1
兵衛誌上
Military Guards, Part 1
2
軒轅氏合符東海，邑於涿鹿之阿，遷徙往來無常處，以兵為營衛。 飛狐以北，無慮以東，西暨流沙，四戰之地，聖人猶不免於兵衛，地勢然耳。 遼國左都遼海，右邑涿鹿，兵力莫強焉。 其在隋世，依紇臣水而居，分為十部。 兵多者三千，少者千餘。 順寒暑，逐水草畜牧。 侵伐則十部相與議，興兵致役，合契而後動，獵則部得自行。 至唐，大賀氏勝兵四萬三千人，分為八部。 大賀氏中衰，僅存五部。 有耶律雅裏者，分五部為八，立二府以總之，析三耶律氏為七，二審密氏為五，凡二十部。 刻木為契，政令大行。 遜不有國，乃立遙輦氏代大賀氏，兵力益振，即太祖六世祖也。 及太祖會李克用於雲中，以兵三十萬，盛矣。 遙輦耶瀾可汗十年，歲在辛酉，太祖授鉞專征，破室韋、於厥、奚三國，俘獲廬帳，不可勝紀。 十月，授大叠烈府夷離堇，明賞罰，繕甲兵，休息民庶，滋蕃群牧，務在戢兵。 十一年，總兵四十萬伐代北，克郡縣九，俘九萬五千口。 十二年，德祖討奚，俘七千戶。 十五年，遙輦可汗卒，遺命遜位於太祖。 太祖即位五年，討西奚、東奚，悉平之，盡有奚、霫之眾。 六年春，親征幽州，東西旌旗相望，亙數百里。 所經郡縣，望風皆下，俘獲甚眾，振旅而還。 秋，親征背陰國，俘獲數萬計。 神冊元年，親征突厥、吐渾、党項、小蕃、沙陀諸部，俘戶一萬五千六百； 攻振武，乘勝而東，攻蔚、新、武、媯、儒五州，俘獲不可勝紀，斬不從命者萬四千七百級。 盡有代北、河曲、陰山之眾，遂取山北八軍。 四年，親征於骨裏國，俘獲一萬四千二百口。 五年，征党項，俘獲二千六百口。 攻天德軍，拔十有二柵，徙其民。 六年，出居庸關，分兵掠檀、順等州，安遠軍、三河、良鄉、望都、潞、滿城、遂城等縣，俘其民徙內地，皇太子略定州，俘獲甚眾。 天贊元年，以戶口滋繁，糺轄疏遠，分北大濃兀為二部，立兩節度以統之。 三年，西征党項等國，俘獲不可勝紀。 四年，又親征渤海。 天顯元年，滅渤海國，地方五千里，兵數十萬，五京、十五府、六十二州，盡有其眾，契丹益大。 會同初，太宗滅唐立晉，晉獻燕、代十六州，民眾兵強，莫之能禦矣。
The Yellow Emperor united tally-signs at the Eastern Sea and settled at Zhuolu; the people moved without fixed homes and took the army as camp and guard. From north of Feihu to east of Wulü and west to the drifting sands lay a land fought on every side; even a sage could not do without military guard—such was the terrain. The Liao state had Liaohai on the left and Zhuolu on the right; in military power none was stronger. During the Sui they lived by the Heichen River and were split into ten divisions. The larger divisions mustered three thousand men, the smaller a little over a thousand. They followed the seasons, moved with water and pasture, and raised herds. For invasion the ten divisions met in council; to raise armies and levy service they joined tally-signs before marching, but on the hunt each division went its own way. Under the Tang the Dahe clan fielded forty-three thousand fighting men in eight divisions. When the Dahe clan waned, only five divisions survived. Yelü Yali split the five divisions into eight, set up two offices to oversee them, broke three Yelü lineages into seven and two Shenmi lineages into five—twenty divisions in all. Wooden tallies were carved for contracts, and government orders ran through the land. When Xun lost the realm the Yaolian clan replaced the Dahe and military power swelled—this was the Taizu's sixth-generation forebear. When the Taizu met Li Keyong at Yunzhong his host numbered three hundred thousand—a formidable army. In the tenth year of Yaonian Yelang Khan, the year xinyou, the Taizu was given the battle-axe and sole command; he crushed the Shiwei, Yujue, and Xi and took tents and households past numbering. In the tenth month he became yilijin of the Dayielie Office: rewards and punishments were made clear, arms were readied, the people were rested, herds were enlarged, and the aim was to still the armies. In the eleventh year he led four hundred thousand men against northern Dai, seized nine commanderies and counties, and took ninety-five thousand captives. In the twelfth year Dezong campaigned against the Xi and took seven thousand households. In the fifteenth year the Yaonian khan died and commanded that rule pass to the Taizu. In the fifth year of his reign the Taizu attacked western and eastern Xi, subdued them entirely, and held all the Xi and Mohe peoples. In the spring of the sixth year he led a personal campaign on Youzhou; banners east and west stretched for hundreds of li. Commanderies and counties along the route surrendered at his approach; booty was immense, and he marched home in triumph. That autumn he personally attacked the Beiyin state and took captives numbering in the tens of thousands. In Shence year 1 he personally campaigned against the Türks, Tuyuhun, Tangut, lesser tribes, and Shatuo and took fifteen thousand six hundred households; he stormed Zhenwu, drove east on the momentum, overran Wei, Xin, Wu, Gui, and Ru, took booty past counting, and slew fourteen thousand seven hundred who refused submission. He held all the peoples of northern Dai, the river bend, and the Yin Mountains, then seized the eight armies north of the mountains. In the fourth year he personally attacked the Yuguri state and took fourteen thousand two hundred captives. In the fifth year he campaigned against the Tangut and took two thousand six hundred captives. He assailed the Tiande Army, carried twelve stockades, and relocated the inhabitants. In the sixth year he issued