1
國馬之牧，歷五代浸廢，至宋而規制備具。 自建隆而後，其官司之規，廄牧之政，與夫收市之利，牧地之數，支配之等，曰券馬，曰省馬，曰馬社，曰括買，沿革盛衰，皆可得而考焉。
The state horse-breeding system had gradually declined through the Five Dynasties, but by the Song dynasty its regulations and institutions were fully in place. From the Jianlong era onward, the regulations governing its offices, pasture administration, the profits from procurement and marketing, the extent of grazing lands, and the grades of allocation — whether coupon horses, provincial horses, horse societies, or compulsory purchases — the entire history of their rise and decline can be traced.
2
凡御馬之等三， 〈（入殿祗候十五匹，引駕十四匹，從駕二十匹。）〉 給用之等十有五， 〈（曰揀中，曰不得支使，曰添價，曰明信，曰臣僚，曰諸班，曰御龍直，曰捧日、龍衛，曰拱聖，曰驍騎，曰雲、武騎，曰天武、龍猛，曰配軍，曰雜使，曰馬鋪。）〉 群號之字十有七， 〈（曰「左」，曰「右」，曰「千」，曰「立」，曰「水」，曰「官」，曰「吉」，曰「天」，曰「主」，曰「王」，曰「方」，曰「與」，曰「來」，曰「萬」，曰「小」，曰「囗官」，曰「退」。）〉 毛物之種九十有二， 〈（叱撥之別八，青之別二，白之別一，烏之別五，赤之別五，紫之別六，駿之別十一，赭白之別六，騮之別八，騧之別六，駱之別五，騅之別五，騟之別八，駁胯之別六，駁之別三，驃之別七。）〉
Imperial horses were divided into three grades, fifteen for hall attendance, fourteen for leading the imperial carriage, and twenty for escort duty.) Fifteen grades governed allocation and use, including "selected middle grade," "not for dispatch," "added price," "bright trust," civil officials, various ranks, the Imperial Dragon Guard Direct, the Sun-bearer and Dragon Guard units, Gong-sheng, Xiao-qi, the Cloud and Martial Riders, the Heavenly Martial and Dragon Fierce units, army assignment, miscellaneous servants, and horse stations.) Seventeen characters were used in herd designations, "Left," "Right," "Thousand," "Stand," "Water," "Official," "Auspicious," "Heaven," "Lord," "King," "Square," "With," "Come," "Ten Thousand," "Small," an undecipherable character followed by "Official," and "Retreat.") Ninety-two varieties of coat color were recognized, comprising eight subtypes of chibo, two of blue, one of white, five of black, five of red, six of purple, eleven of jun, six of ochre-white, eight of liu, six of gua, five of luo, five of zhui, eight of yu, six of piebald-flank, three of piebald, and seven of biao.)
3
其官司之規，則太祖承前代之制，初置左、右飛龍二院，以左、右飛龍二使領之。 太平興國五年，改飛龍為天廄坊。 雍熙四年，改天廄為左、右騏驥院，左右天駟監四、左右天廄坊二皆隸焉。
Regarding its administrative structure, Taizu adopted the institutions of earlier dynasties and initially established the Left and Right Flying Dragon courtyards, each headed by its own commissioner. In the fifth year of Taiping Xingguo (980), the Flying Dragon courtyards were renamed the Heavenly Stable Wards. In the fourth year of Yongxi (987), the Heavenly Stable Wards were reorganized as the Left and Right Fine Steed courtyards, to which the four Heavenly Horse Superintendencies and the two Heavenly Stable Wards were all subordinated.
4
真宗咸平元年，創置估馬司。 凡市馬，掌辨其良駑，平其直，以分給諸監。 三年，置群牧使，以內臣勾當制置群牧司，京朝官為判官。
In the first year of Xianping (998), Emperor Zhenzong established the Horse Appraisal Office. Whenever horses were purchased, this office assessed their quality, set fair prices, and allocated them among the various pasture superintendencies. Three years later, a Herd Pasture Commissioner was appointed; an inner-court eunuch was placed in charge of the Herd Pasture Bureau, with a capital official serving as its administrative judge.
5
景德二年，改諸州牧龍坊悉為監，賜名，鑄印以給之。 在外之監十有四：大名曰大名，洺州曰廣平，衛州曰淇水，並分第一、第二。 河南曰洛陽，鄭州曰原武，同州曰沙苑，相州曰安陽，澶州曰鎮寧，邢州曰安國，中牟曰淳澤，許州曰單鎮。
In the second year of Jingde (1005), all Dragon-Pasture Wards in the prefectures were converted into superintendencies, each granted an official name and issued a cast seal. There were fourteen superintendencies outside the capital: Daming (at Daming Prefecture), Guangping (at Luozhou), and Qishui (at Weizhou), each divided into first and second divisions. The others were Luoyang (Henan), Yuanwu (Zhengzhou), Shayuan (Tongzhou), Anyang (Xiangzhou), Zhenning (Cangzhou), Anguo (Xingzhou), Chunze (Zhongmou), and Danzhen (Xuzhou).
6
四年，以知樞密院陳堯叟為群牧制置使，又別置群牧使副、都監，增判官為二員。 凡廄牧之政，皆出於群牧司，自騏驥院而下，皆聽命焉。 諸州有牧監，知州、通判兼領之，諸監各置勾當官二員。 又置左右廂提點。 又置牧養上下監，以養療京城諸坊、監病馬。 又詔左右騏驥院諸坊、監官，並以三年為滿； 如習知馬事願留者，群牧司以聞，而徙蒞他監焉。
In the fourth year, Chen Yaosou, Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, was appointed Herd Pasture Commissioner-in-Chief; deputy commissioners and chief superintendents were also added, and the number of administrative judges was increased to two. All pasture administration issued from the Herd Pasture Bureau, and every office from the Fine Steed courtyards downward fell under its authority. Each prefecture had pasture superintendencies concurrently overseen by the prefect and vice-prefect, and each superintendency was staffed with two managing officials. Inspectors for the left and right wings were also appointed. Upper and Lower Pasture-Nurture superintendencies were also set up to care for and treat sick horses from the capital's various wards and superintendencies. An edict also fixed three-year terms for officials of the wards and superintendencies under the Left and Right Fine Steed courtyards; those skilled in horse management who wished to stay on would be reported to the throne by the Herd Pasture Bureau and transferred to another superintendency.
7
其廄牧之政，則自太祖置養馬務一，葺舊務四，以為牧放之地始。
Pasture administration began when Taizu established one Horse-Rearing Office and restored four former offices as grazing lands.
8
太平興國四年，太宗觀兵於幽，得汾、晉、燕、薊之馬四萬二千餘匹，內皂充刃，始分置諸州牧養之。 時殿直李諤坐贓，監牧許州，盜官菽，馬多死，並主吏斬於市。 又詔擇豐曠地置牧龍坊八，以便牧養。
In the fourth year of Taiping Xingguo (979), Taizong inspected troops at You and acquired more than forty-two thousand horses from Fen, Jin, Yan, and Ji. With the imperial stables full to capacity, the horses were distributed among the prefectures for pasture rearing. Around this time, Palace Direct Li E was convicted of corruption while supervising pasture at Xuzhou; he had stolen official fodder, and many horses died. He and the chief clerk were both executed in public. An edict also ordered eight Dragon-Pasture Wards established on fertile, open lands to facilitate grazing.
9
淳化二年十二月，詔圉人取善馬數十匹，於便殿設皂棧，教以秣飼，且以其法諭宰執，仍頒於諸軍。 復以醫馬良方賜近臣。 嘗從趙守倫之請，於諸州牧龍坊畜牝馬萬五千匹，逐水草牧放，不費芻秣，生駒蕃息，足資軍用。 至是，守倫復言：「諸坊牧馬萬匹，歲當生駒四千，今歲止二千五百，典司失職，當嚴責罰。 若馬百匹歲得駒七十，則加遷擢。 諸坊產駒，即籍以聞。 牧放軍人，當募少壯充役。」 並從之。
In the twelfth month of the second year of Chunhua (991), grooms were ordered to select several dozen fine horses and set up stables and mangers in the informal hall to demonstrate proper feeding. The method was explained to the chief ministers and promulgated to the various armies. Effective prescriptions for treating horses were also bestowed on the emperor's close advisers. At Zhao Shoulun's recommendation, fifteen thousand brood mares were kept at the Dragon-Pasture Wards across the prefectures and pastured according to available water and grass, saving fodder costs. Foals multiplied in abundance, fully supplying military needs. At this point Shoulun reported again: "The wards pasture ten thousand horses and should produce four thousand foals each year, yet this year there were only twenty-five hundred. The responsible officials have failed in their duties and should be strictly punished. If a herd of one hundred horses produces seventy foals in a year, the officials should receive accelerated promotion. Foals born at the wards should be registered and reported immediately. Pasture soldiers should be recruited from young and able-bodied men." All of these recommendations were approved.
10
真宗大中祥符元年，立牧監賞罰之令，外監息馬，一歲終以十分為率，死一分以上勾當官罰一月奉，餘等第決杖。 牧倍多而死少者，給賞緡有差。 凡生駒一匹，兵校而下賞絹一匹。 當是時，凡內外坊、監及諸軍馬凡二十餘萬匹，飼馬兵校一萬六千三十八人。 每歲京城草六十六萬六千圍，麩料六萬二千二百四石，鹽、油、藥、糖九萬五千餘斤、石，諸州軍不預焉。 左右騏驥六坊、監止留馬二千餘匹，皆春季出就牧，孟冬則別其羸病，就棧皂養飼。 其尚乘之馬，唯備用者在焉。
In the first year of Dazhong Xiangfu (1008), reward-and-punishment regulations for pasture superintendencies were established. For outer superintendencies, deaths exceeding one tenth of the herd by year's end would cost the managing official one month's salary, with further graduated corporal punishments for higher mortality rates. Officials whose herds showed high birth rates and low mortality received cash rewards in varying amounts. For every foal born, military officers and men below them each received one bolt of silk as a reward. At that time, horses kept at inner and outer wards, superintendencies, and various armies totaled more than two hundred thousand, tended by sixteen thousand thirty-eight military officers and soldiers. Each year the capital alone consumed six hundred sixty-six thousand bundles of hay, sixty-two thousand two hundred four shi of bran fodder, and more than ninety-five thousand jin and shi of salt, oil, medicine, and sugar — not counting supplies for prefectures and garrisons elsewhere. The six wards and superintendencies under the Left and Right Fine Steed courtyards kept only about two thousand horses. Each spring they were turned out to pasture, and in early winter the weak and sick were separated and kept in stables for stall feeding. Only reserve horses for the Imperial Carriage Office were kept on site.
11
凡牧監之在河南、北，天禧後，靈昌監為河決所衝。 至乾興、天聖間，兵久不試，言者多以為牧馬費廣而亡補，乃廢東平監，以其地賦民。 五年，廢單鎮監。 六年，廢洛陽監。 於是河南諸監皆廢，悉以馬送河北。 既而詔取原武監馬赴京師，移河北孳生馬牧於原武。
Among the pasture superintendencies north and south of the Yellow River, the Lingchang Superintendency was devastated by a Yellow River breach after the Tianxi era. By the Qianxing and Tiansheng periods, the army had long gone untested, and critics widely argued that horse pasture was costly and unproductive. The Dongping Superintendency was abolished and its land distributed to the people. In the fifth year, the Danzhen Superintendency was abolished. In the sixth year, the Luoyang Superintendency was abolished. Thereupon all superintendencies south of the Yellow River were abolished, and all horses were transferred north of the river. Soon afterward, horses from the Yuanwu Superintendency were ordered to the capital, and breeding horses from north of the river were transferred to pasture at Yuanwu.
12
八年，群牧司上言：原武地廣而馬少，請增牧數。 詔以淇水第二監四歲馬屬原武，歲取河北孳生四歲馬分屬淇水第二並原武監，移原武下等馬牧於靈昌鎮廢監，仍隸原武。
In the eighth year, the Herd Pasture Bureau reported that Yuanwu had ample land but too few horses and requested an increase in the herd. An edict assigned four-year-old horses from the Second Qishui Superintendency to Yuanwu. Each year, four-year-old breeding horses from north of the river were divided between the Second Qishui and Yuanwu superintendencies, while inferior horses from Yuanwu were pastured at the abandoned Lingchang Town site, still under Yuanwu's jurisdiction.
13
九年，詔諸監孳生駁馬，四時遊牧，勿復登廄。
In the ninth year, breeding piebald horses at the various superintendencies were ordered to graze year-round and no longer be stabled.
