Song Dynasty Blast Furnace Iron Smelting

Timeline

1. c. 1000–1100Hebei iron smelting district · HebeiVertical blast furnaces combined with water- or human-powered bellows raised shaft height and temperature, achieving continuous iron tapping and replacing some bloomery and early shaft furnace methods.
2. 1180–1189Fujian–Jiangxi iron smelting belt · JiangxiAfter the Zhenghe era the number of southern blast furnaces increased; under the iron tax and iron monopoly systems, official and private smelting workshops coexisted, supplying pig iron to military needs and the civilian farm tool market.
3. c. 1150–1250Southern Chinese smelting workshops · ChinaPig iron from blast furnaces was made into steel through stirring and hundred-refining processes, or directly cast into farm tools, weapons, and coins, forming a complete ironware industry chain.