If we had to rank the deadliest inventions in history, gunpowder would definitely be a top contender. As one of China’s Four Great Inventions, gunpowder was a game-changer. But despite its battlefield origins, it somehow ended up as a tool for festive fireworks instead of military domination—much to the frustration of famous Chinese writer Lu Xun, who once mocked:
“While foreigners use gunpowder to make bullets and defend their nations, we use it to make firecrackers to worship the gods!”
So how did a weapon of war become a party favor? The journey of gunpowder is a tale of serendipity, missed opportunities, and a bit of self-sabotage.
A Quest for Immortality Gone Wrong
The irony is almost too perfect: China’s gunpowder wasn’t originally meant to kill but to cheat death. It all started with ancient Chinese emperors and their obsession with immortality. With power, wealth, and concubines at their disposal, they naturally thought, Why not live forever, too?
This led to a booming industry of fangshi (alchemists) who promised eternal life in exchange for royal funding. One particularly ambitious alchemist in the Warring States period (475–221 BCE) peddled a mysterious pill, claiming it could cure all diseases and grant immortality. He made such a spectacle of it that news reached the King of Chu, who immediately summoned him.
Now, the alchemist knew his “immortality pill” was basically just a toxic mix of sulfur and other questionable ingredients. But refusing the king’s request meant death anyway, so he reluctantly presented the medicine. Before the king could try it, one of his guards snatched the pill and swallowed it.
The king was furious. The guard, thinking fast, said: “If I die, then the pill is fake, and Your Majesty would have been deceived. If I live, then I have proven it works!”
The king, now caught in a logical trap, had no choice but to let the guard live. Meanwhile, the alchemist probably ran for his life.
While this particular immortality scam was short-lived, the pursuit of eternal youth continued. Over time, alchemists refined their methods, replacing “water-based alchemy” with “fire-based alchemy,” leading to one unintended but explosive side effect: fire.
At some point, a clumsy alchemist mixed sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal in just the right proportions—accidentally inventing gunpowder. The moment they realized the mixture could explode, China’s future changed forever.
A Pyromaniac’s Dream Comes True
Fast-forward to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907–960 CE), and one particularly mischievous military leader named Zheng Fan took gunpowder to the next level.
As a child, Zheng was the type of kid who would set things on fire just to see what happened. When he grew up and joined the military, he figured, Why not use this stuff in war?
During a siege in 904 CE, Zheng’s army was struggling to breach a city’s defenses. Out of desperation, he had a wild idea: attach gunpowder to arrows and fire them at the wooden gates. The result? A blazing inferno that reduced the city’s defenses to ashes.
This innovation—dubbed “fire arrows”—was the first recorded use of gunpowder in combat. It worked so well that later military engineers expanded on the concept, eventually leading to the development of the world’s first firearm: the fire lance.
This primitive flamethrower was essentially a bamboo tube filled with gunpowder that spewed fire at incoming enemies. While it wasn’t particularly lethal, it was terrifying enough to change battlefield tactics.
Boom or Bust: China’s Missed Opportunity
China had gunpowder first. China had guns first. China had bombs first.
So why did Western nations end up dominating gunpowder warfare?
1. Cavalry vs. Cannons: A Bad Matchup
Imagine leading a Ming Dynasty army against Mongol horsemen. You’re setting up a cannon while they’re already charging at full speed. By the time you’ve loaded and aimed, they’ve sliced through your front lines.
Unlike Europe, where gunpowder weapons fit neatly into castle sieges and naval battles, China’s enemies relied on highly mobile warfare. Cannons and muskets were simply too slow against lightning-fast cavalry.
2. Hype vs. Reality: The Art of Overpromising
Ancient Chinese military texts were notorious for exaggeration. One Ming-era book claimed that a single fire lance could “pierce multiple enemies in a row.” Another described a grenade that could explode so loudly it could “be heard from 100 miles away.”
Meanwhile, European engineers were busy refining gunpowder weapons with cold, hard science.
3. Closing the Gates to the World
By the time European armies started using massive cannons to bring down fortified cities—like the Ottoman’s legendary “Basilica” cannon that demolished Constantinople in 1453—China was sealing itself off from the world. The Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) dismissed foreign technology, believing their cavalry was enough to defend against any threat.
This overconfidence shattered spectacularly when British forces, armed with superior firearms, humiliated the Qing army in the Opium Wars (1839–1842, 1856–1860).
It was then that China realized: their once-mighty gunpowder empire had fallen behind.
The Irony of Gunpowder’s Legacy
Gunpowder was born in China. It set battlefields ablaze. It changed the world.
Yet, while Europeans refined it into precision weapons, China spent centuries using it for celebrations instead of conquest.
This is why, when Lu Xun lamented China’s use of gunpowder for fireworks instead of firearms, he wasn’t just criticizing the past—he was warning about the future.
Because history has a funny way of repeating itself.
And if there’s one lesson to learn from gunpowder’s story, it’s this: Inventing something first doesn’t mean you’ll be the one to master it.