14
明道元年，議者謂：「自河南六監廢，京師須馬，取之河北，道遠非便。」 詔遣左廂提點王舜臣往度利害。 舜臣言：「鎮寧、靈昌、東平、淳澤四監雖廢，然其地猶牧本監並騏驥院馬，洛陽、單鎮去京師近，罷之非便。」 乃詔復二監，以牧河北孳生馬。
In the first year of Mingdao (1032), critics argued: "Since the six superintendencies south of the Yellow River were abolished, obtaining horses for the capital from north of the river is inconvenient given the distance." The court dispatched Wang Shunchen, Inspector of the Left Wing, to assess the situation. Shunchen reported: "Although the Zhenning, Lingchang, Dongping, and Chunze superintendencies were abolished, their lands still graze horses for the original superintendencies and the Fine Steed courtyards. Luoyang and Danzhen are close to the capital, and abolishing them would be impractical." The two superintendencies were accordingly restored to pasture breeding horses from north of the river.
15
景祐二年，揀河北諸監馬一千九百牧於趙州界，隸安陽監。 既而詔廣平廢監留其一，以趙州界牧馬復隸焉，所餘一監，毋毀廄舍。
In the second year of Jingyou (1035), nineteen hundred horses selected from superintendencies north of the river were pastured within Zhao Prefecture, under the Anyang Superintendency. Soon afterward, one of the abolished Guangping superintendencies was retained, and the horses pastured within Zhao Prefecture were placed under its jurisdiction again. The stable buildings of the remaining superintendency were ordered preserved.
16
四年，復以原武第二監為單鎮，移於長葛縣，以縣令、都監兼領之。 三年，詔院坊、監馬歲留備用外，餘為兩群，牧於咸豐門外牟駝岡。
In the fourth year, the Second Yuanwu Superintendency was reestablished as Danzhen and relocated to Changge County, concurrently overseen by the county magistrate and chief superintendent. In the third year, horses from the courtyards, wards, and superintendencies beyond those kept in reserve each year were formed into two herds and pastured at Motuogang outside Xianfeng Gate.
17
凡收養病馬，估馬司、騏驥院取病淺者送上監，深者送下監，分十槽醫療之。 天聖六年，詔月以都監、判官一人提舉。 八年，言者謂上監去京城遠，送病馬非便。 詔廢之，以病淺馬分屬左右騏驥院六坊、監，季較拋死數，歲終第賞罰。 更以騏驥院官迭往提舉。
When sick horses were taken in for care, the Horse Appraisal Office and Fine Steed courtyards sent mildly ill horses to the Upper Superintendency and seriously ill ones to the Lower Superintendency, where they were divided among ten stalls for treatment. In the sixth year of Tiansheng (1028), one chief superintendent or administrative judge was assigned each month to oversee the operation. In the eighth year, critics noted that the Upper Superintendency was too far from the capital, making it inconvenient to transport sick horses there. It was abolished, and mildly ill horses were distributed among the six wards and superintendencies of the Left and Right Fine Steed courtyards. Abandonment and mortality rates were compared quarterly, with rewards and punishments graded at year's end. Fine Steed courtyard officials were instead assigned in rotation to oversee the operation.
18
明道二年，復置上監，易名天，養無病馬，病馬並屬下監。
In the second year of Mingdao (1033), the Upper Superintendency was restored under the name Tian to care for healthy horses, while all sick horses were assigned to the Lower Superintendency.
19
景祐二年，詔以牧養監馬團群牧於陳、許州界鳳凰陂，免耗芻菽，歲以為常。
In the second year of Jingyou (1035), horses from the Pasture-Nurture superintendencies were ordered herded in groups and pastured at Fenghuang Po on the Chen-Xu prefectural border, saving fodder costs. This became standard practice.
20
治平二年，詔院坊、監馬之病不堪估賣者，送淇水第一監，別為一群以牧養之。
In the second year of Zhiping (1065), sick horses from the courtyards, wards, and superintendencies that were unfit for appraisal and sale were sent to the First Qishui Superintendency and pastured as a separate herd.
21
凡馬之孳生，則大名府、洺、衛、相州七監多擇善種，合牝牡為群，判官歲以十二月巡行坊、監，閱二歲駒點印，第賞牧兵。 諸軍收駒及二歲，即送官。
For horse breeding, the seven superintendencies at Daming Prefecture, Luozhou, Weizhou, and Xiangzhou selected fine breeding stock and formed mare-stallion herds. Each December the administrative judge inspected the wards and superintendencies, branded two-year-old foals, and graded rewards for pasture soldiers. Foals collected by the various armies were sent to the government once they reached two years of age.
22
天聖七年，群牧司言：「舊制，知州軍、通判領同群牧事，歲終較馬死數及分已上，並生駒不及四分，並罰奉。 死數少，生駒多，即奏第賞。 三歲都比，以該賞者聞。 今請申明舊制，通判始到官，書所轄馬數，歲一考之，官滿，較總數為賞罰。」 詔從之。
In the seventh year of Tiansheng (1029), the Herd Pasture Bureau reported: "Under the old system, prefects and vice-prefects jointly oversaw pasture affairs. At year's end, officials were fined if horse deaths exceeded one tenth or if foals born fell short of four tenths of the herd. Low mortality and high foal production earned graded rewards reported to the throne. Performance was compared every three years, and qualifying officials were reported for reward. We now request that the old system be clarified: when a vice-prefect first takes office, the number of horses under his jurisdiction should be recorded; annual assessments should be conducted; and at the end of his term, totals should be compared to determine rewards and punishments." The request was approved.
23
嘉祐八年，群牧司言：「孳生七監，每監歲定牝馬二千，牡馬四百，歲約生駒四百，以為定數。」
In the eighth year of Jiayou (1063), the Herd Pasture Bureau reported: "Each of the seven breeding superintendencies is allotted two thousand brood mares, four hundred stallions, and an expected four hundred foals per year as fixed quotas."
24
治平二年，詔：「諸監生駒滿三十月已上，每歲點印，選牡之良者送淇水第二監，餘雜大馬悉送河南三監，其淇水第二監馬，候滿六十月，給配諸監。 諸監牝馬滿三十月，本監別立群牧放，候滿五十月，乃撥配他監。」
In the second year of Zhiping (1065), an edict ordered: "Foals at the various superintendencies thirty months and older should be branded each year. Fine stallions were to be sent to the Second Qishui Superintendency, and all remaining mixed adult horses to the three superintendencies south of the Yellow River. Horses at the Second Qishui Superintendency, once sixty months old, were to be allocated among the various superintendencies. Brood mares at the various superintendencies, once thirty months old, were to be formed into separate herds and pastured at their home superintendency; once fifty months old, they were to be transferred and paired at other superintendencies."
25
凡收市馬，戎人驅馬至邊，總數十、百為一券，一馬預給錢千，官給芻粟，續食至京師，有司售之，分隸諸監，曰券馬。 邊州置場，市蕃漢馬團綱，遣殿侍部送赴闕，或就配諸軍，曰省馬。 陝西廣銳、勁勇等軍，相與為社，每市馬，官給直外，社眾復裒金益之，曰馬社。 軍興，籍民馬而市之以給軍，曰括買。
When horses were procured through market purchase, frontier peoples drove horses to the border in groups of tens or hundreds under a single coupon. Each horse received a prepayment of one thousand cash, with fodder supplied by the government for the journey to the capital, where officials sold them and distributed them among the superintendencies. These were called coupon horses. Border prefectures established markets to purchase Tangut and Han horses in convoy groups, dispatching palace attendants to escort them to the capital or assigning them directly to the various armies. These were called provincial horses. Armies such as Guangrui and Jinyong in Shaanxi formed mutual societies. Whenever horses were purchased, society members pooled additional funds beyond the government price. These were called horse societies. When the army mobilized, civilian horses were registered and purchased to supply military needs. This was called compulsory purchase.
26
宋初，市馬唯河東、陝西、川峽三路，招馬唯吐蕃、回紇、党項、藏牙族，白馬、鼻家、保家、名市族諸蕃。 至雍熙、端拱間，河東則麟、府、豐、嵐州、岢嵐、火山軍、唐龍鎮、濁輪砦，陝西則秦、渭、涇、原、儀、延、環、慶、階州、鎮戎、保安軍、制勝關、浩府，河西則靈、綏、銀、夏州，川峽則益、文、黎、雅、戎、茂、夔州、永康軍，京東則登州。 自趙德明據有河南，其收市唯麟、府、涇、原、儀、渭、秦、階、環州、岢嵐、火山、保安、保德軍。 其後置場，則又止環、慶、延、渭、原、秦、階、文州、鎮戎軍而已。
In early Song, horse markets operated only along the Hedong, Shaanxi, and Sichuan Gorges routes, and horses were recruited only from Tibetans, Uyghurs, Tanguts, the Zangya tribe, and various other tribes including the Baima, Bija, Baojia, and Mingshi peoples. By the Yongxi and Duangong periods, Hedong markets included Lin, Fu, Feng, and Lan prefectures, Kelan, Huoshan Army, Tanglong Town, and Zhuolun Stockade; Shaanxi markets included Qin, Wei, Jing, Yuan, Yi, Yan, Huan, Qing, and Jie prefectures, Zhenrong, Bao'an Army, Zhisheng Pass, and Haofu; Hexi markets included Ling, Sui, Yin, and Xia prefectures; Sichuan Gorges markets included Yi, Wen, Li, Ya, Rong, Mao, and Kui prefectures and Yongkang Army; and Jingdong had Dengzhou. After Zhao Deming seized territory south of the Yellow River, horse procurement was limited to Lin and Fu prefectures, Jing, Yuan, Yi, Wei, Qin, and Jie prefectures, Huanzhou, Kelan, Huoshan, Bao'an, and Baode Army. Later, when markets were established, they were further reduced to Huan, Qing, Yan, Wei, Yuan, Qin, and Jie prefectures, Wenzhou, and Zhenrong Army alone.
27
太祖時，歲遣中使詣邊州市馬。 先是，兩河之民入蕃界盜馬入中國。 官給其直。 時方留意撫綏，詔禁之。
Under Taizu, palace emissaries were dispatched each year to border prefectures to purchase horses. Previously, people from the two He regions had entered Tangut territory to steal horses and bring them into Song territory. The government paid them the purchase price. The court was then focused on pacifying the frontier peoples, and the practice was prohibited by edict.
28
太平興國四年，詔市吏民馬十七萬匹。 六年，詔內屬戎人驅馬詣闕下者，首領縣次續食，且禁富民無得私市。 十二月，詔：「蕃部鬻馬，官取良而棄弩，又禁其私市，歲入數既不充，且無以懷遠人。 自今委長吏謹視馬之良駑，駑即印識之，許民私市焉。」 先是，以銅錢給諸蕃馬直。 八年，有司言戎人得錢，銷鑄為器，乃以布帛茶及他物易之。
In the fourth year of Taiping Xingguo (979), the court ordered the purchase of one hundred seventy thousand horses from officials and civilians. In the sixth year, when affiliated frontier peoples drove horses to the capital, tribal leaders were supplied with provisions at each county along the route, and wealthy civilians were forbidden from making private purchases. In the twelfth month, an edict declared: "When frontier tribes sell horses, the government selects only the finest and rejects the inferior, while private purchase is also forbidden. Annual intake falls short, and there is no way to win the goodwill of distant peoples. Henceforth, local officials are to carefully assess each horse's quality. Inferior horses shall be marked with an official seal, and private purchase by civilians shall be permitted." Previously, the various tribes had been paid for horses in copper cash. In the eighth year, officials reported that frontier peoples were melting cash to cast utensils, so payment was switched to cloth, silk, tea, and other goods.
29
天禧中，宰相向敏中言國馬倍於先朝，廣費芻粟。 乃詔以十三歲以上配軍馬估直出賣。 先是市馬以三歲已上、十三歲已下為率。 天聖中，詔市四歲已上、十歲已下。 既而所市不足，群牧司以為言，乃詔入券並省馬市三歲已上、十二歲已下。 明年，詔府州、岢嵐軍自今省馬三歲、四歲者不以等第，五歲已上十二歲已下、骨格良善行者，悉許綱送估馬司，餘非上京省馬並送并州揀馬司。
During the Tianxi era, Chief Councillor Xiang Minzhong reported that state horses had doubled since the previous dynasty, consuming vast amounts of fodder and grain. An edict then ordered army-assigned horses thirteen years and older to be appraised and sold. Previously, purchased horses had to be between three and thirteen years of age. During the Tiansheng era, purchases were limited to horses between four and ten years of age. When purchases still fell short, the Herd Pasture Bureau petitioned the throne, and coupon horses and provincial horses were ordered purchased between three and twelve years of age. The following year, Fuzhou and Kelan Army were ordered that three- and four-year-old provincial horses would no longer be graded by rank. Horses five to twelve years old with sound bone structure and gait could be convoyed to the Horse Appraisal Office; all others not bound for the capital were sent to the Bingzhou Horse Selection Office.
