Chaseungjachongtong

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.855

Category

Craft

Era

조선시대

Designated year

1986

Location

관악구, 서울특별시— 서울특별시 관악구 관악로 1 (신림동, 서울대학교 박물관)

Coordinates

37.464530, 126.952267

With total length of 56.8 cm, inside diameter of 2.3 cm, and outside diameter of 3.8 cm, this medium-sized gun is the only surviving example of its kind. Invented in 1588 (21st year of King Seonjo’s reign), it has six bamboo-like joints, with the powder chamber made slightly thicker than the other parts. A special characteristic of this gun is that the gun barrel is bent at the fourth joint counting from the powder chamber toward the muzzle. Such unique shape was designed to make the bullets reach an even greater distance, receiving the power of the exploding gunpowder during the shooting process. The types of seungja chongtong include seungja chongtong gun, medium seungja chongtong gun, small seungja chongtong gun, and special seungja chongtong gun. According to Hwaposik eonhae (Introduction to Guns and Cannons), a seungja chongtong gun shot 15 metal pellets by using one nyang (about 37.5g) of gunpowder at one time, whereas a medium seungja chongtong gun shot 5 metal pellets by using 5 jeon (about 3.75g) of gunpowder at one time. Considering this point, it is inferred to be a portable firearm, smaller than a seungja chongtong gun.

Location