through Juyong Pass, sent columns to raid Tan, Shun, and other prefectures and Anyuan Army, Sanhe, Liangxiang, Wangdu, Lu, Mancheng, Suicheng, and other counties, moved captives inland, while the crown prince overran Dingzhou with great booty. In Tianzan year 1, as households multiplied and oversight grew thin, northern Da Nongwu was divided in two and two commissioners were appointed to command them. In the third year he marched west against the Tangut and other states and took captives past numbering. In the fourth year he again led a personal campaign against Bohai. In Tianxian year 1 he destroyed Bohai—five thousand li of territory, armies in the hundreds of thousands, five capitals, fifteen prefectures, and sixty-two districts—and held all their people; Khitan power swelled further. At the opening of Huitong the Taizong ended Tang and raised Jin; Jin surrendered Yan and Dai's sixteen prefectures—populous lands and strong armies that none could resist.
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○兵制
○ Military System
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遼國兵制，凡民年十五以上，五十以下，隸兵籍。 每正軍一名，馬三匹，打草谷、守營鋪家丁各一人。 人鐵甲九事，馬韉轡，馬甲皮鐵，視其力； 弓四，箭四百，長短槍、𨪷䤪、斧鉞、小旗、鎚錐、火刀石、馬盂、少一斗。 少袋、搭钅毛傘各一，縻馬繩二百尺，皆自備。 人馬不給糧草，日遣打草谷騎四出抄掠以供之。 鑄金魚符，調發軍馬。 其捉馬及傳令有銀牌二百。 軍所舍，有遠探欄子馬，以夜聽人馬之聲。
Under Liao military law every man from fifteen to fifty was registered for service. Each regular soldier had three horses plus one foraging-camp retainer and one camp-guard retainer. Each man bore nine pieces of iron armor; saddle, bridle, and horse armor of leather and iron were allotted by strength; four bows, four hundred arrows, long and short spears, mattocks and hooked tools, axes and halberds, small flags, hammer-awls, fire-stone knives, and horse cups—each man one peck short in grain. Each also carried one small pouch and one felt umbrella and two hundred feet of tether rope, all at his own cost. Neither men nor horses received rations; each day foraging cavalry rode out in four directions to plunder for supplies. They cast gold fish tallies to dispatch armies and horses. Horse-catchers and order-bearers held two hundred silver plaques. At every camp distant-scout barricade horse scouts listened through the night for the sound of men and horses.
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凡舉兵，帝率蕃漢文武臣僚，以青牛白馬祭告天地、日神，惟不拜月，分命近臣告太祖以下諸陵及木葉山神，乃詔諸道征兵。 惟南、北、奚王，東京渤海兵馬，燕京統軍兵馬，雖奉詔，末敢發兵，必以聞。 上遣大將持金魚符，合，然後行。 始聞詔，攢戶丁，推戶力，核籍齊眾以待。 自十將以上，次第點集軍馬、器仗。 符至，兵馬本司自領，使者不得與。 唯再共點軍馬訖，又以上聞。 量兵馬多少，再命使充軍主，與本司互相監督。 又請引五方旗鼓，然後皇帝親點將校。 又選勛戚大臣，充行營兵馬都統、副都統、都監各一人。 又選諸軍兵馬尤精銳者三萬人為護駕軍，又選驍勇三千人為先鋒軍，又選剽悍百人之上為遠探欄子軍，以上各有將領。 又於諸軍每部。 量眾寡，抽十人或五人，合為一隊，別立將領，以備勾取兵馬，騰遞公事。
When armies were raised the emperor led Khitan and Han officials, offered blue ox and white horse to Heaven, Earth, and the sun—never the moon—and sent close ministers to report to the tombs from the Taizu onward and to Mount Muye's god before decreeing levies on every circuit. Even the southern king, northern king, Xi king, Eastern Capital Bohai forces, and Yanjing commander's troops, though they received the decree, would not march until they had reported to the throne. The court sent a great general with the gold fish tally; only when the tallies joined did the columns march. On first hearing the decree they mustered household men, weighed each household's capacity, reconciled registers, and assembled the host to wait. From leaders of ten men upward they mustered troops and weapons in due order. When the tally arrived the home bureau itself led the troops; the envoy might not take them over. Only after a second joint muster of troops and gear did they report upward. They gauged the host's size and again named an envoy as army commander to supervise jointly with the home bureau. They also called for the five-direction banners and drums; only then did the emperor personally review the officers. Meritorious kin and great ministers were chosen as camp army commander, deputy commander, and overseer, one of each. From all armies thirty thousand elite troops formed the imperial guard; three thousand daring men the vanguard; bands of a hundred or more of the boldest the distant-scout barricade horse corps—each with its officers. Again, within each army unit: By strength, five or ten men were taken from each unit, formed into a squad under its own leader, to levy troops and carry urgent dispatches.