30
景祐元年，御史中丞韓億言：「蕃都以馬抵永康軍中賣，所得至少，徒使羌人知蜀山川道路，非計之得。」 乃詔罷之。
In the first year of Jingyou (1034), Censor-in-Chief Han Yi argued: "Tribal chiefs bring horses to sell at Yongkang Army for minimal profit, yet it only teaches the Qiang the mountains, rivers, and roads of Shu. This is a poor strategy." The market was accordingly abolished.
31
四年，群牧司奏河北諸軍闕馬，請製等杖六，付天雄軍、真定府、定、瀛、貝、滄州，市上生馬十二歲以下，視等第給直。 馬自四尺七寸至四尺二寸，凡六等。 其直自二萬五千四百五十至萬六千五百五十，課自萬三千四百五十至八千九百五十九，六等，取備邊兵戶絕錢充直。 以第一等送京師，餘就配諸軍。
In the fourth year, the Herd Pasture Bureau reported that Hebei armies lacked horses and requested six measuring rods be issued to Tianxiong Army, Zhending Prefecture, and Ding, Ying, Bei, and Cang prefectures to purchase locally raised horses twelve years and younger at graded prices. Horses ranged from four chi seven cun to four chi two cun in height, divided into six grades. Prices ranged from twenty-five thousand four hundred fifty to sixteen thousand five hundred fifty cash, with levies from thirteen thousand four hundred fifty to eight thousand nine hundred fifty-nine across six grades, funded from frontier defense military household shortfall accounts. First-grade horses were sent to the capital; the rest were assigned locally to the various armies.
32
康定初，陝西用兵，馬不足。 詔京畿、京東西、淮南、陝西路括市戰馬，馬四尺六寸至四尺二寸，其直自五十千至二十千，凡五等。 宰臣、樞密使聽畜馬七，參知政事、樞密副使五，尚書、學士至知雜、閣門使已上三，升朝官閣門祗候已上一，餘命官至諸司職員、寺觀主首皆一。 節度使至刺史，殿前馬步軍都指揮至軍頭司散員、副兵馬使皆勿括。 並邊七州軍免。 出內庫珠償民馬直。 又禁邊臣私市，闕者官給。 二年，詔：「河北州軍置場市馬，雖除等樣，如聞所得不廣，宜加增直。 第一等二萬八千，第二等二萬六千，第三等二萬四千，第四等以下及牝馬即依舊直。 仍自第二等以下遞減一寸。」
At the start of the Kangding era, Shaanxi was at war and horses were in short supply. The capital region, eastern and western Jing circuits, Huainan, and Shaanxi circuit were ordered to compulsorily purchase war horses between four chi six cun and four chi two cun in height, at prices from fifty thousand to twenty thousand cash across five grades. Chief councillors and Bureau of Military Affairs directors could keep seven horses; vice grand councillors and vice directors five; Ministers, Academicians, and officials down to gate commissioners three; court officials and gate attendants one; and all others by rank down to office functionaries and temple and monastery heads one each. Military governors, prefects, Palace Front and Rear Cavalry and Infantry commanders, Army Head Office irregulars, and deputy horse commanders were all exempt. Seven border prefectures and garrisons were also exempt. Pearls from the inner treasury were issued to compensate civilians for their horses. Private purchases by frontier officials were also prohibited; shortages were to be supplied by the government. In the second year, an edict declared: "Although Hebei prefectures and armies have established horse markets with set grades and standards, acquisitions have been limited. Prices should be raised. First grade twenty-eight thousand, second grade twenty-six thousand, third grade twenty-four thousand; fourth grade and below and brood mares would remain at the old prices. From second grade downward, each grade would decrease by one cun in height requirement."
33
慶曆四年，詔：「河北點印民間馬，凡收市外，見餘二萬七百，除坊郭戶三等、鄉村三等已上養飼如舊，餘點印者悉集揀市。」 五年，出內藏庫絹二十萬，市馬於秦州、岢嵐軍。 六年，詔陝西、河東社馬死者，本營鬻錢以助馬直。
In the fourth year of Qingli (1044), an edict ordered branding of civilian horses in Hebei. Beyond those already purchased, twenty thousand seven hundred remained. Urban third-rank households and rural households of third rank and above could keep horses as before; all others branded were to be gathered for selective purchase." In the fifth year, two hundred thousand bolts of silk from the inner treasury were allocated to purchase horses at Qinzhou and Kelan Army. In the sixth year, when society horses died in Shaanxi and Hedong, home camps were ordered to raise funds through sales to help cover replacement horse costs.
34
嘉祐元年，詔三司出絹三萬，市馬於秦州以給河東軍。 五年，薛向言：「秦州券馬至京師，給直並路費，一馬計錢數萬。 請於原、渭州、德順軍置場收市，給以解鹽交引，即不耗度支縑錢。 其券馬姑存，以來遠人。 歲可別得良馬八千，以三千給沿邊軍騎，五千入群牧司。」 七年，陝西提舉買馬監牧司奏：「舊制，秦州蕃漢人月募得良馬二百至京師，給彩絹、銀碗、腰帶、錦襖子，蕃官、回紇隱藏不引至者，並以漢法論罪。 歲募及二千，給賞物外，蕃都補蕃官，蕃官轉資，回紇百姓加等給賞。 今原、渭、德順軍置場市馬，請如秦州例施行。」 詔從之。 先是，詔議買馬利害。 吳奎等議於秦州古渭、永寧砦及原州、德順軍各令置場，京師歲支銀四萬兩、絹七萬五千匹充馬直，不足，以解鹽鈔並雜支錢給之。 詔行之。 八年，宰臣韓琦言：「秦州永寧砦舊以鈔市馬，自修古渭砦，在永寧之西，而蕃漢多互市其間，因置買馬場，凡歲用緡錢十餘萬，蕩然流入虜中，實耗國用。」 詔復置場永寧，罷古渭砦中場。 蕃都馬至，徑鬻於秦州。
In the first year of Jiayou (1056), the State Finance Commission was ordered to allocate thirty thousand bolts of silk to purchase horses at Qinzhou for Hedong armies. In the fifth year, Xue Xiang reported: "When coupon horses from Qinzhou reach the capital, payment plus travel expenses cost tens of thousands of cash per horse. I request that markets be established at Yuan and Weizhou and Deshun Army for local purchase, paying with jie-salt exchange certificates so as not to drain the Department of Revenue's silk and cash reserves. The coupon horse system should be retained for now to attract distant peoples. Each year an additional eight thousand fine horses could be obtained — three thousand for frontier cavalry and five thousand for the Herd Pasture Bureau." In the seventh year, the Shaanxi Horse Purchase and Pasture Superintendency reported: "Under the old system, Tangut and Han at Qinzhou delivered two hundred fine horses monthly to the capital, receiving colored silk, silver bowls, belts, and brocade jackets. Tribal officials and Uyghurs who concealed horses were punished under Song law. When annual recruitment reached two thousand, beyond standard rewards tribal chiefs were appointed tribal officials, tribal officials received rank advancement, and Uyghur commoners received elevated rewards. Now that horse markets have been established at Yuan, Wei, and Deshun armies, I request the Qinzhou precedent be applied." The request was approved. Previously, the court had ordered a review of the advantages and disadvantages of horse purchase. Wu Kui and others proposed establishing markets at Guwei and Yongning stockades in Qinzhou and at Yuanzhou and Deshun Army. The capital would annually allocate forty thousand taels of silver and seventy-five thousand bolts of silk and gauze for horse purchases, supplemented if needed by jie-salt certificates and miscellaneous funds. The proposal was approved and implemented. In the eighth year, Chief Councillor Han Qi reported: "Yongning Stockade at Qinzhou formerly used certificates for horse trade. Since Guwei Stockade was built west of Yongning and became a hub for Tangut-Han trade, a horse market was established there — annually more than one hundred thousand strings of cash flowed into enemy territory, seriously depleting state resources." The market was restored at Yongning and the market within Guwei Stockade was abolished. When tribal chiefs brought horses, they were sold directly at Qinzhou.
35
大抵國初市馬，歲僅得五千餘匹。 天聖中，蕃部省馬至三萬四千九百餘匹。 嘉祐以前，原、渭、德順凡三歲市馬至萬七千一百匹，秦州券馬歲至萬五千匹。
In general, early Song horse purchases yielded only about five thousand horses per year. During the Tiansheng era, provincial horses from tribal departments reached more than thirty-four thousand nine hundred. Before Jiayou, markets at Yuan, Wei, and Deshun purchased seventeen thousand one hundred horses over three years, while Qinzhou coupon horses averaged fifteen thousand per year.
36
凡牧地，自畿甸及近郡，使擇水草善地而標占之。 淳化、景德間，內外坊、監總六萬八千頃，諸軍班又三萬九百頃不預焉。 歲久官失其籍，界堠不明，廢置不常，而淪於侵冒者多矣。
Pasture lands in the capital district and nearby prefectures were selected for good water and grass and marked for official use. Between the Chunhua and Jingde eras, inner and outer wards and superintendencies totaled sixty-eight thousand qing, not counting another thirty thousand nine hundred qing held by various army units. Over time officials lost the land registers, boundary markers grew unclear, and abolitions and reestablishments were frequent. Much land fell to encroachment.
37
淳化二年十二月，通利軍上《十牧草地圖》，上慮侵民田，遣中使檢視疆理。
In the twelfth month of the second year of Chunhua (991), Tongli Army submitted the "Ten Pasture Lands Map." Fearing encroachment on civilian fields, the emperor dispatched a palace emissary to inspect the boundaries.
38
嘉祐中，韓琦請括諸監牧地，留牧外，聽下戶耕佃。 遣都官員外郎高訪等括河北，得閑田三千三百五十頃募佃，歲約得穀十一萬七千八百石，絹三千二百五十匹，草十六萬一千二百束。 群牧司言：「諸監牧地間有水旱，每監牧放外，歲刈白草數萬束，以備冬飼。 今悉賦民，異時監馬增多，及有水旱，無以轉徙牧放。」 詔遣左右廂提點官相度，除先被侵冒已根括出地權給租佃，餘委群牧司審度存留，有閑土即募耕佃。 五年，群牧司言：「凡牧一馬，往來踐食，占地五十畝。 諸監既無餘地，難以募耕，請存留如故。 廣平廢監先賦民者，亦乞取還。」 乃詔：「河北、京東牧監帳管草地，自今毋得縱人請射，犯者論以違制。」
During the Jiayou era, Han Qi requested a survey of all superintendency pasture lands, allowing lower-rank households to farm and tenant land beyond grazing needs. Gao Fang, Outer Section Member of the Director of Punishments, and others surveyed Hebei and found three thousand three hundred fifty qing of idle land for tenant farming, yielding annually about one hundred seventeen thousand eight hundred shi of grain, three thousand two hundred fifty bolts of silk, and one hundred sixty-one thousand two hundred bundles of hay. The Herd Pasture Bureau reported: "Superintendency pasture lands are subject to flood and drought. Beyond active grazing, each superintendency mows tens of thousands of bundles of white grass annually for winter feeding. If all this land is assigned to civilians, future herd increases and flood or drought will leave no land for relocation and grazing." Left and Right Wing inspectors were dispatched to assess the situation. Land previously encroached upon and recovered could be temporarily rented out; the Herd Pasture Bureau would review the rest for retention, with idle land open to tenant farming. In the fifth year, the Herd Pasture Bureau reported: "Each pastured horse, moving to and fro while grazing, requires fifty mu of land. The superintendencies already have no surplus land for tenant farming. I request that pasture lands be retained as before. Land from the abolished Guangping superintendency previously assigned to civilians should also be reclaimed." An edict declared: "Pasture lands under Hebei and Jingdong superintendencies must no longer be open to private occupation. Violators will be prosecuted for violating regulations."
