Choe Mu-seon
Encyclopedia
Choe Mu-Seon was a medieval Korea
n scientist, inventor, and military commander during the late Goryeo
Dynasty and early Joseon
Dynasty. He is best known for enabling Korea to domestically produce gunpowder
by obtaining a recipe for the Chinese
commodity from a Chinese merchant
, as well as inventing various gunpowder-based weapons in an attempt to repel the wokou
pirates that plundered coastal regions of the Korean Peninsula
.
, Gyeongsang
province; his father was an official in the administration. He qualified to be a military officer through civil service examination. The government's control of Goryeo was crumbling, and at the same time the pirates crossing the Korean Strait plundered much of the coastal regions. In the southern part of the nation, pirates even marched deep inland, causing havoc. The Goryeo government was not able to ensure security, despite the efforts of generals Yi Song Gye
and Choi Yong.
In his childhood, while he was at the royal palace with his father, who was working for the king, Choe saw fireworks
made by Mongols
and Chinese
, who at the time had indirect control of Goryeo (their influence was repealed by King Gongmin). Later in life, Choe embarked on a quest to bring the recipe of gunpowder to Korea. He visited China, which was then ruled by the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty
. In general, technology of that region, such as cotton
growing and gunpowder manufacture, was kept secret. Choe sought to smuggle some examples of secret items, and eventually was able to obtain knowledge of the three key ingredients of gunpowder: sulfur
, slack or fine coal, and potassium nitrate
. However, the process to obtain niter
, the mineral form of potassium nitrate, was difficult, and he did not know how to prepare gunpowder from the raw materials.
After a chain of experimental failures, Choe considered abandoning the project, but heard about a wealthy Chinese merchant named Lee Yuan who had great knowledge of gunpowder. Choe visited Lee while he was staying in Goryeo on business, and bribed Lee for the gunpowder recipe, in violation of Mongol and Chinese law. Korea began its first domestic production of gunpowder between the years of 1374 and 1376.
Choe demonstrated the power of the new weapon in front of King U and many other court advisers; and almost every one of them were impressed by its devastating power compared to other arms which were already in existence in Korea. The government gave him great support, establishing the official laboratory and factory for gunpowder in 1377; here Choe invented various kinds of cannon and other firearms. Among his inventions were the singijeon
and the hwacha
, a launching device somewhat resembling the first modern multiple rocket launcher
. Then he put his inventions into real battle against the Japanese at the Battle of Jinpo, in which he participated as one of the Korean commanders; the battle was easily won by Korean forces, thanks to the gunpowder. He also began to build warships to chase off the pirates.
Since his inventions greatly contributed to his country, he was able to be promoted and participate in politics. However he was already old when he obtained the gunpowder recipe from the merchant, and his later days saw the change of Dynasty from Goryeo to Joseon. Soon after the foundation of the new Joseon Dynasty
, Choe retired from both military and political affairs, and died in 1395. After his death, King Taejo
gave him the honorary title of vice-premier. He was still remembered in Korea as the perfect role model for many scientists and as a patriot.
, juhwa (주화; 走火; "Running fire"), which was the forerunner of the singijeon
, and cheollyeongjeon (철령전; 鐵翎箭; literally “Iron-finned arrow”).
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...
n scientist, inventor, and military commander during the late 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...
Dynasty and early 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...
Dynasty. He is best known for enabling Korea to domestically produce 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...
by obtaining a recipe for the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
commodity from a Chinese merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, as well as inventing various gunpowder-based weapons in an attempt to repel the wokou
Wokou
Wokou , which literally translates as "Japanese pirates" in English, were pirates of varying origins who raided the coastlines of China and Korea from the 13th century onwards...
pirates that plundered coastal regions of the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
.
Life
Choe was born into a wealthy family in YeongcheonYeongcheon
Yeongcheon is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.Yeongcheon is located 350 km southeast of Seoul, in the southeast of North Gyeongsang Province...
, Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea....
province; his father was an official in the administration. He qualified to be a military officer through civil service examination. The government's control of Goryeo was crumbling, and at the same time the pirates crossing the Korean Strait plundered much of the coastal regions. In the southern part of the nation, pirates even marched deep inland, causing havoc. The Goryeo government was not able to ensure security, despite the efforts of generals Yi Song Gye
Taejo of Joseon
Taejo of Joseon , born Yi Seong-gye, whose changed name is Yi Dan, was the founder and the first king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, and the main figure in overthrowing the Goryeo Dynasty...
and Choi Yong.
In his childhood, while he was at the royal palace with his father, who was working for the king, Choe saw fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
made by Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
and Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, who at the time had indirect control of Goryeo (their influence was repealed by King Gongmin). Later in life, Choe embarked on a quest to bring the recipe of gunpowder to Korea. He visited China, which was then ruled by the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
. In general, technology of that region, such as cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
growing and gunpowder manufacture, was kept secret. Choe sought to smuggle some examples of secret items, and eventually was able to obtain knowledge of the three key ingredients of gunpowder: sulfur
Sulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
, slack or fine coal, and potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula KNO3. It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrate ions NO3−.It occurs as a mineral niter and is a natural solid source of nitrogen. Its common names include saltpetre , from medieval Latin sal petræ: "stone salt" or possibly "Salt...
