Chinese historians confirmed after recent investigation that a copper blunderbuss reserved by a collector is the oldest weapon using gunpowder.

　　The blunderbuss, 38 centimeters long, weighing five kilograms, is believed to be produced around 700 years ago during the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279). Historians also found two Chinese characters "Shen Fei," meaning flying magically, carved on its barrel.

　　Wang Yulang, an expert in local history of Harbin Institute of Social Sciences, said that the blunderbuss is at least 100 years older than a similar blunderbuss, which was built in 1332 and had been recognized as the oldest in the world.

　　Wang found the blunderbuss unexpectedly as he went recently to help a local collector in north China's Heilongjiang Province to clean up his collections.

　　According to ancient historical documents, "Shen Fei" debuted as the name of the blunderbuss in Song Dynasty.

(Xinhua 01/16/2001)