Gunpowder warfare occurred in earnest during the Song dynasty. In China, gunpowder weapons underwent significant technological changes which resulted in a vast array of weapons that eventually led to the cannon. The cannon's first confirmed use occurred during the Mongol Yuan dynasty in a suppression of rebel forces by Yuan Jurchen forces armed with hand cannons.
The use of gunpowder in warfare became widespread during the Song dynasty, with significant technological improvements in China leading to an array of innovative weapons. The cannon's inaugural recorded use took place during the Mongol Yuan dynasty as part of a campaign against rebel forces by Yuan Jurchen troops armed with early cannons.