. However, the process to obtain niter
Niter
Niter or nitre is the mineral form of potassium nitrate, KNO3, also known as saltpeter or saltpetre . Historically, the term "niter" – cognate with "natrium", a Latin word for sodium – has been very vaguely defined, and it has been applied to a variety of other minerals and chemical compounds,...
, the mineral form of potassium nitrate, was difficult, and he did not know how to prepare gunpowder from the raw materials.
After a chain of experimental failures, Choe considered abandoning the project, but heard about a wealthy Chinese merchant named Lee Yuan who had great knowledge of gunpowder. Choe visited Lee while he was staying in Goryeo on business, and bribed Lee for the gunpowder recipe, in violation of Mongol and Chinese law. Korea began its first domestic production of gunpowder between the years of 1374 and 1376.
Choe demonstrated the power of the new weapon in front of King U and many other court advisers; and almost every one of them were impressed by its devastating power compared to other arms which were already in existence in Korea. The government gave him great support, establishing the official laboratory and factory for gunpowder in 1377; here Choe invented various kinds of cannon and other firearms. Among his inventions were the singijeon
Singijeon
Singijeon or Shinkichon is a multi-launch rocket invented by Korean general Choe Mu-seon in 1377, during the Goryeo Dynasty under King U...
and the hwacha
Hwacha
Hwacha or Hwach'a is the world's first multiple rocket launcher developed and used in Joseon Korea. It had the ability to fire up to 100 steel-tipped rockets, or 200 Singijeon flaming arrow projectiles from a range of 500 yards in multiple salvos...
, a launching device somewhat resembling the first modern multiple rocket launcher
Multiple rocket launcher
A multiple rocket launcher is a type of unguided rocket artillery system. Like other rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers are less accurate and have a much lower rate of fire than batteries of traditional artillery guns...
. Then he put his inventions into real battle against the Japanese at the Battle of Jinpo, in which he participated as one of the Korean commanders; the battle was easily won by Korean forces, thanks to the gunpowder. He also began to build warships to chase off the pirates.
Since his inventions greatly contributed to his country, he was able to be promoted and participate in politics. However he was already old when he obtained the gunpowder recipe from the merchant, and his later days saw the change of Dynasty from Goryeo to Joseon. Soon after the foundation of the new Joseon Dynasty
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...
, Choe retired from both military and political affairs, and died in 1395. After his death, King Taejo
Taejo of Joseon
Taejo of Joseon , born Yi Seong-gye, whose changed name is Yi Dan, was the founder and the first king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, and the main figure in overthrowing the Goryeo Dynasty...
gave him the honorary title of vice-premier. He was still remembered in Korea as the perfect role model for many scientists and as a patriot.
Inventions
Some of his inventions were: daejanggunpo (Hangul: 대장군포), ijanggunpo (Hangul: 이장군포), samjanggunpo (Hangul: 삼장군포), yukhwa (Hangul: 육화; Hanja: 六花), seokpo (석포; 石砲), sinpo (신포; 信砲), hwajeon (화전; 火箭; “Fire-arrow”), hwapo (화포; 火砲), hwatong (화통; 火㷁; “Fire-tube”), a possible forerunner of the hwachaHwacha
Hwacha or Hwach'a is the world's first multiple rocket launcher developed and used in Joseon Korea. It had the ability to fire up to 100 steel-tipped rockets, or 200 Singijeon flaming arrow projectiles from a range of 500 yards in multiple salvos...
, juhwa (주화; 走火; "Running fire"), which was the forerunner of the singijeon
Singijeon
Singijeon or Shinkichon is a multi-launch rocket invented by Korean general Choe Mu-seon in 1377, during the Goryeo Dynasty under King U...
, and cheollyeongjeon (철령전; 鐵翎箭; literally “Iron-finned arrow”).
See also
- Fire ArrowFire ArrowFire arrows are an early form of gun powder rocket which were attached to a stick. The Chinese are credited with the first use of fire arrows in a military application, they may have developed fire arrows from their use of fireworks.- Design :...
- SingijeonSingijeonSingijeon or Shinkichon is a multi-launch rocket invented by Korean general Choe Mu-seon in 1377, during the Goryeo Dynasty under King U...
- HwachaHwachaHwacha or Hwach'a is the world's first multiple rocket launcher developed and used in Joseon Korea. It had the ability to fire up to 100 steel-tipped rockets, or 200 Singijeon flaming arrow projectiles from a range of 500 yards in multiple salvos...
- Jang Yeongsil
- Korean cannonKorean cannonCannon 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...
- I Jangson