Huochong

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Huochong (Traditional Chinese: 火铳) is a tube-like, projection firearm. It first appeared in the Song Dynasty and was constructed of bamboo. The bamboo body was replaced with bronze sometime in the late 13th or early 14th century. The oldest metal huochong, which is seen by many as the first known cannon[1], is a bronze huochong which has an inscription dating back to 1298. This piece has no certain find context, however, and is therefore disputed in authenticity. The first certain bronze huochong comes from 1332.

[edit] External links

• Asia Research Institute, Chinese Military Technology and Dai Viet: c. 1390-1497, Sep 2003, accessed 21 Nov 2006.
• Chinese firearm
• Picture gallery
• http://authors.history-forum.com/liang_jieming/chinesesiegewarfare/siegeweapons-earlyguns.html