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A study of the real features for the Gunpowder based weapons systems of ‘hwatong' and ‘hwapo' at the late period of Goryeo through several operating cases

Kiseung Oh 1

1중앙대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

At the end of the 14th century, Goryeo dynasty acquired the overall and general techniques for manufacturing gunpowder based weapons systems through the research of Choi Mu-seon(崔茂宣), and used it in the battle against the Waegu(Wokou) which was the Japanese pirates. It is supposed that gunpowder weapons in maritime battles at that time destroyed enemy ships mainly through incineration by flames. However the research on the gunpowder weapon system at the late period of Goryeo dynasty was insufficient due to lack of data. And for that reason, it is somewhat ambiguous as to what was the main gunpowder weapons that executed role of the incineration. In this study the actual situation and operation pattern their were traced by referring to existing studies and related historical records. And in particular, was paid attention to hwatong(火㷁) and hwapo(火砲) that developed by Choi Mu-seon. First, some supposing that hwatong was a firing device for projectiles and supposing that it was a thrown weapons and the main weapon for incinerating enemy ships at the same time. This study reviewed several historical sources and concluded that it was a firing device made by metal. And among the gunpowder weapons developed by Choi Mu-seon, hwapo was thought to the main weapon of incineration of enemy ships. And referring to the historical records of China, it was highly likely that this was a flame-throwing gunpowder weapon. The hwapo that developed by Choi Mu-seon was able to effectively incinerate enemy ships in connection with the tactics using Geo-chul(拒鐵, large iron pushing rod) and Goo-Chul(拘鐵, large iron hook), and was usefully used effectively in battlefields such as Jinpo(鎭浦) and Gwaneumpo(觀音浦), contributing to the suppression of Waegu(Wokou). However, it is supposed that the flame-throwing gunpowder weapons were rapidly eliminated due to the problem of high too much gunpowder consumption and some other reasons. And from King Sejong's era, Joseon reorganized its gunpowder weapon system with a focus on firing device made by metal. This study is meaningful in that it find out the actual reality of hwatong and hwapo in the late period of Goryeo dynasty through analysis and review of historical records, and enhances the understanding of gunpowder weapons at the same period.

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