<P> Gunpowder is the first physical explosive and propellant . Before its invention , many incendiary and burning devices had been used , including Greek fire . The invention of gunpowder is attributed to experimentation in Chinese alchemy by Taoists in the pursuit of immortality , and is popularly listed as one of the `` Four Great Inventions '' of China . It was invented during the late Tang dynasty ( 9th century ) but the earliest record of a written formula appeared in the Song dynasty ( 11th century ) . Knowledge of gunpowder spread rapidly throughout the Old World possibly as a result of the Mongol conquests during the 13th century , with the earliest written formula for it outside of China contained within the Opus Majus , a 1267 treatise by the English friar Roger Bacon . It was employed in warfare to some effect from at least the 12th century in weapons such as fire arrows , bombs , and the fire lance before the appearance of the gun . While the fire lance was eventually supplanted by the gun , other gunpowder weapons such as rockets continued to see use in China , Korea , India , and eventually Europe . Bombs too never ceased to develop and continued to progress into the modern day as grenades , mines , and other explosive implements . Gunpowder has also been used for non-military purposes such as fireworks for entertainment , or in explosives for mining and tunneling . </P>
<P> Gunpowder is the first physical explosive and propellant . Before its invention , many incendiary and burning devices had been used , including Greek fire . The invention of gunpowder is attributed to experimentation in Chinese alchemy by Taoists in the pursuit of immortality , and is popularly listed as one of the `` Four Great Inventions '' of China . It was invented during the late Tang dynasty ( 9th century ) but the earliest record of a written formula appeared in the Song dynasty ( 11th century ) . Knowledge of gunpowder spread rapidly throughout the Old World possibly as a result of the Mongol conquests during the 13th century , with the earliest written formula for it outside of China contained within the Opus Majus , a 1267 treatise by the English friar Roger Bacon . It was employed in warfare to some effect from at least the 12th century in weapons such as fire arrows , bombs , and the fire lance before the appearance of the gun . While the fire lance was eventually supplanted by the gun , other gunpowder weapons such as rockets continued to see use in China , Korea , India , and eventually Europe . Bombs too never ceased to develop and continued to progress into the modern day as grenades , mines , and other explosive implements . Gunpowder has also been used for non-military purposes such as fireworks for entertainment , or in explosives for mining and tunneling . </P>
during what dynasty did the chinese make explosives
during what dynasty did the chinese make explosives
Tang dynasty
Tang dynasty