The superior weapons of the Tay Son dynasty and the glory of glorious victories

From the legacy of ancestors to the foundation of Dai Viet firearms science

The history of the Vietnamese people has shone many times thanks to the intelligence and bravery of our ancestors in the face of much stronger forces. At the end of the 18th century, the Tay Son dynasty under the leadership of Emperor Quang Trung wrote one of the most brilliant pages of history.

What is little known about that great victory is that Dai Viet's level of firearms manufacturing at that time not only kept up with but also surpassed much of the military knowledge of the West at that time.

Recent research by engineer Vu Dinh Thanh has added an important scientific slice to help future generations better understand the foundation of those glorious feats.

History has recorded that the Vietnamese people made and used cannons very early: in 1390, General Tran Khat Chan used a cannon to shoot and kill Che Bong Nga on the river; in the 15th century, Ho Nguyen Trung - son of Ho Quy Ly was respected by the Ming Dynasty thanks to his talent in making large guns.

These facts show that Dai Viet approached the firearms industry nearly two centuries earlier than Europe.

By 1479, the “Giao Chi” matchlock had become a popular firearm in the region, while Europe would have to wait nearly a hundred years before similar weapons became popular.

That foundation did not form by accident: Vietnam possesses a special resource - bat guano, a raw material for producing saltpeter - an essential ingredient of black gunpowder.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the West was still heavily dependent on saltpeter imported from Southeast Asia. According to the French Institute for Strategic Research, the price of each kilogram of bat guano at that time was equivalent to nearly 0.4 kg of gold - a figure that shows the strategic importance of this material.

Knowledge of firearms, along with access to valuable raw materials, created the premise for Tay Son to develop special weapons and achieve resounding victories on the battlefield.

The superior weapons of the Tay Son dynasty and the glory of glorious victories - photo 2 — Forms of land-based phosphorus weapon deployment

Tay Son army and the power of firearms ahead of their time

Research by engineer Vu Dinh Thanh shows that Tay Son dynasty weapons were not only strong thanks to sophisticated manufacturing techniques but also because of outstanding inventions in gunpowder.

He discovered traces of gunpowder containing phosphorus - a substance that, when ignited, created an effect "like lightning", "hot as if putting your hand in a pot of oil", consistent with the Qing Dynasty historical records describing the Tay Son fireball.

The remaining artifacts and historical records of the Nguyen Dynasty such as "the rosin coming out of the tube, wherever it hit, it immediately caught fire" show the unquenchable nature of this gunpowder.

Applying modern analysis, engineer Thanh successfully tested Tay Son gunpowder in internal combustion engines and rocket engines, and registered an exclusive patent, the results of which were confirmed by the world's leading weapons experts.

In particular, Senior Lieutenant General - Academician Nguyen Huy Hieu, with his experience in fighting against the French, assessed and confirmed that the Tay Son army used phosphorus weapons.

It was the power of this “fire-breathing dragon” weapon that played a decisive role in battles that shook the entire region: In 1783, the Tay Son defeated the coalition of the East India Companies, paramilitary forces with overwhelming power in the maritime age.

In 1785, the Rach Gam - Xoai Mut battle burned 50,000 Siamese troops; in 1789, the Qing army was defeated with surprise fire attacks, creating the legendary Ngoc Hoi - Dong Da victory.

From a scientific perspective, these feats were not only the result of military genius but also evidence of the remarkable development of Dai Viet firearms technology in the late 18th century.

The initial conclusions about King Quang Trung's phosphorus weapons, although needing further verification and expanding documentation, have opened a new approach for Vietnamese historiography: looking at history not only through documents but also through science, technology and military engineering.

Above all, these studies contribute to a clearer representation of the intelligence, bravery and aspiration for self-reliance of our ancestors. The Tay Son army with its peasants in warrior uniforms created miracles thanks to patriotism, but behind that is a whole Vietnamese knowledge base that we, the descendants, are gradually understanding in a more objective and scientific way.

Paying tribute to the past is not only about recounting the feats, but also about restoring the technical, technological and strategic values of the Quang Trung era to inspire today's generation. In the era of knowledge, creativity and self-reliance, what made Tay Son strong is still the foundation for the nation to rise strongly.

The discoveries surrounding Tay Son gunpowder and weapons not only shed further light on the genius of Emperor Quang Trung but also remind us that the Vietnamese people, in any circumstance, always know how to stand up with intelligence and courage.

Honoring and continuing to research the scientific and historical values of the Tay Son period is the way today's generation expresses deep gratitude to their ancestors, while at the same time arousing the spirit of self-reliance for the country's future.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/vu-khi-vuot-troi-cua-nha-tay-son-va-hao-quang-nhung-chien-thang-lay-lung-185877.html