The fire arrows were first reported to have been used by the
Southern Wu of
Tang dynasty in 904 during the siege of
Yuzhang. In 969, gunpowder propelled rocket arrows were invented by Yue Yifang and Feng Jisheng. In 975, the state of
Wuyue sent a unit of soldiers skilled in the handling of fire arrows to the Song dynasty. In the same year, the Song used fire arrows to destroy the fleet of
Southern Tang. Published in 1044, the
Wujing Zongyao, or
Complete Compendium of Military Classics, states that in 994, the city of Zitong was attacked by a
Liao army of 100,000 men who were driven back by regular war machines and fire arrows. In 1083, Song records state that the court produced 350,000 fire arrows and sent them to two garrisons. On March 1, 1126, the
Song general Li Gang used a fire arrow machine known as the
Thunderbolt thrower during the
Jingkang Incident. By 1127, the Jin were also using fire arrows produced by captured Song artisans. In 1159, fire arrows were used by the Song navy in sinking a Jin fleet. In 1161, the general
Yu Yunwen used fire arrows at the
Battle of Caishi, near present-day
Ma'anshan, during a Jin maritime incursion. By 1206, "gunpowder arrows" (
huoyaojian) rather than just "fire arrows" (
huojian) were mentioned. In 1245, a military exercise was conducted on the
Qiantang River using what were probably rockets. The
Mongols also made use of the fire arrow during their campaigns in Japan. Probably as a result of the Mongolian military campaigns the fire arrows later spread into the
Middle East, where they were mentioned by Al Hasan Al Ramma in the late 13th century. In 1374, the kingdom of
Joseon also started producing gunpowder and by 1377, was producing cannons and fire arrows, which they used against
wokou pirates. Korean fire arrows were used against the Japanese during the invasion of Korea in 1592. In 1380, an order of "wasp nest" rocket arrow launchers were ordered by the Ming army and in 1400, rocket arrow launchers were recorded to have been used by
Li Jinglong. In 1451, a type of mobile rocket arrow launcher known as the "Munjong
Hwacha" was invented in Joseon. The Japanese version of the fire arrow was known as the
bo hiya. The Japanese pirates (
wokou, also known as wako or kaizoku) in the 16th century were reported to have used the bo hiya which had the appearance of a large arrow. A burning element made from incendiary waterproof rope was wrapped around the shaft and when lit the bo hiya was launched from a mortar like weapon
hiya taihou or a wide bore
Tanegashima matchlock arquebus. During one sea battle it was said the bo hiya were "falling like rain". ==Rocket invention==