【Introduction】

One of the four great inventions in ancient China. An outstanding achievement in the history of human civilization.

Fire yao, also known as black fire yao, is a rapid and regular combustion under the action of appropriate external energy, and at the same time generates a large amount of high-temperature gas substances. It is mainly used as the launching medicine of guns, shells, propellants and other driving devices in military use, and is an important part of ammunition.

Fire is a mixture that uses saltpeter, sulfur, charcoal or other combustible substances as the main components, and can quickly burn or explode after ignition. It is generally believed that according to the mixture ratio of one sulfur (sulfur), dinitro (saltpe) and three charcoal, its explosion intensity is the strongest, and after mixing this ratio, it is black or gray-black, so it is called black fire. Fire is the first explosive material mastered by humans and one of the four great inventions in ancient China. Because saltpeter, sulfur, etc. were all drugs in ancient China, they were easily ignited and burned violently after mixing, so it was called fire. Modern black fire was developed from ancient China. It played a major role in the development of world culture. Fire originated in China.

In ancient alchemy, ancient chemists (alliers) used the gold and stone medicines that had already been mastered in the Han Dynasty. After long-term alchemy practice, fire was invented before the third year of Yuanhe in Emperor Xianzong of Tang Dynasty (808 AD), and used it to create fire weapons for arson in the late Five Dynasties (10th century AD). In the practice of continuously creating new firearms in the Song and Yuan dynasties, fire performance was continuously improved, and fire medicines for bombs and metal tube-shaped firearms were all made, and reached a mature level in the Ming Dynasty. In the "New Book of Ji Xiao" written by Qi Jiguang, the fire recipe and manufacturing process were recorded in detail.

Because it is a mixture of sulfur, saltpeter and charcoal, the first two items were listed as important medicinal materials in the first Chinese pharmacological classics (Shennong Bencao Jing) written in the Han Dynasty. It is also classified as medicine. In films and TV dramas and novels, people often use fire to heal injuries. This is true. The instant burning fire can stop bleeding. In addition, Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty said that fire can cure sores, kill insects, and ward off moisture and plagues.

In the late Tang Dynasty, fire was used for military affairs. In the first year of Tianyou of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang Dynasty (904 AD), Yang Xingmi's army besieged Yuzhang. General Zheng Fu used his troops to fly fire and burn the dragon monk, leading the heroes to enter the city after a sudden fire, and was anxious. The flying fire mentioned here is artillery, rockets, etc. The cannons made fire into a ring shape, ignited the hanging line and threw it out with a stone thrower; the rocket tied the fire ball under the arrowhead, ignited the hanging line and shot it out with a bow. In the Song Dynasty, war

Continuously, the accelerated development of fire weapons was promoted. The Northern Song government established fire workshops, and successively manufactured fire arrows, artillery and other weapons with strong explosive performance, thunder cannons, and other explosive weapons. In 1259 AD, the Southern Song Dynasty built fire guns with giant bamboo as a cylinder and filled with fire. In the Yuan Dynasty, copper cast fire guns appeared as copper generals. These were weapons with fire explosions as the driving force, showing unprecedented power in the war.

The development of firearms depends on the research and production of firearms. The "Wu Jing Zongyao" records three firearms. The content of firearms in the Tang Dynasty contains sulfur and nitrate is the same, 1 to 1, 1 to 2 in the Song Dynasty, and even close to 1 to 3. It is similar to the formula in which the black firearms in later generations accounts for three-quarters. A small amount of auxiliary ingredients are added to firearms to achieve the effects of flammable, explosive, poisonous, and smoke screens. Firearms are constantly improved and developed during the manufacturing and use process.

In 1044, the book "The General Essence of Wu Jing" edited by Zeng Gongliang introduced three fire yao formulas, using different auxiliary materials to achieve different purposes of flammable, explosive, poisonous and smoke screen production.

Due to the constant wars in the Song Dynasty, the demand for firearms increased. During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of Song Dynasty, a military weapon supervisor was set up to manage the manufacturing of military weapons across the country. The military weapon supervisor hired more than 40,000 workers, and the supervisor divided into ten workshops to produce fire and firearm weapons. Each of them was a workshop, and they had a very important position. Historical books recorded the production scale at that time: "On the same day, there were 7,000 crossbows, 10,000 bows, 3,000 thorns, and 20,000 leather artillery guns." These all promoted the development of fire and firearms.

Tube firearms appeared in the Southern Song Dynasty. In 1132 AD, Chen Gui invented muskets. Muskets were made of long bamboo poles. The fire was first placed in the bamboo poles, and the fire was ignited during combat and sprayed at the enemy. Chen Gui used "more than twenty long bamboo poles" when he was guarding Ande. In 1259 AD, someone in Shouchun area made a thrust musket, and the thrust musket was made of thick bamboo tubes. The difference between this kind of tubular firearms is that the musket can only spray flames to burn people, while the thrust muskets are contained in the muskets. After the fire is ignited, it generates strong gas pressure and shoots the "subunit". "Subunit" is the original bullet. The thrust muskets pioneered the launch of the tubular firearms. Modern guns and cannons have gradually developed from tubular firearms. Therefore, the invention of tubular firearms is another big leap in the history of weapons.

The thrust gun is also called the thrust gun, which may be made of bamboo tubes. The book "Instructions for Marching" quoted in the Yongle Encyclopedia mentioned that the fire gun was used when defending the city in the Song Dynasty to kill enemies who climbed the city. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, this primitive tubular firearm made of bamboo tubes was replaced with copper or iron to cast a cannon, which was called a "fire gun".

The copper musket in 1332 AD is the earliest existing tubular firearm with inscriptions in the world.

Ming Dynasty

In the Ming Dynasty, a variety of "multi-mover rockets" were invented, such as the "fire crossbow meteor arrow" that fired 10 arrows at the same time; the "flying swarm" that fired 32 arrows; and the "hundred tigers running arrows" that could fire up to 100 arrows. Zhu Di, the king of the Ming Yan (later Ming Chengzu), fought with Emperor Jianwen in Baigou River, and used "multi-mover rockets". This was the earliest multi-shot rocket in the world, and it can be called the originator of modern multi-barrel rocket launchers. It is particularly worth mentioning that a firearm called "fire dragon out of water" was used in water wars at that time. According to the "Wu Beizhi", this kind of firearm can fly three or four feet away from the water surface, reaching two or three miles. This rocket is made of bamboo and wood.
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