39
群牧使歐陽修言：「唐之牧地，西起隴右金城、平涼、天水，外暨河曲之野，內則岐、幽、涇、寧，東接銀、夏，又東至於樓煩。 今則沒入蕃界，淪於侵佃，不可復得。 惟河東嵐、石之間，山荒甚多，汾河之側，草地亦廣，其間水草最宜牧養，此唐樓煩監地。 跡此推之，則樓煩、元池、天池三監舊地，尚冀可得。 臣往年出使，嘗行威勝以東及遼州、平定軍，其地率多閑曠。 河東一路，水草甚佳，地勢高寒，必宜馬性。 又京西唐、汝之間，荒地亦廣。 請下河東、京西轉運司遣官審度，若可興置監牧，則河北諸監，尋可廢罷。」
Herd Pasture Commissioner Ouyang Xiu observed: "Tang pasture lands extended west from Longyou, Jincheng, Pingliang, and Tianshui to the wilds beyond the river bend; inward through Qi, You, Jing, and Ning; east through Yin and Xia to Loufan. Today they have sunk into Tangut territory and fallen to encroachment and private farming, beyond recovery. Only between Lan and Shi in Hedong, where mountains are largely barren and pasture lands beside the Fen River are broad, is the water and grass most suitable for grazing. This was the land of Tang's Loufan Superintendency. By this reasoning, the old lands of the Loufan, Yuanchi, and Tianchi superintendencies might still be recoverable. On a mission in previous years, I traveled east of Weisheng and to Liaozhou and Pingding Army and found the land mostly idle and open. The entire Hedong circuit has excellent water and grass; its high, cold terrain is well suited to horses. Between Tang and Ru in western Jing, wasteland is also extensive. I request that the Hedong and western Jing transport commissions dispatch officials to assess whether new pasture superintendencies can be established, in which case the Hebei superintendencies could soon be abolished."
40
治平末，牧地總五萬五千，河南六監三萬二千，而河北六監則二萬三千。
By the end of the Zhiping era, pasture lands totaled fifty-five thousand qing: thirty-two thousand for the six superintendencies south of the Yellow River and twenty-three thousand for the six in Hebei.
41
凡支配，騏驥院、估馬司以當配軍及新收馬閱於便殿，數毋過二百。 凡配軍，視其奉錢之數，馬自四尺六寸至四尺三寸，奉錢自一千至三百，為四等，差次給之，至五月權止。 外州軍士闕馬，先奏稟乃給。 荊湖路歸遠、雄武軍士，配以在所土產馬。 凡闕馬軍士，以分數配填。
For allocation, the Fine Steed courtyards and Horse Appraisal Office inspected horses due for army assignment and newly received horses at the informal hall, with no more than two hundred presented at a time. For army assignment, horses from four chi six cun to four chi three cun were matched to soldiers with salaries from one thousand to three hundred cash in four grades, allocated in descending order until the fifth month when the program temporarily ceased. Soldiers in outer prefectures and armies who lacked horses had to petition for approval before receiving them. Soldiers of the Guiyuan and Xiongwu armies on the Jinghu circuit were assigned locally bred horses. Soldiers lacking horses were supplied according to fractional quotas.
42
慶曆四年，詔陝西、河北、河東填五分，餘路填四分。 他州軍、府界巡檢兵校聽自市，官償其直，毋過三十千。 是歲，詔諸路以馬給軍士，比試武技，優者先給，比試兩給； 闕馬十匹以下全給，十匹以上如舊數支。
In the fourth year of Qingli (1044), Shaanxi, Hebei, and Hedong were allotted five tenths of available horses; other circuits four tenths. Military officers in other prefectures, armies, and capital-district patrol units could purchase horses themselves, with government reimbursement up to thirty thousand cash. That year, circuits were ordered to supply horses to soldiers based on martial skill tests: top performers received horses first, and those who tested twice could receive two; shortages of ten horses or fewer were fully supplied; larger shortages followed the old quota system.
43
寶元元年，詔群臣例賜馬者，宰相至樞密直學士，使相至正任刺史，並皇族緣姻事當賜者，如舊制； 餘給以馬直，少卿監已上三十五千，內殿承制已下二十三千。 凡群臣假官馬進奉者，置籍報左藏庫，償直四十千，其後多負不償。 乃詔借馬者先輸直，久逋不償者克其奉料。
In the first year of Baoyuan (1038), ministers customarily granted horses — from chief councillors to Direct Academicians of Military Affairs, from envoy-governors to regular prefects, and imperial clansmen and affinal relatives due gifts — would continue under the old system; all others would receive cash in lieu: Vice Ministers and above thirty-five thousand, Inner Hall Assistant Commandants and below twenty-three thousand. Ministers who borrowed official horses for tribute presentation were registered with the Left Treasury at a compensation rate of forty thousand cash, but many later failed to repay. Borrowers were then required to pay upfront, and those long in arrears had their salaries deducted.
44
熙寧以來，有保馬、戶馬，其後又變為給地牧馬。
Since the Xining era, there have been guaranteed horses and household horses, which later evolved into land-grant pasture horses.
45
神宗嘗患馬政不善，謂樞密使文彥博曰：「群牧官非人，無以責成效。 其令中書擇使，卿舉判官，冀國馬蕃息，以給戰騎。」 於是以比部員外郎崔台符權群牧判官，又命群牧判官劉航及台符刪定《群牧敕令》，以唐制參本朝故事而奏決焉。
Emperor Shenzong once lamented poor horse administration and told Bureau of Military Affairs Director Wen Yanbo: "The wrong people hold herd pasture offices — there is no way to demand results. Have the Secretariat select commissioners and you recommend administrative judges, so that state horses may multiply and supply war cavalry." Bi Section Outer Section Member Cui Taifu was appointed acting Herd Pasture administrative judge, and Liu Hang and Taifu were ordered to revise the Herd Pasture Edicts and Commands, drawing on Tang institutions and Song precedents for imperial approval.
46
熙寧元年，又手詔彥博等曰：「今諸州守貳雖同領群牧，而未嘗親蒞職事，其議更制，應監牧、郡守貳並朝廷選授，與坊、監使臣皆第其能否，制賞罰而升黜之，宜立法以聞。」 又手詔曰：「方今馬政不修，官吏無著效，豈任不久而才不盡歟？ 是何監牧之多，官吏之眾，而乏才之甚也！ 昔唐用張萬歲三世典群牧，恩信行乎下，故馬政修舉，後世稱為能吏。 今上自提總官屬，下至坊、監使臣，既非銓擇，而遷徙迅速，謂之『假道』，欲使官宿其業而盡其能，不可得也。 為今之計者，當簡其勞能，進之以序。 自坊、監而上至於群牧都監，皆課其功而第進之，以為任事者勸焉。」 於是，樞密副使邵亢請以牧馬餘田修稼政，以資牧養之利。 而群牧司言：「馬監草地四萬八千餘頃，今以五萬馬為率，一馬占地五十畝，大名、廣平四監餘田無幾，宜且仍舊。 而原武、單鎮、洛陽、沙苑、淇水、安陽、東平等監，餘良田萬七千頃，可賦民以收芻粟。」 從之。
In the first year of Xining (1068), the emperor wrote to Yanbo and others: "Although prefectural chiefs and deputies nominally oversee herd pasture, they never attend to it personally. Discuss reform: superintendency and prefectural officials should all be court-appointed; together with ward and superintendency commissioners, their performance should be graded with rewards, punishments, and promotions — draft laws and report." Another handwritten edict asked: "Horse administration is in disrepair and officials produce no results. Is it because terms are too short for talent to be fully employed? How can there be so many superintendencies and so many officials, yet so little talent! Tang employed Zhang Wansui's family for three generations to manage herd pasture; grace and trust prevailed throughout the ranks, and horse administration flourished. Later ages hailed him as a model official. Today, from supervising officials down to ward and superintendency commissioners, since none are carefully selected and transfers are rapid — mere 'passing through' — it is impossible to expect officials to master their duties and fully employ their abilities. The solution is to select officials for merit and ability and advance them in proper sequence. From wards and superintendencies up to the Herd Pasture chief superintendent, all should have their achievements assessed and be promoted by grade, to encourage diligent service." Vice Director of Military Affairs Shao Kang then proposed developing surplus pasture farmland to support grazing operations. The Herd Pasture Bureau reported: "Horse superintendency pasture lands total more than forty-eight thousand qing. At fifty thousand horses, each requiring fifty mu, the four superintendencies of Daming and Guangping have little surplus farmland and should remain as before. But the superintendencies of Yuanwu, Danzhen, Luoyang, Shayuan, Qishui, Anyang, and Dongping have seventeen thousand qing of surplus good farmland that could be assigned to civilians to produce fodder and grain." This was approved.
47
已而樞密院又言：「舊制，以左、右騏驥院總司國馬。 景德中，始增置群牧使副、都監、判官，以領廄牧之政。 使領雖重，未嘗躬自巡察，不能周知牧畜利病，以故馬不蕃息。 今宜分置官局，專任責成。」 乃詔河南、北分置監牧使，以劉航、崔台符為之，又置都監各一員。 其在河陽者，為孳生監。 凡外諸監並分屬兩使，各條上所當行者。 諸官吏若牧田縣令佐，並委監牧使舉劾，專隸樞密院，不領於群牧制置。 先是，群牧司請於河北、河東、陝西都總管治所各置一監，以便給軍，乃遣官下諸路詳度。 既又以知太原唐介之請，發沙苑馬五百，置監於交城。 又分置河南、河北兩使。 時上方留意牧監地，然諸監牧田皆寬衍，為人所冒占，故議者爭請收其餘資以佐芻粟。 言利者乘之，始以增賦入為務。
Soon afterward the Bureau of Military Affairs reported: "Under the old system, the Left and Right Fine Steed courtyards overall managed state horses. During the Jingde era, deputy herd pasture commissioners, chief superintendents, and administrative judges were added to oversee pasture administration. Although the commissioner-in-chief's position was prestigious, he never personally inspected operations and could not fully grasp the condition of the herds. For this reason horses failed to multiply. Separate offices should now be established with dedicated responsibility and accountability." Pasture commissioners were accordingly established separately north and south of the Yellow River, with Liu Hang and Cui Taifu appointed, each supported by one chief superintendent. The superintendency at Heyang was designated for breeding. All outer superintendencies were divided between the two commissioners, each reporting upward on matters within their jurisdiction. Officials including pasture-land county magistrates and assistants were placed under pasture commissioners for impeachment, reporting exclusively to the Bureau of Military Affairs rather than the Herd Pasture Commissioner-in-Chief. Previously, the Herd Pasture Bureau had requested a superintendency at each general headquarters in Hebei, Hedong, and Shaanxi to supply the armies, and officials were dispatched to assess the various circuits. Subsequently, at Taiyuan Prefect Tang Jie's request, five hundred Shayuan horses were dispatched and a superintendency established at Jiaocheng. Pasture commissioners were also separately appointed for the regions south and north of the Yellow River. The emperor was then focused on superintendency pasture lands, but these broad fields had been widely encroached upon, and critics competed to propose collecting surplus revenue to supplement fodder and grain supplies. Profit-seekers seized the opportunity and made increasing tax revenue their priority.
48
二年，詔括河南北監牧司總牧地。 舊籍六萬八千頃，而今籍五萬五千，餘數皆隱於民。 自是，請以牧地賦民者紛然，而諸監尋廢。 是歲，天下應在馬凡十五萬三千六百有奇。
In the second year, a survey was ordered of total pasture lands under the pasture bureaus north and south of the Yellow River. The old register recorded sixty-eight thousand qing, but the current register showed only fifty-five thousand, with the remainder concealed by civilians. From this point, proposals to assign pasture lands to civilians proliferated, and the various superintendencies were soon abolished. That year, horses on the national rolls totaled more than one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred.
49
初，內外班直、諸軍馬以四月下槽出牧，迄八月上槽，風雨勞逸之不齊，故多病斃。 圉人歲被榜罰，吏緣牧事害民，棚井科率無寧歲。 四年十月，乃命同修起居注曾孝寬較度其利害。 孝寬請罷諸班直、諸軍馬出牧，以田募民出租。 詔自來年如所請，仍令三司備當牧五月芻粟。
Initially, guard direct units and various army horses were turned out to pasture in the fourth month and returned to the mangers by the eighth month. Uneven exposure to wind, rain, labor, and rest caused many to sicken and die. Grooms were beaten and fined each year; officials exploited pasture affairs to harm civilians; and levies for stables and wells brought no year of peace. In the tenth month of the fourth year, Co-compiler of the Daily Record Zeng Xiokuan was ordered to assess the advantages and disadvantages. Xiokuan proposed ending pasture turnout for guard direct units and army horses and recruiting civilians to rent the pasture lands. The proposal was approved from the following year, with the State Finance Commission ordered to supply the fifth month's fodder and grain for stalled horses.
50
五年，廢太原監。 七年，廢東平、原武監，而合淇水兩監為一。 八年，遂廢河南北八監，惟存沙苑一監，而兩監司牧亦罷矣。 沙苑先以隸陝西提舉監牧，至是，復屬之群牧司。
In the fifth year, the Taiyuan Superintendency was abolished. In the seventh year, the Dongping and Yuanwu superintendencies were abolished and the two Qishui superintendencies merged into one. In the eighth year, all eight superintendencies north and south of the Yellow River were abolished, leaving only Shayuan. The two pasture bureaus were abolished as well. Shayuan had first been subordinate to the Shaanxi Pasture Superintendency but was now reassigned to the Herd Pasture Bureau.
