Seungja Chongtong Gun

Seungja Chongtong is a small type of gun among firearms fired by hand-igniting a fuse, referring to a personal, portable firearm. It measures 56.8cm in overall length, with a barrel length of 34.8cm, a muzzle diameter of 4cm and a weight of 4.5kg, and is divided into six sections. The three sections nearer the chamber are made narrower than those nearer the muzzle, a precaution against the force of the gunpowder's explosion bursting the barrel; the surface was also cast in relief so that, if the enemy closed in for hand-to-hand combat, the gun could double as a club. The date of manufacture, the weight, and the name of the artisan are engraved in intaglio on the grip, though the original wooden handle has been lost over time. According to the inscription, it was made in 1579, the twelfth year of King Seonjo, by Kim Ji, who served as Left Naval Commander of Jeolla and as Army Commander of Gyeongsang. This piece is an early example among Seungja Chongtong firearms, and the fact that portable firearms were already being produced at that time is an achievement that deserves lasting recognition in the history of Korean weapons manufacture.

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Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물