.
  13. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 25.
  14. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 24.
  15. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 232.
  16. ^ a b Embree, 185.
  17. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 241, 242, 244.
  18. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 232-233.
  19. ^ a b c Cowley, 38.
  20. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 224-225.
  21. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 293.
  22. ^ a b Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 237.
  23. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 259.
  24. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 260.
  25. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 459-463.
  26. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 458-459.
  27. ^ Partington, 239.
  28. ^ Embree, 852.
  29. ^ Cowley, 49.
  30. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 267.
  31. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 264-265.
  32. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 192.
  33. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 193.
  34. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 199.
  35. ^ a b Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 205.
  36. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 192-193.
  37. ^ a b Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 180.
  38. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 187.
  39. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 345-346.
  40. ^ Yunming, 489-490.
  41. ^ a b Khan, 2.
  42. ^ Partington, 239-240.
  43. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 154-155.
  44. ^ a b c Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 154.
  45. ^ Partington, 240.
  46. ^ a b c d Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 477.
  47. ^ a b c Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 485-486.
  48. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 486-489.
  49. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 498.
  50. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 501-503.
  51. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 502.
  52. ^ a b Khan, 4.
  53. ^ Khan, 4-5.
  54. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 449-452.
  55. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 447-454.
  56. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 366.
  57. ^ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 366-367.
  58. ^ a b Needham Volume 5, Part 7, 369.
  59. ^ a b c Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 372.

References

  • Cowley, Robert (1996). The Reader's Companion to Military History. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Company.
  • Embree, Ainslie Thomas (1997). Asia in Western and World History: A Guide for Teaching. Armonk: ME Sharpe, Inc.
  • Khan, Iqtidar Alam (2004). Gunpowder and Firearms: Warfare in Medieval India. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Needham, Joseph (1986). Science and Civilization in China: Volume 5, Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Part 7, Military Technology; the Gunpowder Epic. Taipei: Caves Books Ltd.
  • Partington, James Riddick (1998). A History of Greek Fire and Gunpowder. The Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-5954-9.
  • Yunming, Zhang (1986). Isis: The History of Science Society: Ancient Chinese Sulfur Manufacturing Processes. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

External links

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