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其南伐點兵，多在幽州北千里鴛鴦泊。 及行，並取居庸關、曹王峪、白馬口、古北口、安達馬口、松亭關、榆關等路。 將至平州、幽州境，又遣使分道催發，不得久駐，恐踐禾稼。 出兵不過九月，還師不過十二月。 在路不得見僧尼、喪服之人。
Southern campaigns were mustered chiefly at Mandarin-Duck Marsh, a thousand li north of Youzhou. On the march they used Juyong Pass, Caowang Vale, White Horse Ford, Gubei Pass, Anda Horse Ford, Songting Pass, Yuguan, and the like. Near Pingzhou and Youzhou they sent envoys on separate roads to hurry the columns—they could not linger, lest they tread the crops. Armies might not march out after the ninth month nor return after the twelfth. On the march they might not encounter monks, nuns, or mourners in funeral dress.
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皇帝親征，留親王一人在幽州，權知軍國大事。 既入南界，分為三路，廣信軍、雄州、霸州各一。 駕必由中道，兵馬都統、護駕等軍皆從。 各路軍馬遇縣鎮，即時攻擊。 若大州軍，必先料其虛實、可攻次第而後進兵。 沿途民居，園囿、桑柘，必夷伐焚蕩。 至宋北京，三路兵皆會，以議攻取。 及退亦然。 三路軍馬前後左右有先鋒。 遠探欄子馬各十數人，在先鋒前後二十餘里，全副衣甲，夜中每行十里或五里少駐，下馬側聽無有人馬之聲。 有則擒之； 力不可敵，飛報先鋒，齊力攻擊。 如有大軍，走報主帥。 敵中虛實，動必知之。 軍行當道州城，防守堅固，不可攻擊，引兵過之。 恐敵人出城邀阻，乃圍射鼓噪，詐為攻擊。 敵方閉城固守，前路無阻，引兵進，分兵抄截，使隨處州城隔絕不通，孤立無援。 所過大小州城，至夜，恐城中出兵突擊，及與鄰州計會軍馬，甲夜，每城以騎兵百人去城門左右百餘步，被甲執兵，立馬以待。 兵出，力不能加，馳還勾集眾兵與戰。 左右官道、斜徑、山路、河津，夜中並遣兵巡守。 其打草谷家丁，各衣甲持兵，旋團為隊，必先砍伐園林，然後驅掠老幼，運土木填壕塹，攻城之際，必使先登，矢石檑木並下，止傷老幼。 又於本國州縣起漢人鄉兵萬人，隨軍專伐園林，填道路。 禦寨及諸營壘，唯用桑柘梨栗。 軍退，縱火焚之。 敵軍既陣，料其陣勢小大，山川形勢，往回道路，救援捷徑，漕運所出，各有以制之。 然後於陣四面，列騎為隊，每隊五、七百人，十隊為一道，十道當一面。 各有主帥。 最先一隊走馬大噪，沖突敵陣。 得利，則諸隊齊進； 若未利，引退，第二隊繼之。 退者，息馬飲水料。 諸道皆然。 更退叠進，敵陣不動，亦不力戰。 歷二三日，待其困憊，又令打草谷家丁馬施雙帚，因風疾馳，揚塵敵陣，更互往來。 中既饑疲，目不相睹，可以取勝。 若陣南獲勝，陣北失利，主將在中，無以知之，則以本國四方山川為號，聲以相聞，得相救應。
When the emperor led the campaign himself one imperial prince remained at Youzhou with authority over army and state. South of the border they split into three columns—Guangxin Army, Xiongzhou, and Bazhou each had one. The imperial carriage always took the center; the army commander and guard corps followed it. Each column attacked every county seat and market town it met. Before a great prefectural army they first judged its strength and the sequence in which it could be taken. Along the route they cut down and burned gardens, orchards, and mulberry and catalpa plantings. At the Song Northern Capital the three hosts united to plan the assault. On the withdrawal it was the same. Vanguards rode before, behind, left, and right of the three armies. Barricade horse scouts in bands of a dozen lay twenty-odd li ahead and behind the vanguard in full armor; at night they rode ten or five li, halted briefly, dismounted, and listened for men or horses. Anyone detected was seized. If they could not overcome the foe they raced word to the vanguard and struck together. If a great host appeared they galloped to warn the commander. The enemy's real strength and every movement were always known. If a prefectural city on the main road was too strong to storm, they led the host past it. Lest the garrison sally to block them, they ringed the walls, shot, and shouted as though attacking. The foe barred the gates; the road ahead lay open; the host pressed on while detachments severed links so every city stood alone without relief. At night, at every city great or small, lest the garrison sally or neighboring forces unite, at the first watch a hundred horsemen in armor with weapons waited a hundred paces from each gate beside their mounts. If the enemy sallied and they could not prevail, they raced back to muster the host and give battle. Main roads, side paths, mountain tracks, and river fords were patrolled