There are individuals who were important in the spread of gunpowder. Gunpowder was originally discovered in China by alchemists that were looking to create elixirs of life. The first mention of gunpowder was by Taoist alchemist Wei Boyang in 142 AD who wrote about a substance that had very similar properties. Later on, gunpowder was used to create new military weapons such as the fire arrow which was created by Yang Xingmi.
Gunpowder was able to reach other European and Asian countries through various methods. Some countries like Korea and Japan received the Chinese recipe either through trade or from invaders. Choe Museon, a Korean, is largely credited with allowing Korea to produce gunpowder. He had knowledge of gunpowder but did not know how to produce it, so he bribed a merchant for the recipe. He showcased his discovery for the Korean government and was given support to continue his research. He eventually created the hwacha, one of the first modern rocket launchers. The Middle East had a similar case to Korea. Hasan Al-Rammah was a chemist who noted down the recipe for gunpowder. He also noted that the idea had come from China, leading the Middle East to look to China for access to gunpowder. Gunpowder also played a large role in different conquests. The Mongolian Empire was the first empire to use gunpowder weapons in their invasion of parts of Europe and Asia. The destructive force of their weapons allowed them to conquer China without much resistance. Because of their widespread invasions, the Mongols were also vital in the spread of many commodities, including gunpowder. Possible areas that received gunpowder through invaders were Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and India.
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