论南宋发展的三种新式筒形火器

火药和火器均发明于中国,然而10世纪中国所制早期火药硝石含量低,且制成膏状,不能成为发射剂,因此早期火器借手动机械力发射。11-12世纪南宋成功制成高硝固体火药,并首次用于制造小型烟火。宋金交战时,固体火药和烟火用于改进老式火器,结果南宋初出现某些新型火器,如1128年制造的铳炮、1138年制出的火枪或喷火枪,是后来一切筒形火器的祖先。作为铳炮和火枪的杂交产物,1259年突火枪出现。这三种武器的出现引起南宋以来火器史中的第二次技术革命,具有重大意义和深远影响。

On Three New Types of Firearms in Southern Song China:Bambad,Fire-lance and Erupter

Gunpowder and firearms were invented in China.Howevr,early gunpowder made in 10thcentury China contained a low quantity of nitrate and was made in the paste form,it could not be used as a propellent,and early firearms were thus hurled with mechanical force by hand.Between the 11thand12thcenturies in the Southern song,solid gunpowder of high niteate was successfully made and was first used for making fireworks and firecrackers of small size.During the war between the Song and jin solid gunpowder and pyrotechnics were applied to improve old firearms,as a result,some new firearms appeared in the early Southern Song ,such as the chong-pao(bambard)made in 1128 and the huo-qiang(fire-lance)or flam-thrower made in1132.They were the ancesters of all later firearms of tube-type.As product of the hybridization of bambard and fire-lance,the tuhuo-qiang(impetuous fire-lance or erupter)was made in 1259.The appeaeance of the three kinds of weapons caused the second technical revolution in the history of firearms since the Southern Song and had the great significance and deep influence.