Jijachongtong(1986-1)

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.862

Category

Craft

Era

조선시대

Designated year

1986

Location

진주시, 경상남도— 경남 진주시 남강로 626-35, 국립진주박물관 (남성동,진주성)

Coordinates

35.188778, 128.076941

With total length of 89.5 cm, inner diameter of 10.5 cm, and outer diameter of 15 cm, this is the biggest among the Korean traditional guns next to cheonja chongtong. It was made of bronze cast in 1557 (12th year of King Myeongjong’s reign), a month earlier than the making of another Jija Chongtong Gun (Treasure No. 863). As for the shape, the farther it goes from the muzzle to the gunpowder chamber, the larger its diameter. Originally, it had two handles, but both were destroyed. It has a total of ten knuckles including the one at the muzzle; the seventh and eighth ones from the muzzle are stuck together, indicating the borderline between the gunpowder chamber and the percussion cylinder. The percussion cylinder plays the role of maximizing the explosive power of gunpowder by putting a cylinder-type wooden bar into the gun. Jija Chongtong Gun was already made during the reign of King Taejong (r. 1400-1418) of the Joseon Dynasty, but its power was far more advanced during the reign of King Sejong (r. 1418-1450). After the 16th and 17th centuries, the Korean traditional structure of gun was succeeded, divided into the muzzle, percussion cylinder, and gunpowder chamber. Big arrows or balls were fired by this gun.

Location