page_title: Gunpowder weapons in the Ming dynasty
section_title: Late Ming period
hierarchical_section_title: Gunpowder weapons in the Ming dynasty / Late Ming period
caption_attribution_description: English: A flintlock depicted in the Junqitushu, 1635.
context_page_description: The Ming dynasty continued to improve on gunpowder weapons from the Yuan and Song dynasties. During the early Ming period larger and more cannons were used in warfare. In the early 16th century Portuguese breech-loading swivel guns and matchlock firearms were incorporated into the Ming arsenal. In the 17th century Dutch culverin were incorporated as well and became known as hongyipao. At the very end of the Ming dynasty, around 1642, Chinese combined European cannon designs with indigenous casting methods to create composite metal cannons that exemplified the best attributes of both iron and bronze cannons. While firearms never completely displaced the bow and arrow, by the end of the 16th century more firearms than bows were being ordered for production by the government, and no crossbows were mentioned at all.
context_section_description: Some early Ming cannon designs continued to see service well into the late Ming era. For example the crouching tiger cannon was still being used during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98).
caption: A flintlock firearm from the Junqitushu, 1635.
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