Chinese Siege Warfare: Mechanical Artillery & Siege Weapons of Antiquity by Liang Jieming

Author:Liang, Jieming
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Da Pao Publishing
Published: 2013-03-15T16:00:00+00:00

火炮 Early Gunpowder Weapons

火枪 Huo Qiang “Fire Spear” (Firelance)

ca. 12th century A.D.

The earliest known illustration of a Huo Qiang or "Fire lance" is from a 10th century A.D. painted silk banner of demons attacking the meditating Buddha, found in Dunhuang. This beautifully well preserved painting shows very clearly a gunpowder tube attached to the end of a long pole being fired by a demon on the top right-hand side of the Buddha. There has been much speculation as to the exact nature of this weapon especially when considering the supernatural nature of the depiction and therefore possibly a similar supernatural weapon in the demon's hands. The exact shape of the weapon was however, seen in later military illustrations and, while it was possible that this early illustration was merely an inspirational representation of an underworld fire-spewing weapon, the resemblance to actual later Song dynasty fire lances was uncannily close.

[See Appendix C : Huo Yao (Fire Drug) or Gunpowder - 10th century A.D. Painted Silk Banner found at Dunhuang of Mara the Temptress and Her Demons Attacking the Meditating Buddha with a Proto-Gun (Firelance) and Bomb.]

The most conclusive description of the use of a fire lance in battle was of its use during the tumultuous years of the northern encroachment of the Song dynasty, during the siege of De An in A.D. 1127-1132. Chen Gui, co-author together with Tang Shou, of the military manual Shoucheng lu or "Defense of Towns", was an active participant and therefore a direct eyewitness of the defense of De An. He aided in the defensive efforts by ordering long poles and the gunpowder from their Huo Pao or "fire" catapults (normal traction catapults firing grenade/bombs) to be strapped together to create 20 firelances. These proto-guns were each handled by 2 men and used to defend city walls, either from on top of the walls or thrust through holes in the walls to fire at Jurchen troops outside.

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