51
始議廢監時，群牧制置使文彥博言：「議者欲賦牧地與民而收租課，散國馬於編戶而責孳息，非便。」 詔元絳、蔡確較其利害上之。 於是中書、樞密院言：「河南北十二監，起熙寧二年至五年，歲出馬一千六百四十匹，可給騎兵者二百六十四，餘僅足配郵傳。 而兩監牧吏卒雜費及所占地租，為緡錢五十三萬九千有奇，計所出馬為錢三萬六千四百餘緡而已。 今九監見馬三萬，若不更制，則日就損耗。」 於是卒廢之，以其善馬分隸諸監，餘馬皆斥賣，收其地租，給市易茶本錢，分寄籍常平、出子錢，以為市馬之直。 監兵五千，以為廣固指揮，修治京城焉。 後遂廢高陽、真定、太原、大名、定州五監。 凡廢監錢歸市易之外，又以給熙河歲計。
When abolition of superintendencies was first discussed, Herd Pasture Commissioner-in-Chief Wen Yanbo argued: "Critics wish to assign pasture lands to civilians and collect rent, dispersing state horses among registered households and demanding breeding returns. This is impractical." Yuan Jiang and Cai Que were ordered to assess the advantages and disadvantages and report. The Secretariat and Bureau of Military Affairs then reported: "The twelve superintendencies north and south of the Yellow River, from the second to fifth year of Xining, produced sixteen hundred forty horses annually — only two hundred sixty-four suitable for cavalry, with the rest barely sufficient for postal relay. Yet the two pasture bureaus' personnel costs and land rents totaled more than five hundred thirty-nine thousand strings of cash, making each horse produced cost more than three hundred sixty-four thousand strings. The nine remaining superintendencies held thirty thousand horses; without reform, they would continue to decline." The superintendencies were finally abolished. Fine horses were distributed among remaining superintendencies; the rest were sold. Land rents funded the Market Exchange tea capital and were deposited in Ever-Normal Granary and interest-bearing loan accounts for horse purchases. Five thousand superintendency soldiers were reorganized as the Guanggu Command to repair and maintain the capital. Later the Gaoyang, Zhending, Taiyuan, Daming, and Dingzhou superintendencies were abolished. Beyond funding the Market Exchange, abolished superintendency revenues also supplied the Xixi annual budget.
52
諸監既廢，淤田司請廣行淤溉，增課以募耕者，而河北制置牧田所繼言，牧田沒於民者五千七百餘頃。 乃嚴侵冒之法，而加告獲之賞，自是利入增多。 元豐三年，廢監租錢遂至百一十六萬，自群牧使而下，賜賚有差。 乃命太常博士路昌衡、秘書丞王得臣與逐路轉運司、開封府界提點司按租地，約三年中價以定歲額。 若催督違滯，以擅支封樁法論。
After the superintendencies were abolished, the Silt-Farmland Bureau proposed broad silt irrigation with increased levies to recruit farmers. The Hebei Pasture-Land Commission reported that more than five thousand seven hundred qing of pasture land had been lost to civilian occupation. Strict encroachment laws were enacted with increased rewards for reporting violations, and revenue subsequently increased. In the third year of Yuanfeng (1080), abolished superintendency rent revenue reached one million one hundred sixty thousand cash. Rewards were distributed in varying amounts from the herd pasture commissioner downward. Court of Imperial Sacrifices Doctor Lu Changheng and Secretariat Assistant Director Wang Dechen were ordered, together with each circuit's transport commission and the Kaifeng capital-district inspectorate, to survey rental lands and set annual quotas based on three-year average prices. Delays in collection would be prosecuted under the law on unauthorized disbursement of sealed reserves.
53
初，經制熙河邊防財用司奏於岷州𢇲川、荔川、閭川砦、通遠軍熟羊砦置牧養十監，議者繼言蕃馬法，帝欲試之近甸。 六年，手詔樞密院：「牧馬重事，經始之際，宜得左右近臣以總其政。 今自霧澤陂牧馬所造法，始於畿內置十監，以次推之諸路。 宜令樞密院都承旨張誠一、副都承旨張山甫經度制置，權不隸尚書駕部及太僕寺。 有當自朝廷處分者，樞密院主之。」 已而其說皆不效。 八年，同提舉經度制置曹誦言：「自崇儀副使溫從吉建議創孳生監，迨今二年，駒不蕃而死者益眾。」 乃命御史臺校核，自置監以來，得駒不及一分四厘，馬死已十分之六。 於是責議者及提舉官，而罷畿內十監。
Initially, the Xixi Frontier Finance Commission proposed ten pasture-nurture superintendencies at Dichuan, Lichuan, and Luanchuan stockades in Minzhou and Shuyang Stockade in Tongyuan Army. Critics then discussed the Tangut horse method, and the emperor wished to test it in the near capital districts. In the sixth year, the emperor wrote to the Bureau of Military Affairs: "Horse pasture is a weighty matter. At its inception, close ministers should oversee its administration. Following the method developed at the Wuze Po horse pasture, ten superintendencies should first be established within the capital districts, then extended to the various circuits. Bureau of Military Affairs Chief Receptionist Zhang Chengyi and Vice Chief Receptionist Zhang Shanfu should plan and establish the system, temporarily independent of the Ministry's Carriage Section and the Court of the Imperial Stud. Matters requiring imperial disposition would be managed by the Bureau of Military Affairs." None of these proposals proved effective. In the eighth year, Co-Commissioner for Planning and Establishment Cao Song reported: "Since Vice Envoy for Honored Rites Wen Congji proposed breeding superintendencies two years ago, foals have failed to multiply while deaths have increased." The Censorate verified that since the superintendencies were established, foals born fell short of one point four percent while horse deaths reached sixty percent. The proposers and supervising officials were held accountable, and the ten capital-district superintendencies were abolished.
54
元祐初，議興廢監，以復舊制。 於是詔庫部郎中郭茂恂往陝西、河東所當置監，尋又下河北陝西轉運、提點刑獄司按行河、渭、並、晉之間牧田以聞。 時已罷保甲，教騎兵，而還戶馬於民。 於是右司諫王巖叟言：「兵之所恃在馬，而能蕃息之者，牧監也。 昔廢監之初，識者皆知十年之後天下當乏馬。 已而不待十年，其弊已見，此甚非國之利也。 乞收還戶馬三萬，復置監如故，監牧事委之轉運官，而不專置使。 今鄆州之東平，北京之大名、元城，衛州之淇水，相州之安陽，洺州之廣平監，以及瀛、定之間棚塞草地疆畫具存，使臣牧卒大半猶在，稍加招集，則指顧之間措置可定，而人免納錢之害，國收牧馬之利，豈非計之得哉？ 又況廢監以來，牧地之賦民者，為害多端，若復置監牧而收地入官，則百姓戴恩，如釋重負矣。」 自是，洛陽、單鎮、原武、淇水、東平、安陽等監皆復。
At the beginning of the Yuanyou era, abolished superintendencies were discussed for revival to restore the old system. Treasury Section Director Guo Maoxun was dispatched to Shaanxi and Hedong to determine where superintendencies should be established. Soon the Hebei and Shaanxi transport and judicial inspectorates were ordered to inspect pasture lands between the Yellow, Wei, Bing, and Jin rivers and report. The baojia system had been abolished, cavalry training was underway, and household horses were being returned to civilians. Right Office Remonstrance Official Wang Yansou argued: "Armies depend on horses, and pasture superintendencies are what make them multiply. When superintendencies were abolished, the knowledgeable all predicted a nationwide horse shortage within ten years. Already, without waiting ten years, the harm was evident. This greatly harmed the state. I request recovering thirty thousand household horses, restoring superintendencies as before, and entrusting pasture affairs to transport officials without appointing special commissioners. Dongping in Yanzhou, Daming and Yuancheng in the Northern Capital, Qishui in Weizhou, Anyang in Xiangzhou, the Guangping Superintendency in Luozhou, and pasture lands between Ying and Ding all retain their boundaries. Most commissioner officials and pasture soldiers remain. With modest recruitment, arrangements could be settled quickly. Civilians would escape cash payments; the state would regain pasture benefits. Is this not sound policy? Moreover, since abolishing superintendencies, assigning pasture lands to civilians has caused many harms. Restoring superintendencies and reclaiming the land would be a great relief to the people." The Luoyang, Danzhen, Yuanwu, Qishui, Dongping, Anyang, and other superintendencies were all restored.
55
初，熙寧中，並天駟四監為二，而左、右天廄坊亦罷。 至是，復左、右天廄坊。 時又有旨，內外馬事並隸太僕寺，不由駕部而達尚書省。 兵部尚書王存、右司諫王覿言：「先帝講求歷代之法，正省、台、寺、監之職，上下相繼，各有統制。 其間或濡滯不通，宜量加裁正，不可因而隳紊。」 言不果行。 又詔舊屬群牧司者專隸太僕寺，直達樞密院，不由尚書省及駕部。 至崇寧中，始詔如元豐舊制。
During the Xining era, the four Heavenly Horse superintendencies had been merged into two, and the Left and Right Heavenly Stable Wards abolished. At this point, the Left and Right Heavenly Stable Wards were restored. An order also placed all inner and outer horse affairs under the Court of the Imperial Stud, bypassing the Carriage Section to reach the Ministry directly. Minister of War Wang Cun and Right Office Remonstrance Official Wang Di argued: "The late emperor studied methods of successive dynasties and rectified the duties of ministries, censorates, courts, and commissions, each with proper hierarchical oversight. Where obstruction occurred, appropriate correction should be applied. Order must not be destroyed in the process." The proposal was not implemented. An edict also placed former Herd Pasture Bureau affairs exclusively under the Court of the Imperial Stud, reporting directly to the Bureau of Military Affairs and bypassing the Ministry and Carriage Section. By the Chongning era, the Yuanfeng system was restored.
56
紹聖初，用事者更以其意為廢置，而時議復變。 太僕寺言，府界牧田，占佃之外，尚存三千餘頃，議復畿內孳生十監。 詔以莊宅副使麥文丙、內殿崇班王景儉充提舉。 後二年而給地牧馬之政行矣。
At the beginning of the Shaosheng era, those in power again reorganized according to their own preferences, and public opinion shifted once more. The Court of the Imperial Stud reported that beyond occupied tenancy, more than three thousand qing of capital-district pasture land remained, and revival of ten capital-district breeding superintendencies was discussed. Vice Commissioner for Estates Mai Wenbing and Inner Hall Honored Company Wang Jingjian were appointed commissioners-in-chief. Two years later, the land-grant pasture horse policy was implemented.
57
先是，知任縣韓筠等建議，凡授民牧田一頃，為官牧一馬而蠲其租。 縣籍其高下、老壯、毛色，歲一閱，亡失者責償，已佃牧田者依上養馬。 知邢州張赴上其說，且謂授田一頃為官牧一馬，較陝西沿邊弓箭手既養馬又戍邊者為優，試之一監一縣，當有利而無害。 樞密院是其請，且言：「熙寧中，罷諸監以賦民，歲收緡錢至百餘萬。 元祐初，未嘗講明利害，惟務罷元豐、熙寧之政，奪已佃之田而復舊監。 桑棗井廬多所毀伐，監牧官吏為費不貲，牧卒擾民，棚井抑配，為害非一。 蓋自復監以來，臣僚屢陳公私之害。 若循元祐倉卒更張之法，久當益弊。 且左右廂今歲籍馬萬三千有奇，堪配軍者無幾，惟沙苑六千疋愈於他監。 今赴等所陳授田養馬，既蠲其租不責以孳息，而不願者無所抑勒，又限以尺寸，則緩急皆可用之馬矣。」 乃具為條畫，下太僕寺，應監牧州縣悉行之。
Previously, Ren County Prefect Han Jun and others proposed that for each qing of pasture land granted to civilians, one horse would be pastured for the government in exchange for rent exemption. The county would register each horse's quality, age, strength, and coat color, inspect annually, hold owners liable for losses, and apply the same rules to those already tenanting pasture land. Xingzhou Prefect Zhang Fu submitted the proposal, arguing that one qing for one government horse was preferable to the Shaanxi frontier archer-soldiers who both raised horses and guarded the border. A trial in one superintendency and one county should bring benefit without harm. The Bureau of Military Affairs approved the request and noted: "During Xining, abolishing superintendencies and assigning lands to civilians yielded more than one million strings of cash annually. At the beginning of Yuanyou, without weighing advantages and disadvantages, the sole aim was abolishing Yuanfeng and Xining policies, seizing tenanted fields, and restoring old superintendencies. Mulberry and jujube trees, wells, and dwellings were widely destroyed. Superintendency expenses were incalculable, pasture soldiers harassed civilians, and forced allocations for stables and wells caused many harms. Since restoring superintendencies, officials had repeatedly memorialized about public and private harms. Following Yuanyou's hasty reforms would only worsen matters over time. Moreover, the left and right wings registered more than thirteen thousand horses this year, but few were suitable for army assignment. Only Shayuan's six thousand surpassed other superintendencies. Zhang Fu's land-grant horse rearing exempts rent without demanding breeding returns, imposes no coercion on the unwilling, and sets height requirements — yielding horses usable in both urgent and routine situations." Detailed regulations were drawn up and sent to the Court of the Imperial Stud for implementation in all superintendency prefectures and counties.