through the night. Foraging-camp retainers wore armor, formed rotating squads, felled orchards first, then drove off the aged and children and hauled earth and timber to fill ditches; at the assault they climbed first while missiles fell mainly on the old and young. From the realm's prefectures and counties ten thousand Han militia marched with the host to fell gardens and fill roads. Imperial camps and every stockade used only mulberry, catalpa, pear, and chestnut. On withdrawal they burned them all. When the enemy formed ranks they measured the array, terrain, roads, relief paths, and supply lines—each had its countermeasure. Then on all four sides of the enemy line cavalry stood in squads of five to seven hundred; ten squads a file, ten files a front. Each front had its commander. The leading squad galloped shouting and smashed into the enemy line. On success every squad charged together. If they failed they drew off and the second squad took their place. The withdrawn men rested their horses, watered them, and fed grain. Every file did likewise. They rotated forward in waves; if the enemy line held firm they did not press the fight. After two or three days, when the foe was spent, foraging retainers fixed double brooms to their horses and rode with the wind, whipping dust across the enemy ranks back and forth. Hungry and worn, the enemy could scarcely see one another—and victory could be won. If the southern wing won while the northern wing lost, the commander at the center might not know; they called by the names of the homeland's mountains and rivers to signal and rescue one another.
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若帝不親征，重臣統兵不下十五萬眾，三路往還，北京會兵，進以九月，退以十二月，行事次第皆如之。 若春以正月，秋以九月，不命都統，止遣騎兵六萬，不許深入，不攻城池，不伐林木，但於界外三百里內，耗蕩生聚，不令種養而已。
If the emperor stayed home, a great minister led no fewer than a hundred fifty thousand on the three routes, mustering at the Northern Capital—out in the ninth month, back in the twelfth—with the same sequence of actions. In spring from the first month or autumn from the ninth month, if no commander-in-chief was named, only sixty thousand horsemen went—they might not penetrate deep, take walled cities, or fell trees, but within three hundred li of the border they harried settlements and forbade planting and husbandry.
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軍入南界，步騎軍帳不循阡陌。 三道將領各一人，率欄子馬各萬騎，支散遊弈百十里外，更叠覘邏。 及暮，以吹角為號，眾即頓舍，環繞禦帳，自近及遠，折木稍屈，為弓子鋪，不設槍營塹柵之備。
South of the border infantry and cavalry camps did not keep to field paths. Each route had one commander with ten thousand barricade horse scouts, scattered in roaming patrols a hundred or ten li out, relieving one another in observation. At dusk a horn sounded and all encamped, ringing the imperial tent from near to far with bent branches for bow-shaped shelters—no stockades, spear lines, moats, or palisades.
10
每軍行，鼓三伐，不問晝夜，大眾齊發。 未遇大敵，不乘戰馬，俟近敵師，乘新羈馬，蹄有餘力。 成列不戰，退則乘之。 多伏兵斷糧道，冒夜舉火，上風曳柴。 饋餉自賫，散而復聚。 善戰，能寒。 此兵之所以強也。
On every march three drum rolls—day or night—sent the whole host forward at once. Before a great battle they did not ride their war horses; only near the foe did they mount fresh horses still full of vigor. In the line they held back; on retreat they charged. They laid many ambushes to sever supply lines, lit fires by night, and dragged brush upwind. They carried their own provisions, scattering and regathering. They fought well and bore the cold. This is why their armies were strong.