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.
Gunpowder conflict intensified during the Song dynasty, with substantial advancements in Chinese gunpowder technology yielding a diverse array of weapons that ultimately gave rise to the cannon. The cannon's first confirmed deployment occurred during the Mongol Yuan dynasty as part of a suppression of rebel forces by Yuan Jurchen troops utilizing early cannons.