Fire arrow

Fire arrows are one of the earliest forms of weaponized gunpowder. The first fire arrows were bags of incendiary gunpowder attached the shaft of an arrow. Later on gunpowder rockets were used to provide rockets with propulsive force. Fire arrows are the predecessors of fire lances, the first firearm.

Although the fire arrow is most commonly associated with its rocket mechanism, it originally consisted of a pouch of gunpowder attached to an arrow. This type of fire arrow served the function of an incendiary and was launched using a bow or crossbow.

The rocket propelled fire arrow appeared later. By the mid 1300s rocket arrow launchers had appeared in the Ming dynasty and later on mobile rocket arrow launchers were utilized in both China and Korea. The fire arrows propelled by gunpowder may have had a range of up to 1,000 feet.

Fire arrows were first reported to be used by the Southern Wu in 904 during the siege of Yuzhang.

In 969 gunpowder propelled rocket arrows were invented by Yue Yifang and Feng Jisheng.

Published in 1044, the Wujing Zongyao, or Complete Compendium of Military Classics, states that in 994 A.D. the city of Zitong was attacked by an army of 100,000 men who were driven back by regular war machines and fire arrows.

In 1083 Song records state that the court produced 350,000 fire arrows and sent them to two garrisons.

On March 1, 1126, the Song general Li Gang used a fire arrow machine known as the Thunderbolt Thrower during the Jingkang Incident.

By 1127 the Jin were also using fire arrows produced by captured Song artisans.

In 1159 fire arrows were used by the Song navy in sinking a Jin fleet.

In 1161 the general Yu Yunwen used fire arrows at the Battle of Caishi, near present-day Ma'anshan, during a Jin maritime incursion.

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