58
時殿中侍御史陳次升言：「給地牧馬，其初始於邢州守令之請，未嘗下監司詳度。 諸路各有利害，既不可知。 民居與田相遠者，難就耕牧。 一頃之地所直不多，而亡失責償，為錢四五十千，必非人情所願。」 言竟不行。 時同知樞密院者，曾布也。
Palace Attendant Censor Chen Cisheng argued: "Land-grant pasture horses began with a request from Xingzhou prefectural officials and was never assessed by supervisory commissions. Each circuit has its own advantages and disadvantages, which remain unknown. Where civilian dwellings are far from the land, farming and grazing are impractical. One qing of land is not worth much, yet loss liability runs forty to fifty thousand cash — surely not what people would willingly accept." The objection was ultimately ignored. The Vice Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs at the time was Zeng Bu.
59
四年，遂廢淇水、單鎮、安陽、洛陽、原武監，罷提點所及左右廂，惟存東平、沙苑二監。 曾布自敘其事曰：「元祐中，復置監牧，兩廂所養馬止萬三千匹，而不堪者過半。 今既以租錢置蕃落十指揮於陝西，養馬三千五百。 又人戶願養者亦數千，而所存兩監各可牧萬馬。 馬數多於舊監，而所省官吏之費非一，近世良法，未之能及。」 時三省皆稱善。 其後，沙苑復隸陝西買馬監牧司，而東平監仍廢。
In the fourth year, the Qishui, Danzhen, Anyang, Luoyang, and Yuanwu superintendencies were abolished along with the inspectorate and left and right wings, leaving only Dongping and Shayuan. Zeng Bu himself recounted: "During Yuanyou, superintendencies were restored, but the two wings raised only thirteen thousand horses, more than half unsuitable. Now rent revenue funds the Tribal Ten Fingers Command in Shaanxi, raising thirty-five hundred horses. Several thousand households also volunteer to raise horses, and the two remaining superintendencies can each pasture ten thousand horses. Horse numbers exceed the old superintendencies while official expenses are greatly reduced — an unmatched method of recent times." All three secretariats praised the arrangement. Subsequently, Shayuan was reassigned to the Shaanxi Horse Purchase and Pasture Superintendency, while Dongping remained abolished.
60
崇寧元年，有司較諸路田養馬之數，凡一千八百疋有奇，而河北西路占一千四百，他路自二百匹以下，至河東路僅九匹，而開封府界、京西南路、京東東路皆無應募者。 蓋法雖已具，而猶未及行也。
In the first year of Chongning (1102), officials compared land-reared horse numbers across circuits — more than eighteen hundred total. Hebei West Circuit accounted for fourteen hundred; other circuits ranged downward to just nine in Hedong. Kaifeng capital district, southwestern Jing, and eastern Jing east had no volunteers. Although the regulations were complete, they had not yet been fully implemented.
61
大觀元年，尚書省言：「元祐置監，馬不蕃息，而費用不貲。 今沙苑最號多馬，然占牧田九千餘頃，芻粟、官曹歲費緡錢四十餘萬，而牧馬止及六千。 自元符元年至二年，亡失者三千九百。 且素不調習，不中於用。 以九千頃之田、四十萬緡之費，養馬而不適於用，又亡失如此，利害灼然可見。 今以九千頃之田，計其磽瘠，三分去一，猶得良田六千頃。 以直計之，頃為錢五百餘緡，以一頃募一馬，則人得地利，馬得所養，可以紹述先帝隱兵於農之意。 請下永興軍路提點刑獄司及同州詳度以聞。 俟見實利，則六路新邊閑田，當以次推行。 時熙河蘭湟路牧馬司又請兼募願養牝馬者，每收三駒，以其二歸官，一充賞，詔行之。 是歲，臣僚言岷州應募養馬者至萬餘匹，於是自守貳而下，遞賞有差。 明年，詔熙河路應縣、鎮、城、砦、關、堡官並兼管幹給地牧事。 四年，復罷京東西路給地牧馬，復東平監。
In the first year of Daguan (1107), the Ministry reported: "Yuanyou-established superintendencies failed to multiply horses while expenses were incalculable. Shayuan is renowned for its herds, yet it occupies more than nine thousand qing of pasture land. Fodder, grain, and official offices cost more than four hundred thousand strings annually while only six thousand horses are pastured. From the first to second year of Yuanfu, thirty-nine hundred horses were lost. Moreover, they were never trained and unsuitable for use. Using nine thousand qing and four hundred thousand strings to raise unusable horses with such losses — the balance of costs and benefits is clearly unfavorable. Of the nine thousand qing, even after removing one third as barren, six thousand qing of good farmland would remain. At more than five hundred strings per qing, recruiting one horse per qing would benefit both people and horses, continuing the late emperor's intent of embedding military capacity within agriculture. I request that the Yongxing Army circuit judicial inspectorate and Tongzhou assess the proposal in detail and report. Once actual benefits were demonstrated, the policy would be extended in order to idle lands along the six new frontier circuits. The Xixi Lantang circuit Horse Pasture Bureau also requested recruiting volunteers to raise brood mares: of every three foals, two would go to the government and one to the breeder as reward. The proposal was approved. That year, officials reported that Minzhou volunteers had raised more than ten thousand horses, and graded rewards were distributed from prefects and vice-prefects downward. The following year, all county, town, fortress, stockade, pass, and fort officials in the Xixi circuit were ordered to concurrently manage land-grant pasture affairs. In the fourth year, land-grant pasture horses in eastern and western Jing were abolished again and the Dongping Superintendency restored.
62
政和二年，詔諸路復行給地牧馬，復罷東平監。 五年，提舉河東給地牧馬尚中行以奏報稽違，且欲擅更法，詔授遠小監當官。 於是人皆趣令，牧守、提舉以率先就緒遷官第賞者甚眾。 七年，有司言給地增牧，法成令具，諸路告功。 乃下諸路春秋集教，以備選用。 令下，奉行之者益力。
In the second year of Zhenghe (1112), all circuits were ordered to resume land-grant pasture horses, and the Dongping Superintendency was abolished again. In the fifth year, Hedong Land-Grant Pasture Horse Commissioner Shang Zhongxing was demoted to a distant minor superintendency post for delayed reporting and attempting to alter the law on his own authority. Officials then rushed to comply, and many pasture prefects and commissioners received promotions and graded rewards for completing preparations first. In the seventh year, officials reported that land-grant pasture expansion regulations were complete and various circuits reported their achievements. Spring and autumn collective training was then ordered across the circuits to prepare horses for selection. Once the order was issued, implementation intensified.
63
蔡京既罷政，新用事者更言其不便。 宣和二年，詔罷政和二年以來給地牧馬條令，收見馬以給軍，應牧田及置監處並如舊制。 又復東平監。 凡諸監興罷不一，而沙苑監獨不廢。 自給地牧馬之法罷，三年而復行。 時牧田已多所給占，乃詔見管及已拘收，如官司輒復請占者，以違制論。
After Cai Jing was removed from power, the newly empowered again criticized the policy as impractical. In the second year of Xuanhe (1120), land-grant pasture horse regulations since Zhenghe were abolished. Existing horses were collected for the army, and pasture lands and superintendency sites reverted to the old system. The Dongping Superintendency was restored again. Superintendencies were established and abolished inconsistently, but Shayuan alone was never abolished. Three years after the land-grant pasture horse policy was abolished, it was restored. Much pasture land had already been granted and occupied, and officials who again requested occupation of current or confiscated holdings would be prosecuted for violating regulations.
64
六年，又詔立賞格，應牧馬通一路及三千匹，州通縣及一千，縣及三百，其提點刑獄、守令各遷一官，倍者更減磨勘年。 於是諸路應募牧馬者為戶八萬七千六百有奇，為馬二萬三千五百。 既推賞如上詔，而兵部長貳亦以兼總八路馬政遷官。 然北方有事，而馬政亦急矣。
In the sixth year, reward standards were established: three thousand horses for a whole circuit, one thousand for a prefecture and its counties, or three hundred for a county earned judicial inspectors and prefectural officials one rank advancement, with double amounts further reducing merit-review years. Volunteer pasture horse households across the circuits totaled more than eighty-seven thousand six hundred, raising twenty-three thousand five hundred horses. After rewards were distributed as ordered, Ministry of War chiefs and deputies also received rank advancement for jointly overseeing horse policy across eight circuits. Yet with trouble in the north, horse administration had become urgent as well.
65
靖康元年，左丞李綱言：「祖宗以來，擇陝西、河東、河北美水草高涼之地，置監凡三十六所，比年廢罷殆盡。 民間雜養以充役，官吏便文以塞責，而馬無復善者。 今諸軍闕馬者太半，宜復舊制，權時之宜，括天下馬，量給其直，不旬日間，則數萬之馬，猶可具也。」 然時已不能盡行其說矣。
In the first year of Jingkang (1126), Left Vice Grand Councillor Li Gang argued: "Since the founding ancestors, thirty-six superintendencies had been established on fine, cool, well-watered lands in Shaanxi, Hedong, and Hebei. In recent years they have been nearly all abolished. Civilians raised horses haphazardly to fill quotas while officials used paperwork to satisfy responsibility, and no good horses remained. Now more than half the armies lack horses. The old system should be restored as a timely measure: register all horses nationwide and pay fair prices. Within ten days, tens of thousands of horses could still be assembled." Yet at the time his proposal could not be fully implemented.
66
保甲養馬者，自熙寧五年始。 先是，中書省、樞密院議其事於上前，文彥博、吳充言：「國馬宜不可闕。 今法，馬死者責償，恐非民願。」 安石以為令下而京畿投牒者已千五百戶，決非出於驅迫，持論益堅。 五月，詔開封府界諸縣保甲願牧馬者聽，仍以陝西所市馬選給之。
Baojia horse rearing began in the fifth year of Xining (1072). Previously, the Secretariat and Bureau of Military Affairs discussed the matter before the emperor. Wen Yanbo and Wu Chong argued: "State horses must not be lacking. Under the current law, compensation is required for dead horses, which civilians may not willingly accept." Wang Anshi countered that fifteen hundred capital-district households had already volunteered once the order was issued, certainly not from coercion, and held his position more firmly. In the fifth month, Kaifeng capital-district baojia units willing to pasture horses were permitted to do so, with horses selected from Shaanxi purchases.
67
六年，曾布等承詔上其條約：凡五路義勇保甲願養馬者，戶一匹，物力高願養二匹者聽，皆以監牧見馬給之，或官與其直令自市，毋或強與。 府界毋過三千匹，五路毋過五千匹。 襲逐盜賊外，乘越三百里者有禁。 在府界者，免體量草二百五十束，加給以錢布； 在五路者，歲免折變緣納錢。 三等以上，十戶為一保； 四等以下，十戶為一社，以待病斃逋償者。 保戶馬斃，保戶獨償之； 社戶馬斃，社戶半償之。 歲一閱其肥瘠，禁苛留者。 凡十四條，先從府界頒焉。 五路委監司、經畧司、州縣更度之。 於是保甲養馬行於諸路矣。
In the sixth year, Zeng Bu and others submitted regulations: volunteer baojia in all five circuits could raise one horse per household, or two if willing and of sufficient means. Horses would be supplied from superintendency stock or purchase price paid for self-acquisition, with no forced assignment. The capital district was capped at three thousand horses and the five circuits at five thousand. Beyond pursuing bandits, riding beyond three hundred li was prohibited. In the capital district, breeders were exempted from two hundred fifty bundles of assessed hay and given additional cash and cloth; in the five circuits, they received annual exemption from conversion and supplementary payment obligations. Households of third rank and above formed bao units of ten households; households of fourth rank and below formed she units of ten households to share liability for sick, dead, or absconded horses. If a bao household's horse died, bao households compensated alone; if a she household's horse died, she households compensated half. Horses were inspected annually for condition, and harsh detention was prohibited. Fourteen articles in all were first promulgated in the capital district. The five circuits were entrusted to supervisory commissions, frontier commissions, and prefectural officials for reassessment. Baojia horse rearing was then implemented across the various circuits.
