Militarization of Gunpowder in the Song Dynasty

Timeline

1. c. 900–960Central Plains region · Henan ProvinceRecords from the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods describe bamboo tubes filled with gunpowder used to hurl incendiary objects; around the founding of the Northern Song, firearms began to differentiate from fireworks and siege equipment, showing early military uses.
2. 1040–1100Bianjing and the Kaifeng Prefecture area · Henan ProvinceThe Northern Song established the Firearms Bureau to oversee gunpowder weapon production; the compiled Wu Jing Zong Yao (Complete Essentials for the Military Classics) recorded formulas and uses for various fire bombs, fire arrows, and poison smoke balls, and firearms became standard equipment of the imperial guards.
3. 1115–1120Song-Jin border and Bianjing defenses · ChinaAfter the Jin founder raised his army, Song forces used firearms such as thunderclap cannons and fire arrows along the Hebei defense line and in city defenses against the Jin army; the militarization of firearms was tested in actual combat and they were also captured and copied by the Jin forces.
4. c. 1127–1200All of China · ChinaAfter the Jingkang Incident, firearms technology spread through warfare to the Jin, Western Xia, and other regimes; the Southern Song continued to develop new firearms such as the thunder-fire gun, and the Song military gunpowder system influenced East Asian military technology for centuries thereafter.