Along with silk and paper，gunpowder is another invention by Chinese and the Silk Road helped it spread to the West.The dating of gunpowder is as early as 850 AD.The Chinese used gunpowder to make fireworks and gunpowder was also thought to have been used in medicine and in alchemy(炼金术).The gunpowder used for military(军事的) purpose was first recorded in 919 AD.By the 11th century，explosive bombs filled with gunpowder were introduced and used in China.The first detailed description of using the “fire cannon” in warfare was in connection with a battle fought in 1126 when the Song army used it against the invading enemy.

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