Singijeon

Infobox Korean name

---

hangul=신기전
hanja=神機箭
rr=Singijeon
mr=Sin'gijŏn

Singijeon is the world's first multi-launch rocket system whose schematics are still intact. First made by Korean Choe Mu-seon in 1377 during the Goryeo Dynasty under King U. [ [http://www.add.re.kr/retire/nboard/BoardMain.aspx?BbsID=newspaper&mode=view&page=22&num=50&kword=&ks=&kc=&kw=&group=50 Gook-bang Gwa-hak Yaun-goo-so] ] These were launched through multiple means, such as the hwacha and large-barrelled guns. Juhwa was the first singijeon, and the result of the effort to acquire the technology of manufacturing gunpowder. In order to gain ascendancy in the sea against the Japanese pirates, the Koreans had tried to acquire rockets and gunpowder and their production methods from China. [ [http://www.tongilnews.com/article.asp?menuid=609200&articleid=17324 Tongil News] ] But, the Chinese regarded the technology of gunpowder manufacturing as a national secret and limited it and its nitrous raw material's (which could only be found in China) trade. [ [http://keons.com.ne.kr/gunpowder.html ÃÖ¹«¼±°ú È­¾à°³¹ß ] ] Therefore, Koreans sought to acquire the manufacturing secrets of gunpowder, and, in 1374 (~1376), Choe successfully extracted potassium nitrate from the soil [ [http://seer.snu.ac.kr/trip/anc-4.html Seoul National University] ] and rocks from Japanese trade routes, and developed Korea's first gunpowder. Thenforth Korean gunpowder production started entirely independent from China. This eventually led to the creation of Juhwa.

Singijeon branched into three major types: large (dae) (대), medium (joong) (중), and small (so) (소). The large singijeon was a duplicate of the Chinese fire arrow, and it comprised a bamboo stick with a paper barrel of gunpowder attached to it [http://user.chol.com/~knuephy/answer/physics/p0006.htm Gwahak Jilmoon QnA] ] with a small grenade-like explosive attached to the front. [http://www.pcbee.co.kr/nolruwa/know/kisti_view.html?num=72&sw=&pnum=1 Nolruwa.pcBee.co.kr] ] The 52cm long missile was launched individually on a handheld gun, and the launch was initiated by a fuse in the tube. Even after launch, the fuse would remain in the tube, consuming the black powder until it hit the "warhead" and caused detonation. [http://www.koreandb.net/dictionaries/Viewframe.aspx?id=1133 Digital Hangookhak] ] The fuse length was determined by the amount of gunpowder in the paper tube, and was adjusted depending on the distance that the missile had the cover so that it would explode on the target. Its range was around 1 to 2 kilometers. The medium singijeon was of the same construction and function as the large singijeon, but, due to its smaller size of 13cm, its range was limited to 150 meters. Yet, its explosive warhead was powerful enough to make a 30cm-deep crater in a patch of sand. [http://blog.daum.net/singijeon2008/4880750 절대강국을 꿈꾼 세종의 비밀병기 <신기전> ] ] The small singijeon was simply an arrow with a gunpowder pouch attached to it, and had no explosive capabilities. It was launched in multiples of 100 by a hwacha, and had a range of 100 meters. All gunpowder weapons including the singijeon used black powder.

Singijeon saw most of its early use in the Northern borders of Josun, in the campaign to expand its northern borders by driving out the "Orangkae" ("Barbarians," especially referring the Yeojin of the North). Later, its uses expanded to coastal defence against Japanese pirates and was much used throughout the conflicts during the Josun Dynasty. During the Imjin War, General Gwon-Yul attributed his perilously outnumbered yet successful defence against the Japanese forces at the Haengju Sansung to the Singijeon.

Ironically, the schematics of the singijeon was not promulgated until much recently. Although Korean historians found the schematics stuck as an appendix in the book 국조오례사례 ("Gookjo Oryae Seoryae") but did not realize what it was until Dr. Chae Yeon-suk affirmed it was the hidden schematics of the singijeon. Schematics detail the lengths of wooden materials using units down to 0.3mm. The schematics are one of the best representatives of the acute scientific standing of the Josun Dynasty.

ee also

*Korean bow
*Hwacha
*Imjin War
*Gunpowder
*Firework
*Cannon
*Fire Arrow
*Huo Long Jing

References