Gunpowder was invented in China during the Tang dynasty in the early 9th century. Chinese alchemists were said to be experimenting with saltpetre in combination with various other chemicals in their quest to create an elixir of life, when they discovered that their mixtures sometimes burst into flames. They called the substance huoyao, meaning “fire medicine.” According to the 10th-century text Zhenyuan miaodao yaolüe, many alchemists burned their hands and faces, and even entire houses were gutted during the preparation of huoyao. By the time of the Song dynasty, this supposed elixir of life had found its way into weapons designed to terminate life.
The earliest of these were fire arrows—arrows tipped with gunpowder incendiaries—and the fire lance, a spear or pole fitted with a tube of gunpowder. Then came true explosives, and warfare was never the same again. These explosive devices had fanciful names such as "ten-thousand fire flying sand magic bomb", "burning heaven fierce fire unstoppable bomb", “heaven shaking thunder bomb” and "thunderclap bomb".
These ceramic grenades dating to the 13th century were found in a Mongolian shipwreck sunk off the Japanese Takashima Island in 1274. The ship was part of the armada of Kublai Khan attempting to conquer Japan. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Thunderclap bombs were first used during the Siege of Kaifeng in 1126. An eyewitness recorded: “At night the thunderclap bombs were used, striking the enemy lines effectively and throwing them into great confusion. Many fled, screaming in fright.”
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