| Singijeon | |
|---|---|
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 신기전 |
| Hanja | 神機箭 |
| Revised Romanization | Singijeon |
| McCune–Reischauer | Shin'kichŏn |
Singijeon or Shinkichon (literally "Spirit Mechanic Arrow") is a multi-launch rocket invented by Korean general Choe Mu-seon in 1377, during the Goryeo Dynasty under King U.[1] These were launched by multiple means, such as the hwacha and other large-barreled guns.
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In order to gain ascendancy in the sea against the Japanese pirates, the Koreans had tried to acquire rockets and gunpowder and their production methods from China.[2] But the Chinese regarded the technology of gunpowder manufacture as a state secret and restricted access to it and its nitrous raw materials (which could only be found in China) trade.[3] Therefore, Koreans sought to acquire the manufacturing secrets of gunpowder for themselves, and, in 1374 (~1376), Choe successfully extracted potassium nitrate from the soil[4] and rocks from Japanese trade routes, and developed Korea's first gunpowder.
The Juhwa were the first singijeon, and the result of efforts to acquire the technology to manufacture gunpowder.
Singijeon saw most of its early use in the Northern borders of Joseon, in the campaign to expand its northern borders by driving out the "Orangkae" ("Barbarians," especially referring the Jurchen people). Later, its uses expanded to coastal defense against Japanese pirates and was much used throughout the conflicts during the Joseon Dynasty. During the Imjin War, General Gwon Yul attributed his perilously outnumbered yet successful defence against the Japanese forces at the Haengju mountain fortress to the Singijeon.[5]
The location of the schematics of the singijeon were not known until much recently. Korean historians had found the schematics stuck as an appendix in the book "Gukjo Orye Seorye" (국조오례서례, 國朝五禮序例) but did not realize what it was until Dr. Chae Yeon-suk affirmed them as the hidden schematics of the singijeon. The schematics detail the lengths of wooden materials using units down to 0.3mm. The schematics are one of the best representations of the acute scientific understanding of the Joseon Dynasty.
Singijeon were divided among three major types: large, medium, and small. The 52 cm long rocket was launched individually on a handheld gun, and the launch was initiated by a fuse in the tube. Even after launch, the fuse would remain in the tube, consuming the black powder until it hit the "warhead" and caused detonation.[6] The fuse length was determined by the amount of gunpowder in the paper tube, and was adjusted depending on the distance that the missile had to cover so that it would explode on the target. Its range was around 1 to 2 kilometers.[7] The medium singijeon was of the same construction and function as the large singijeon, but, due to its smaller size of 13 cm,[6] its range was limited to 150 meters.[8] However, its explosive warhead was still powerful enough to make a 30 cm-deep crater in a patch of sand.[5] The small singijeon was simply an arrow with a gunpowder pouch attached to it, and had no explosive capabilities. It was launched in multiples of 100 by a hwacha, and had a range of 100 meters. All gunpowder weapons including the singijeon used black powder.