They sounded more like fireworks than rockets but the Chinese used rockets in battle.

Early Chinese rockets were used in warfare and celebrations. In fact, the origin of the rocket is shown simply in these Chinese characters. They stand for both "rocket" and "fire arrow."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the use of rockets was as military weapons against the Mongols by the Chinese at the siege of Kai Fung Foo in 1232 A.D. An arrow with a tube of gunpowder produced an arrow of flying fire. The Mongol attackers fled in terror, even though the rockets were inaccurate and relatively harmless.

According to one ancient legend, a Chinese official named Wan Hoo attempted a flight to the moon using a large wicker chair to which were fastened 47 large rockets. Forty seven assistants, each armed with a torch, rushed forward to light the fuses. In a moment, there was a tremendous roar accompanied by billowing clouds of smoke. When the smoke cleared, the flying chair and Wan Hoo were gone.