Data 2

In the late Ming Dynasty, the development of artillery in China continued from the 1620s. The "Tiger Crouching Cannon" manufactured during the Jiajing period measured 1 foot 9 inches (approximately 0.6 meters) in length and weighed 36 catties (approximately 21.5 kilograms). It was equipped with iron claws and iron braces, and before firing, it could be secured to the ground with large iron nails, resembling a tiger crouching. This cannon overcame the drawbacks of significant recoil and severe jumping during firing. According to the "Ming Hui Dian: Ministry of Works," the "Poison Fire Flying" cannon manufactured in the fourth year of Jiajing (1525) had a barrel made of wrought iron, contained over ten taels of gunpowder, and the projectiles were cast from pig iron, with "five taels of arsenic sulfur poison" inside. Upon ignition, it could "strike at a distance of two hundred paces (approximately 330 meters), causing violent fragmentation and injury." This is the earliest recorded instance in ancient China of a cannon firing explosive projectiles. During the Wanli period, a large number of long-barreled cannons were also produced. In the twentieth year of Wanli (1592), the "General No. 135" iron cannon was manufactured in Hangzhou, with a caliber of 113 millimeters and an overall length of 143 centimeters, showing a significant increase in the ratio of barrel length to diameter. Upon ignition, it could "strike at a distance of two hundred paces (approximately 330 meters), causing violent fragmentation and injury." This is the earliest recorded instance in ancient China of a cannon firing explosive projectiles. During the Wanli period, a large number of long-barreled cannons were also produced. In the twentieth year of Wanli (1592), the "General No. 135" iron cannon was manufactured in Hangzhou, with a caliber of 113 millimeters and an overall length of 143 centimeters, showing a significant increase in the ratio of barrel length to diameter. The cannon body had nine hoops, was cast with cannon ears, and was fitted with two iron rings. During the Wanli period, this type of iron cannon was used by the Ming army in their operations to assist Korea.

With the presence of fireworks, naturally there is gunpowder; with gunpowder, one inevitably thinks of cannons and fire control systems. The technical difficulty of fire control systems is relatively high, and Yu Wenfeng first thought of cannons.

Although the open mouth of a large bowl cannon is greater than the caliber of the barrel, it does not actually increase the power of the artillery. In the early Ming Dynasty, longer straight-barreled cannons were also manufactured. A straight-barreled bronze cannon excavated in Kuancheng County, Hebei Province, made in the 18th year of Hongwu (1385), has a caliber of 108 millimeters, a total length of 52 centimeters, and weighs 26.5 kilograms, with a wide and thick band at the powder chamber. Additionally, the Shanxi Provincial Museum houses three iron cannons made in the 10th year of Hongwu (1377), with a caliber of 210 millimeters and a total length of 100 centimeters, featuring double trunnions on both sides for adjusting the firing angle. The straight-barreled bronze cannon excavated in Kuancheng County, Hebei Province, made in the 18th year of Hongwu (1385), has a caliber of 108 millimeters, a total length of 52 centimeters, and weighs 26.5 kilograms, with a wide and thick band at the powder chamber. Furthermore, the Shanxi Provincial Museum also collects three iron cannons made in the 10th year of Hongwu (1377), with a caliber of 210 millimeters and a total length of 100 centimeters, featuring double trunnions on both sides for adjusting the firing angle. The cannon body is inscribed with "Made on an Auspicious Day in the 10th Year of Hongwu, Dingsi Month" (see the illustration "Iron Cannon Made in the 10th Year of Hongwu, 1377"). This is the earliest known iron cannon in China with trunnions. Such large-caliber straight-barreled cannons evidently increase the power of the artillery, indicating that by the second half of the 14th century, ancient Chinese artillery had reached a new level of development. In the early Ming Dynasty, artillery had become an important equipment for the military, with various types manufactured by the Bureau of Military Equipment and the Bureau of Arms, including mouth cannons, bowl cannons, divine machine cannons, whirlwind bronze cannons, and general cannons (the term "general" is often used as a title for cannons with greater power). In the 12th year of Yongle (1414), during the second northern expedition of the Ming Chengzu, artillery was used to defeat the enemy forces; in the 14th year of Zhengtong (1449), during the defense of Beijing by Yu Qian, artillery and other firearms were used to achieve a great victory against the invasion of the Wala army.

In the Middle Ages, cannons were used to bombard castle walls during sieges and to fire upon large groups of enemies on the battlefield. They could accurately demolish the vertical outer walls of buildings within castles, leading to the development of sloped, low outer walls to replace the tall, vertical walls designed to withstand cannon fire. During this period, the role of cannons on the battlefield was limited, as they were still very heavy and difficult to reposition for firing during combat

When people think of large artillery, many immediately associate it with the historically famous "Red Robe Cannon." However, this is not the case. As early as 1332, during the Yuan Dynasty in China, the earliest metal-barreled artillery, the bronze hand cannon (caliber 105 millimeters, smoothbore muzzle-loading cannon), was equipped in the military. Research by relevant experts and scholars has determined that the newly discovered Yuan Dynasty hand cannon in Inner Mongolia is the earliest known copper hand cannon in China with a clear date, and it is also recognized as the earliest cannon in the world to date. This hand cannon was discovered in July 1987, was housed in the Mongolian Yuan Cultural Museum in October 1998, and was inspected by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 2004. Research by relevant experts and scholars has determined that the newly discovered Yuan Dynasty hand cannon in Inner Mongolia is the earliest known copper hand cannon in China with a clear date, and it is also recognized as the earliest cannon in the world to date. This hand cannon was discovered in July 1987, was housed in the Mongolian Yuan Cultural Museum in October 1998, and was inspected by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 2004

Before gunpowder weapons were truly put to use, several centuries of experimentation had taken place. The greatest challenge in developing gunpowder was achieving a fast ignition point, uniform quality, and powerful impact. Additionally, designing suitable artillery was no easy task; improper design could render the weapon inoperable. Due to the limitations of early manufacturing techniques, the danger faced by artillery operators was, in fact, comparable to that posed to the targets they were firing at. For instance, in 1460, King John II of Scotland met his untimely death when a cannon exploded while he was igniting it. By the mid-15th century, the technology of cannons and gunpowder had reached its peak, elevating them to the status of significant weapons. A notable example is the destruction of the walls of Constantinople in 1453 by large stone projectiles fired from siege cannons. Although the fall of Constantinople appeared to be due to the breaching of the small city and the - book - gate, it can actually be attributed to the bombardment that made the assault possible.