68
時河東騎軍馬萬一千餘匹，番戍率十年一周。 議欲省費，乃行《五路義勇保甲養馬法》。 兵部言：「河東正軍馬九千五百匹，請權罷官給，以義勇保甲馬五千補之以合額。 俟正軍馬不及五千，始行給配。」 下中書、樞密院。 樞密院以為：「官養一馬，歲為錢二十七千。 民養一馬，才免折變緣納錢六千五百，折米而輸其直，為錢十四千四百，餘皆出於民，決非所願。 況減軍馬五千匹，邊防事宜何所取備？ 若存官軍馬如故，漸令民間從便牧馬，不以五千為限，於理為可。」 中書謂：「官養一馬，以中價率之，為錢二十七千。 募民牧養，可省雜費八萬餘緡。 計前二年官馬死，倍於保甲馬。 而保甲有馬，可以習戰禦盜，公私兩便。」 帝卒從樞密院議。 九年，京畿保甲養馬者罷給錢布，止免輸草而增馬數。
Hedong cavalry then numbered more than eleven thousand horses, with frontier rotation averaging one cycle every ten years. To reduce expenses, the Five Circuits Volunteer Baojia Horse-Rearing Law was implemented. The Ministry of War proposed: "Hedong's nine thousand five hundred regular army horses — temporarily suspend government supply and supplement with five thousand volunteer baojia horses to meet quota. Resume government allocation only when regular army horses fall below five thousand." The proposal was sent to the Secretariat and Bureau of Military Affairs. The Bureau of Military Affairs argued: "Government-reared horses cost twenty-seven thousand cash per year each. Civilian-reared horses save only six thousand five hundred in conversion and supplementary payments, worth fourteen thousand four hundred when converted to grain — the rest borne by civilians, certainly not willingly. Moreover, reducing army horses by five thousand — what would supply frontier defense needs? If government army horses remain as before, gradually allowing civilian pasture without a five-thousand limit would be reasonable." The Secretariat countered: "Government-reared horses cost twenty-seven thousand cash each at average price. Recruiting civilians to pasture horses could save more than eighty thousand strings in miscellaneous expenses. Over the previous two years, government horse deaths had doubled baojia horse deaths. Moreover, baojia with horses could train for combat and repel bandits, benefiting both state and civilians." The emperor ultimately sided with the Bureau of Military Affairs. In the ninth year, capital-district baojia horse rearers ceased receiving cash and cloth, retaining only hay payment exemption while horse numbers increased.
69
元豐六年，取河東路保甲十分之二以教騎戰，且以本路鹽息錢給之。 每二十五千令市一馬，仍以五年為限。
In the sixth year of Yuanfeng (1083), two tenths of Hedong baojia were selected for cavalry combat training, funded by the circuit's salt interest revenue. Twenty-five thousand cash was allocated per horse for purchase, with a five-year deadline.
70
七年，詔京東、西路保甲免教閱，每都保養馬五十匹，匹給錢十千，限京東以十年，京西十五年而數足。 置提舉保甲馬官，京西以呂公雅，京東以霍翔領之。 罷鄉村物力養馬之令，養戶馬者免保甲馬，皆翔所陳也。
In the seventh year, eastern and western Jing baojia were exempted from drill review. Each dubao was to rear fifty horses at ten thousand cash per horse, with ten years to reach quota in eastern Jing and fifteen in western Jing. Baojia horse commissioners were appointed: Lü Gongya for western Jing and Huo Xiang for eastern Jing. The order for rural property-based horse rearing was abolished, and household horse rearers were exempt from baojia obligations — all proposed by Huo Xiang.
71
翔及公雅既領提舉事，多所建白。 請借常平錢，每路五萬緡，付州縣出息，以賞馬之充肥及孳息者。 願以私馬印為保馬者聽。 養馬至三匹，蠲役外，每疋許次丁一人贖杖罪之非侵損於人者。 詔悉從之。 公雅又令每都歲市二十匹，限十五年者促為二年半。 京西不產馬，民貧乏益不堪，上慮有司責數過多，百姓未喻上意，詔如元令，稍增其數。 公雅乃請每都歲市八匹，限以八年，山縣限以十年。 翔又奏本路馬已及萬匹，請令諸縣弓手各養一匹，以贖失捕之罪。
Once in charge, Huo Xiang and Lü Gongya made many proposals. They requested borrowing fifty thousand strings of Ever-Normal Granary funds per circuit for prefectures and counties to lend at interest, rewarding well-fed and breeding horses. Those willing to have private horses branded as guaranteed horses were permitted. Beyond corvée exemption, rearing up to three horses allowed one secondary male adult per horse to redeem non-injury beating offenses. All proposals were approved. Lü Gongya further ordered each dubao to purchase twenty horses per year, compressing the fifteen-year deadline to two and a half years. Western Jing did not produce horses, and impoverished civilians could not bear the burden. Fearing officials demanded too much, the emperor ordered a return to the original quotas with slight increases. Lü Gongya then requested eight horses per dubao per year, with an eight-year deadline and ten years for mountain counties. Huo Xiang further reported that his circuit already had ten thousand horses and requested each county archer-soldier raise one horse to redeem failure-to-capture offenses.
72
哲宗嗣位，言新法之不便者，以保馬為急。 乃詔曰：「京東、西保馬，期限極寬。 有司不務循守，遂致煩擾。 先帝已嘗手詔詰責，今猶未能遵守。 其兩路市馬年限並如元詔。」 尋又詔以兩路保馬分配諸軍，餘數付太僕寺，不堪支配者斥還民戶而責官直。 翔、公雅皆以罪去，而保馬遂罷。
When Emperor Zhezong succeeded to the throne, critics of the new laws prioritized abolishing guaranteed horses. An edict declared: "Eastern and western Jing guaranteed horses had extremely generous deadlines. Officials failed to follow them diligently, causing harassment. The late emperor had already reprimanded this by handwritten edict, yet compliance remained lacking. Both circuits' horse purchase deadlines were restored to the original decree." Soon both circuits' guaranteed horses were allocated to the armies, with the remainder sent to the Court of the Imperial Stud. Unsuitable horses were returned to civilians with official compensation demanded. Huo Xiang and Lü Gongya were both removed for offenses, and guaranteed horses were abolished.
73
戶馬者，慶曆中，嘗詔河北民戶以物力養馬，以備官買。 熙寧二年，河北察訪使曾孝寬以為言，始參考行之。 是時，諸監既廢，仰給市馬，而義勇保甲馬復從官給，朝廷以乏馬為憂。
Household horses — during the Qingli era, Hebei civilians were ordered to raise horses based on property assessment to supply government purchase. In the second year of Xining (1069), Hebei Investigation Commissioner Zeng Xiokuan raised the idea, and reference implementation began. Superintendencies had been abolished, leaving the court reliant on purchased horses while volunteer baojia horses again came from government supply. The court worried about horse shortages.
74
元豐三年春，以王拱辰之請，詔開封府界、京東西、河北、陝西、河東路州縣戶各計資產市馬，坊郭家產及三千緡、鄉村五千緡、若坊郭鄉村通及三千緡以上者，各養一馬，增倍者馬亦如之，至三疋止。 馬以四尺三寸以上，齒限八歲以下，及十五歲則更市如初，籍於提舉司。 於是諸道各上其數，開封府界四千六百九十四，河北東路六百一十五，西路八百五十四，秦鳳等路六百四十二，永興路一千五百四十六，河東路三百六十六，京東東路七百一十七，西路九百二十二，京西南路五百九十，北路七百一十六。
In spring of the third year of Yuanfeng (1080), at Wang Gongchen's request, households in the Kaifeng capital district, eastern and western Jing, Hebei, Shaanxi, and Hedong were ordered to raise horses based on assets: one horse for urban property of three thousand strings, rural five thousand, or combined three thousand; doubled assets meant doubled horses, up to three maximum. Horses had to be at least four chi three cun in height and eight years old or younger, with repurchase required at fifteen years. All were registered with the commissioner-in-chief. Each circuit then reported its totals: Kaifeng capital district four thousand six hundred ninety-four; Hebei East six hundred fifteen; Hebei West eight hundred fifty-four; Qinfeng and others six hundred forty-two; Yongxing one thousand five hundred forty-six; Hedong three hundred sixty-six; eastern Jing East seven hundred seventeen; Jing West nine hundred twenty-two; southwestern Jing five hundred ninety; Jing North seven hundred sixteen.
75
時初立法，上慮商賈乘時高直以病民，命以群牧司驍騎以上千疋出市，以平其直。 熙寧中，嘗令德順軍蕃部養馬，帝問其利害。 王安石謂：「今坊、監以五百緡得一馬，若委之熙河蕃部，當不至重費。 蕃部地宜馬，且以畜牧為生，誠為便利。」 已而得駒庳劣，亡失者責償，蕃部苦之，其法尋廢。 至是，環慶路經畧司復言已檄諸蕃部養馬，詔閱實及格者一匹支五縑，鄜延、秦鳳、涇原路準此。
When the law was first enacted, fearing merchants would inflate prices, the emperor ordered one thousand Xiao-qi and above horses from the Herd Pasture Bureau released to market to stabilize prices. During Xining, Tangut tribes at Deshun Army were once ordered to raise horses, and the emperor asked about the advantages and disadvantages. Wang Anshi argued: "Wards and superintendencies now pay five hundred strings per horse. Entrusting this to Xixi Tangut tribes should not be excessively costly. Tangut lands suit horses and livestock is their livelihood — truly convenient." Subsequently foals proved inferior, losses required compensation, and Tangut tribes suffered. The method was soon abolished. The Huancqing frontier commission reported that various Tangut tribes had been ordered to raise horses. Verified qualified horses would receive five bolts of silk each, with Yan-Yan, Qinfeng, and Jingyuan circuits following the same standard.
76
時西方用兵，頗調戶馬以給戰騎，借者給還，死則償直。 七年，遂詔河東、鄜延、環慶路各發戶馬二千以給正兵，河東就給本路，鄜延益以永興軍等路及京西坊郭馬，環慶益以秦鳳等路及開封府界馬。
With war in the west, many household horses were requisitioned for war cavalry. Borrowed horses were returned; dead ones compensated at purchase price. In the seventh year, Hedong, Yan-Yan, and Huancqing circuits were each ordered to dispatch two thousand household horses for regular troops. Hedong supplied from its own circuit; Yan-Yan supplemented from Yongxing Army and other circuits plus western Jing urban horses; Huancqing from Qinfeng and other circuits plus Kaifeng capital district horses.
77
戶馬既配兵，後遂不復補。 京東、西既更為保馬，諸路養馬指揮至八年亦罷。 其後給地牧馬，則亦本於戶馬之意云。
Once household horses were assigned to troops, they were never replenished. Eastern and western Jing having switched to guaranteed horses, horse-rearing orders across the circuits were abolished by the eighth year. Subsequently, land-grant pasture horses also originated from the intent behind household horses.
78
至於收市，則仍嘉祐之制，置買馬司於原渭州、德順軍，而增為招市之令。 後開熙河，則更於熙河置買馬司，而以秦州買馬司隸焉。 八年，遂置熙河路買馬場六，而原、渭、德順諸場皆廢。 繼又置熙河岷州、通遠軍、永寧砦等場，而德順軍置馬場亦復。 先是，麟府路上所市馬三百，以其直增於熙河而又多羸憊，乃罷本路博易，令軍馬司自市。 時又以邊臣之議，市岢嵐、火山軍土產馬以增戰騎。 既又以邊人盜馬越疆以趣利，尋皆罷之。 自是，國馬專仰市於熙河、秦鳳矣。
For procurement and marketing, the Jiayou system was retained with a Horse Purchase Office at Yuan and Weizhou and Deshun Army, supplemented by recruitment marketing orders. When Xixi was opened, a Horse Purchase Office was established there, subordinating the Qinzhou Horse Purchase Office. In the eighth year, six Xixi circuit horse markets were established, and the Yuan, Wei, and Deshun markets were abolished. Markets were subsequently established at Minzhou, Tongyuan Army, and Yongning Stockade in Xixi, and the Deshun Army horse market was restored. Previously, three hundred horses purchased on the Lin-Fu circuit cost more than Xixi horses and many were weak and exhausted. The circuit's exchange trade was abolished and the Army Horse Bureau ordered to purchase independently. At frontier officials' proposal, locally bred horses from Kelan and Huoshan Army were purchased to increase war cavalry. When frontier people began stealing horses across borders for profit, these markets were soon abolished. From this point, state horses relied exclusively on purchases from Xixi and Qinfeng.
