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Daoist experiments with saltpetre and sulphur led to explosive formulas in the 9th century. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

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Gunpowder was invented by Chinese alchemists during the Tang Dynasty

Daoist experiments with saltpetre and sulphur led to explosive formulas in the 9th century

Ninth-century Daoist alchemists seeking elixirs of immortality accidentally discovered gunpowder by combining saltpetre, sulphur, and charcoal. Initially used for fireworks and signal flares, Song Dynasty military engineers later developed primitive fire lances, rockets, and explosive shells.

Where this comes from

Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Tags: gunpowder, china, invention

Gunpowder was invented by Chinese alchemists during the Tang Dynasty: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Daoist experiments with saltpetre and sulphur led to explosive formulas in the 9th century. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a history fact?: Yes. It sits on the History shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.