Korean cannon
Encyclopedia
Cannon
in Korea
were first developed by Choe Mu-seon
, for exclusive use by the Goryeo
Army. Several types were made and saw successful action during the Mongol invasions of Japan
. One of the most notable types was the "byuldae-wangu", a simple stone mortar that hurled explosive rounds at the enemy.
Other firearms were used, but would be considered arquebus
es, rather than cannons, because of their small size.
era were relatively small in size, but boosted accuracy and range. They saw extensive use during the Japanese invasions of Korea, by both the Joseon
Army
and the Navy
. They were very effective against the weaker Japanese ships. The Nanjung Ilgi
says that many were captured and used by the Japan
ese when their full potential was realized. There existed multiple varieties, each for a different situation or purpose.
Below is a list of types used by the Joseon
military:
and the projectile(s). Doing so increased accuracy, range, and firepower. Sand was also poured in when firing grapeshot
.
Projectiles were mainly iron
shot, but some were made of stone. Others were filled with gunpowder
and were, therefore, explosive. There was a wide usage of "daejon", a wooden arrow with iron tips and fins. They were more accurate, but lacked range and firepower. Sometimes the Joseon Navy
used grapeshot
and arrow
s for anti-personnel warfare, but that was not as widely used. In many cases the projectiles were used in conjunction.
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
were first developed by Choe Mu-seon
Choe Mu-seon
Choe Mu-Seon was a medieval Korean scientist, inventor, and military commander during the late Goryeo Dynasty and early Joseon Dynasty...
, for exclusive use by the Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
Army. Several types were made and saw successful action during the Mongol invasions of Japan
Mongol invasions of Japan
The ' of 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer the Japanese islands after the submission of Goryeo to vassaldom. Despite their ultimate failure, the invasion attempts are of macrohistorical importance, because they set a limit on Mongol expansion, and rank...
. One of the most notable types was the "byuldae-wangu", a simple stone mortar that hurled explosive rounds at the enemy.
Other firearms were used, but would be considered arquebus
Arquebus
The arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...
es, rather than cannons, because of their small size.
Early Joseon (Before Japanese invasions of Korea)
Cannons of the JoseonJoseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
era were relatively small in size, but boosted accuracy and range. They saw extensive use during the Japanese invasions of Korea, by both the Joseon
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
and the Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
. They were very effective against the weaker Japanese ships. The Nanjung Ilgi
Nanjung Ilgi
Nanjung Ilgi or War Diary of Yi Sun-sin is the personal diary of Korean Admiral Yi Sun-sin during the Joseon Dynasty. It was written between January 1, 1592 and November 17, 1598 by the Admiral himself.-External links:...
says that many were captured and used by the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese when their full potential was realized. There existed multiple varieties, each for a different situation or purpose.
Below is a list of types used by the Joseon
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
military:
- "Cheonja, or "heaven" (HangulHangulHangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 천자) was the largest and most standardly used type of cannon. It was used exclusively on the Panoksun BattleshipBattleshipA battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
. It had an effective range of about 350-500 meters. It was the only type of cannon capable of firing explosive rounds. - "Jija", or "earth" (HangulHangulHangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 지자) was the second largest type. It was used mainly on the Turtle shipTurtle shipThe Turtle ship, also known as Geobukseon or Kobukson , was a type of large warship belonging to the Panokseon class in Korea that was used intermittently by the Royal Korean Navy during the Joseon Dynasty from the early 15th century up until the 19th century.The first references to older, first...
. It had an effective range of about 500-600 meters. - "Hyeonja", or "black (hangulHangulHangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
:현자) was another type that was smaller than the Jija. Its effective range was from around 1100–1250 meters with an Iron shot, and 400–600 meters with a Daejon, a wooden projectile. - The "Hwangja", or "yellow" (hangulHangulHangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
:황자) cannon was the smallest and the most accurate cannon, was about three feet long, and was capable of accurately delivering a cannonball up to target 1590 meters away.
Late Joseon (After Japanese invasions of Korea)
- "Hongyi-poHongyi-poThe Hongyi-po was a smoothbore muzzle-loader cannon introduced to Korea from the Dutch Republic in late 16th century. It was called the Hongyi-po by the Koreans because the Chinese called the Dutch 紅夷 .-External links:...
" was cannon from Dutch in late 16th century. It was used in French Campaign against Korea, 1866French Campaign against Korea, 1866The French campaign against Korea of 1866 is also known as Byeong-in yangyo . It refers to the French invasion of Ganghwa Island in Korea in retaliation for the earlier execution by Korea's Joseon Dynasty of French Catholic priests proselytizing in that country...
, United States expedition to Korea and Ganghwa Island incidentGanghwa Island incidentThe Ganghwa Island incident or the Japanese Battle of Ganghwa , was an armed encounter between the Joseon Dynasty and Japan which occurred in the vicinity of Ganghwa Island on September 20, 1875.-Background:...
.
- So-po was muzzle-loading bronze cannon made in 1874. Its caliber is 84 mm.
- Jung-po was muzzle-loading bronze cannon made in 1874. Its caliber is 120 mm.
Operation
A distinguishing Korean method of firing involved inserting paper and a wooden stump between the gunpowderGunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
and the projectile(s). Doing so increased accuracy, range, and firepower. Sand was also poured in when firing grapeshot
Grapeshot
In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of shot that is not a one solid element, but a mass of small metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvas bag. It was used both in land and naval warfare. When assembled, the balls resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name...
.
Projectiles were mainly iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
shot, but some were made of stone. Others were filled with gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
and were, therefore, explosive. There was a wide usage of "daejon", a wooden arrow with iron tips and fins. They were more accurate, but lacked range and firepower. Sometimes the Joseon Navy
Joseon Navy
The Joseon Navy is the navy of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea.-History:During the Joseon Dynasty, however, the navy and maritime operations fell into disuse, while fishing ships continued to operate and prosper. Because of the relative peace during the Joseon dynasty, the entire military itself...
used grapeshot
Grapeshot
In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of shot that is not a one solid element, but a mass of small metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvas bag. It was used both in land and naval warfare. When assembled, the balls resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name...
and arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...
s for anti-personnel warfare, but that was not as widely used. In many cases the projectiles were used in conjunction.