The purpose of this study is to review various weapons of Joseon, the Ming China, and Japan seen in the Jeongwagi Gongdokwon, which depicts the Battle of Suncheon Waegwanseong Fortress, the largest battle during the Japanese Second Invasion of Joseon....
The purpose of this study is to review various weapons of Joseon, the Ming China, and Japan seen in the Jeongwagi Gongdokwon, which depicts the Battle of Suncheon Waegwanseong Fortress, the largest battle during the Japanese Second Invasion of Joseon. Through this, we would like to examine what changes occurred in the weapons system during the war to reveal how the combat experience in the early days of the Imjin War was reflected in the weapons systems of major participating countries. This battle has a significant military historical significance in that it is an example of directly comparing the military capabilities of the three countries that participated in the war with the large-scale military forces of the army.
Many efforts were made during the armistice to compensate for the military advantages and disadvantages of the countries that participated in the war through various battles during the first year of the Imjin War. Joseon imitated and equipped not only the Ming Dynasty's new brazier but also the Japanese matchlock(鳥銃). In Japan, not only did the proportion of matchlocks increase sharply compared to before the war, but also the proportion of large-caliber artillery increased. In the Battle of Waegwanseong Fortress, Ming Forces mobilized carts equipped with shields and guns, defensive weapons, and weapons capable of attacking beyond the walls, such as cloud. The Japanese military built a castle with several layers of solid and diverse fortress facilities and defended the castle with cross-fire by handguns. Myeonggun was the main force of the military in western China, and it was not able to control the Japanese military's firepower because there were not enough firearms. The appearance related to the weapons systems of the two armies is also well described in "Jeongwaegi Gongdo". In fact, if you look at the major battles of the Imjin War, you can see that most of the forces that were faithful in firepower won, which is meaningful in that it can be confirmed through the Battle of Waegwanseong.