The Liaoning Provincial Museum houses one of the Dingliao Grand General Cannons of the Ming Dynasty, which is considered the longest surviving hongyi cannon in China and represented the most advanced weapon technology of its time.
This enormous cannon was cast in Ningyuan (presently Xingcheng of Huludao) with the funds provided by Wu Sangui, a prominent general in the Liaodong area during the late Ming Dynasty. The cannon was unveiled to the public in December 1642, following the Decisive Battle of Songjin during the war between the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
This cannon, with its bronze shell and iron interior, is engraved with a 59-character inscription over six lines.
The cannon was cast using a new method that involved introducing the cooling water to the hollow mold. This solidified the iron barrel from the inside out, allowing for a larger size and a durability 5 to 10 times greater than before.
The cannon was well made, with a long barrel and extensive range, and it was more powerful than hongyi cannons imported from abroad at the time.
The Ming Dynasty represented the golden age of firearms in China, with the army generally equipped with them. In fact, the Ming army had a dedicated unit known as the Shenjiying Guards that specialized in the use of firearms，which was the first fully firearm-equipped unit in human history.
The Ming Dynasty had a rich variety of firearms, many of which were among the most advanced in the world. These included the Wu Lei Shen Ji, the world’s earliest revolver, and the Hudun cannon, commonly used by the Qi Family Army, which shared similarities with modern mortars.
Unfortunately, during the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, the authority was content with its achievements, and as a result, the development of firearms gradually fell behind that of Western European countries.
The hongyi cannon prototype, which was cast and used by the Ming army, was a long-barrel cannon for ships made in Europe around 1600 AD. It was introduced to China during the late Ming Dynasty and soon after its introduction, the Ming Dynasty successfully replicated its design. All similar cannons were collectively known as hongyi cannons.
In the Battles of Ningyuan and Ningjin, the Ming army employed the tactic of relying on the strong fortifications and using cannons to defeat the Qing army. The hongyi cannons played a crucial role in these battles, and their effectiveness earned the Ming army a reputation for their artillery prowess. As a result, a “firearms-admired party” emerged in the Ming Dynasty. However, with the deportation of Xu Guangqi and the executions of Yuan Chonghuan and Sun Yuanhua, the war party’s efforts to revive the Ming Dynasty through firearms were diminished.
The Qing army, became the main user of these powerful weapons. In subsequent wars against the Ming and Shun Dynasties, hongyi cannons demonstrated their power and prowess, and helped the Qing army to unify the whole country.
