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Ming Firearms System

Type Object Region China Time c. 1368–1644

Ming firearms system: guns, hand guns, rockets, and fire arrows coordinated by the Ministry of Works, the Inner Court, and local foundries, with gunp…

Timeline

  1. 1421–1422Beijing · BeijingAfter the Yongle capital move, the court brought the Shenji Camp, bowl-mouth guns, hand guns, and gunpowder storage under unified capital defense command; the Ministry of Works and Inner Court foundries ran in parallel in the two capitals, forming a tiered heavy-light firearms configuration.
  2. c. 1423–1427Datong · ShanxiThe court allocated guns and gunpowder to the Nine Borders garrisons, with capital Shenji Camp officers instructing frontier troops in drills; fortress gun positions and beacon-tower firearms were systematically configured to counter Mongol raids.
  3. 1428–1430Nanjing · NanjingDuring the Xuande reign the court formalized official procedures for saltpeter purchasing, gunpowder compounding, and gun maintenance; firearms inventories in the two capitals and the Nine Borders were regularly audited, sustaining the system since Yongle.

Sources