從萬曆四十七年(1619)明軍在薩爾滸之役大敗，以迄清朝於康熙二十二年(1683)平定在臺灣的鄭氏政權，中國的戰事從邊疆燎原至內陸，從外患擴展至內亂，延互超過一甲子，其頻率及規模在東西方軍事史上均十分突出，不僅牽涉亞洲地區最擅長騎射的滿族，且與當時歐洲勢力最強的幾個海權國家均有瓜葛，所動用或製造的西式火砲亦因此趨近世界最高水準。 先前學界的相關研究，大多聚焦於耶穌會士或天主教士大夫對西砲和砲學的傳入，也較著重該火器在北方戰場上所發揮的作用。然因自天啟二年(1622)起就持續侵擾東南沿海的荷人與海寇，均已廣泛使用西砲，促使閩粵官員對此較先進武器相當重視，並利用該地區冠於全國的冶鑄技術，開始大量仿鑄。出身海寇但受明朝招撫的鄭芝龍(1595-1661)，亦因此能與荷蘭級隊相抗衡，並次第平息東南海氛。滿清入主中原後，南明以鄭成功(1624-1662)家簇為主的海上努力，也因擁有質量俱佳的船隊和西砲，而得以將海上強權的荷蘭自臺灣驅逐，並對抗陸上強權的清朝達三十多年之久，本文即嘗試爬梳龐雜的中外史料，並訪查現存古砲、以探索明清之際西砲在東南沿海的流布及其影響，更思考如何從物質文化史的角色深入理解火砲的歷史意義。

Starting from the Ming dynasty's major defeat in the battle of Saerhu in 1619 and concluding with the Qing government's suppression of the Zheng regime in Taiwan in 1683. China engaged in a series of frequent and furious military campaigns during the Ming-Qing transition in the seventeenth century. War lasted for more than sixty years, with battles spanning from frontier areas to inland regions, from foreign invasions to internal revolts. In addition to the Ming troops and the Qing army's crack Manchu cavalry, major European powers were involved in these struggles as well, facilitating the use of the most advanced firearms at that time. The scale and frequency of these wars was unique compared with that seen in both Chinese military history and military activity around the world. Academic research on this period has mainly concentrated on the introduction of European artillery into China by the Jesuits and Chinese literati converts, focusing also on the function of be cannon in battles conducted within Northern China. However, in all reality, artillery also played an important role in Southern China. Fujian and Guangdong officials were aware of the power of Western artillery as early as the 1620s. Starting from that time, the Southeast coast was constantly harassed by the Dutch and pirates, who posed a considerable threat with their wide use of European cannons. Consequently, Chinese officials took advantage of the advanced casting technology in the Southern provinces and began the mass production of the cannon. Through the use of weapons of this type, Zheng Zhilong (1595-1661), a pirate granted amnesty by the Ming court, was able to oppose the Dutch fleet and subsequently suppress revolts along the Southeast coast. The Western cannon was also a key factor in Ming resistance against the Qing dynasty after the Qing army conquered the most part of China. With a strong naval fleet, Zheng Chenggong (1624-1662) expelled the Dutch occupying Taiwan and was able to oppose the Qing regime for over thirty years. This article reexamines Chinese and Western historical literature as well as existing cannons from the Ming-Qing transition period in an attempt to explore the seventeenth-century spread of European artillery along the Southeast coast of China and the influence of this spread on Chinese military history. The possible role artillery has played in the history of material culture is also examined within the article.