79
熙寧七年，熙河用兵，馬道梗絕。 乃詔知成都府蔡延慶兼提舉戎、黎州買馬，以經度其事。 明年，延慶言：「威、雅、嘉、瀘、文、龍州，地接烏蠻、西羌，皆產善馬。 請委知州、砦主，以錦采、茶、絹招市。」 未及施行，會威、茂州夷人盜邊，及西邊馬已至，八月，遂詔罷提舉戎、黎買馬。
In the seventh year of Xining (1074), war in Xixi cut off horse routes. Chengdu Prefect Cai Yanqing was ordered to also serve as commissioner-in-chief for horse purchase in Rong and Lizhou to oversee the effort. The following year, Yanqing reported: "Wei, Ya, Jia, Lu, Wen, and Long prefectures border the Wuman and Western Qiang and all produce fine horses. I request that prefects and stockade chiefs be authorized to purchase horses with brocade, tea, and silk." Before implementation, tribal raids from Wei and Maozhou occurred and western horses had already arrived. In the eighth month, the Rong-Lizhou horse purchase commission was abolished.
80
元豐中，軍興乏馬。 六年，復命知成都呂大防同成都府、利州路轉運司，經制邊郡之可市馬者，遂制嘉州中鎮砦、雅州靈關等買馬場，而馬皆不至。 元祐初，乃罷之。
During the Yuanfeng era, military mobilization created a horse shortage. In the sixth year, Chengdu Prefect Lü Dafang and the Chengdu and Lizhou transport commissions were ordered to plan frontier horse markets. Markets were established at Jiazhou Zhongzhen Stockade and Yazhou Lingguan, but no horses arrived. At the beginning of Yuanyou, they were abolished.
81
元祐中，嘗詔以蜀馬給陝西軍，以陝西馬赴京師。 崇寧五年，增黎州市馬至四千疋。 然凡雲蜀馬者，惟沈黎所市為多，其他如戎、瀘等州，歲與蠻人為市，第存優恤，數馬以給其直。 大觀初，又詔播州夷界巡檢楊榮，許歲市馬五十疋於南平軍，其給賜視戎州之數。
During Yuanyou, Shu horses were ordered to supply Shaanxi armies while Shaanxi horses were sent to the capital. In the fifth year of Chongning (1106), Lizhou circuit horses were increased to four thousand. Among Shu horses, only Shenli's purchases were substantial. Other prefectures such as Rong and Lu traded with tribal peoples annually, offering preferential treatment and a few horses at set prices. At the beginning of Daguan, Bozhou tribal-border patrol inspector Yang Rong was permitted to purchase fifty horses annually at Nanping Army at grants matching Rongzhou's quota.
82
熙寧中，罷券馬而專於招市，歲省三司錢二十萬緡。 自馬不下槽出牧，三司復給芻秣之費更相補除，而三司歲償群牧者，為緡錢十萬，以增市馬。 券馬之罷已久，紹聖初，提舉買馬陸師閔奏復行之，令蕃漢商人願以馬結券進賣者，先從諸場驗印，各具其直給券，送太僕寺償之。 其說以為券馬既盛行，則綱馬可罷。 行之三年，樞密院言券馬死不及厘，而綱馬之死十倍。 乃賜師閔金帛，加集賢修撰，以賞其功。 時議既不以券馬為是，主管買馬閻令亦言其枉費。 然曾布力行之。 崇寧中，乃詔買馬一遵元豐法。
During Xining, coupon horses were abolished in favor of recruitment marketing, saving the State Finance Commission two hundred thousand strings annually. Once horses no longer left mangers for pasture, the State Finance Commission resumed fodder payments in mutual offset and reimbursed the Herd Pasture Bureau one hundred thousand strings annually to increase horse purchases. Coupon horses had long been abolished. At the beginning of Shaosheng, Horse Purchase Commissioner Lu Shimin restored the practice: Tangut and Han merchants selling horses on coupon had them inspected and branded at markets, received price certificates, and were reimbursed by the Court of the Imperial Stud. The argument was that once coupon horses flourished, convoy horses could be abolished. After three years, the Bureau of Military Affairs reported coupon horse mortality below one tenth of one percent, while convoy horse deaths were ten times higher. Lu Shimin was granted gold and silk and promoted to Hanlin Compiler to reward his achievement. Contemporary opinion no longer approved coupon horses, and Horse Purchase Director Yan Ling also called them wasteful. Yet Zeng Bu forcefully maintained the policy. During Chongning, horse purchase was ordered to follow the Yuanfeng system entirely.
83
市馬之官，自嘉祐中，始以陝西轉運使兼本路監牧買馬事，後又以制置陝西解鹽官同主之。 熙寧中，始置提舉熙河路買馬，命知熙州王韶為之，而以提點刑獄為同提舉。
From Jiayou, the Shaanxi transport commissioner first concurrently oversaw pasture and horse purchase affairs; later the Shaanxi Jie-Salt Commissioner-in-Chief joined in management. During Xining, the Xixi circuit Horse Purchase Commissioner was established with Xizhou Prefect Wang Shao appointed and the judicial inspector as co-commissioner.
84
八年，提舉茶場李杞言：「賣茶買馬，固為一事。 乞同提舉買馬。」 詔如其請。 十年，又置群牧行司，以往來督市馬者。
In the eighth year, Tea Market Commissioner Li Qi argued: "Selling tea and buying horses are inherently one matter. I request co-commissionership for horse purchase." The request was approved. In the tenth year, a Herd Pasture Mobile Bureau was established to supervise horse purchases.
85
元豐三年，復罷為提舉買馬監牧司。 四年，群牧判官郭茂恂言：「承詔議專以茶市馬，以物帛市穀，而並茶馬為一司。 臣聞頃時以茶易馬，兼用金帛，亦聽其便。 近歲事局既分，專用銀絹、錢鈔，非蕃部所欲。 且茶馬二者，事實相須。 請如詔便。」 奏可。 仍詔專以雅州名山茶為易馬用。 自是蕃馬至者稍眾。 六年，買馬司復罷兼茶事。 七年，更詔以買馬隸經制熙河財用司。 經制司罷，乃復故。
In the third year of Yuanfeng (1080), it was reorganized as the Horse Purchase and Pasture Superintendency. In the fourth year, Herd Pasture administrative judge Guo Maoxun reported: "Per the decree to use tea exclusively for horse purchase, goods and silk for grain, and merge tea and horse affairs into one bureau. I understand that recently tea was exchanged for horses with gold and silk also permitted as convenient. In recent years, with affairs divided, exclusive use of silver, silk, and paper money was not what tribal departments desired. Moreover, tea and horses in fact depend on each other. I request following the decree." The memorial was approved. Yazhou Mingshan tea was decreed for exclusive use in horse exchange. Tribal horses arriving gradually increased thereafter. In the sixth year, the Horse Purchase Bureau again ceased concurrent tea affairs. In the seventh year, horse purchase was subordinated to the Xixi Finance Commission. When the finance commission was abolished, the former arrangement was restored.
86
自李杞建議，始於提舉茶事兼買馬，其後二職分合不一。 崇寧四年，詔曰：「神宗皇帝厲精庶政，經營熙河路茶馬司以致國馬，法制大備。 其後監司欲侵奪其利以助糴買，故茶利不專，而馬不敷額。 近雖更立條約，令茶馬司總運茶博馬之職，猶慮有司苟於目前近利，不顧悠久深害。 三省其謹守已行，毋輒變亂元豐成法。」 自是職任始一。
From Li Qi's proposal, the tea commissioner first concurrently handled horse purchase; afterward the two posts were divided and merged inconsistently. In the fourth year of Chongning (1105), an edict declared: "Emperor Shenzong diligently refined administration and established the Xixi Tea-Horse Bureau to obtain state horses, with fully complete regulations. Afterward supervisory commissions seized its profits for grain purchase, so tea profits were no longer exclusive and horses fell short of quota. Although new treaties ordered the Tea-Horse Bureau to manage tea transport and horse trade, there remained concern that officials would seek immediate profit without regard for long-term harm. The three secretariats must carefully preserve current practice and not rashly alter the Yuanfeng established system." From this point, duties were unified.
87
市馬之數，以時增損。 初，原、渭、德順凡三歲共市馬萬七千一百匹，而群牧判官王誨言：「嘉祐六年以前，秦州券馬歲至者萬五千匹。 今券馬法壞，請令增市，而優使臣之賞。」 熙寧三年，乃詔涇、原、渭、德順歲買萬匹，三年而會之，以十分為率，及六分七厘者進一官，餘分又析為三等，每增一等者更減磨勘年。 自是，市馬之賞始優矣。 時誨上《馬政條約》，詔頒行之。 其後，熙河市馬歲增至萬五千。 紹聖中，又增至二萬匹，歲費五十萬緡。 後遂以為定額，特詔增市者不在此數。
Horse purchase quotas increased and decreased according to the times. Initially, Yuan, Wei, and Deshun purchased seventeen thousand one hundred horses over three years. Herd Pasture administrative judge Wang Hui reported: "Before the sixth year of Jiayou, Qinzhou coupon horses averaged fifteen thousand annually. Now the coupon horse system is broken. I request increased purchases and enhanced rewards for envoy-officials." In the third year of Xining (1070), Jing, Yuan, Wei, and Deshun were ordered to purchase ten thousand horses annually. After three years, officials reaching sixty-seven percent of quota earned one rank advancement, with further graded merit-review reductions. Horse purchase rewards became generous from this point. Hui submitted the Horse Administration Regulations, which were promulgated by decree. Afterward, Xixi circuit horse purchases increased to fifteen thousand annually. During Shaosheng, purchases increased to twenty thousand horses at five hundred thousand strings annually. This became the fixed quota, with specially decreed additional purchases excluded.
88
崇寧四年，提舉程之邵、孫鼇抃以額外市戰馬及二萬匹，各遷一官。 鼇抃仍賜三品服。 大觀元年，龐寅孫等又以買御前良馬及三萬疋，推恩如之邵例。 宣和中，宇文常、何漸等更以遵用元豐成法，省費不貲，各加職遷官。 時如此類頗眾。 賞典優濫，官屬利於多市馬，取充數而已。
In the fourth year of Chongning, commissioners Cheng Zhishao and Sun Aobian each purchased more than twenty thousand war horses beyond quota and each advanced one rank. Sun Aobian was additionally granted third-rank robes. In the first year of Daguan, Pang Yinsun and others purchased more than thirty thousand fine horses for the imperial presence and received rewards following Cheng Zhishao's precedent. During Xuanhe, Yu Wenchang, He Jian, and others saved incalculable expenses by following the Yuanfeng system and each received additional posts and rank advancement. Such cases were quite numerous at the time. Reward standards were excessively generous; officials profited from purchasing many horses merely to fill quotas.
89
支配。 舊制，自御馬而下，次給賜臣僚，次諸軍，而驛馬為下。
Allocation. Under the old system, allocation proceeded from imperial horses to ministerial grants, then the various armies, with relay horses last.
90
熙寧初，樞密院言：「祖宗時，臣僚任邊職者，或賜帶甲馬，示不忘疆埸之事。 承平日久，僥幸滋長。 請應使臣閤門祗候以上，充三路路分州軍總管、鈐轄之類，賜馬價如故，餘皆罷給。」 奏可。 十年，群牧司又言：「去歲給安南行營及兩省、宗室、諸班直及諸軍、諸司馬總三千餘匹，未支者猶二千。 請裁宗室以下所給馬，諸司停給。」 從之。 自罷監至此，始闕馬矣。
At the beginning of Xining, the Bureau of Military Affairs reported: "Under the founding ancestors, ministers serving frontier posts sometimes received armored horses, showing remembrance of border affairs. Long peace had bred opportunism. I request that envoy-officials and gate attendants serving as Three Routes overall commanders and controllers continue receiving horse prices as before, while all others cease receiving grants." The memorial was approved. In the tenth year, the Herd Pasture Bureau reported: "Last year more than three thousand horses were allocated to the Annan expedition, both provinces, imperial clansmen, guard direct units, armies, and offices, with two thousand still undistributed. I request reducing grants below imperial clansmen and ceasing grants to various offices." This was approved. From abolishing superintendencies until now, horse shortages had begun.
91
熙寧初，詔河北騎軍如陝西、河東社馬例立社，更相助錢以市馬，而遞增官直。 尋出奉宸庫珠十餘萬以充其費。 其後，陝西馬社苦於斂率。 元豐中，乃詔本路罷其法，更從買馬司給之。 時又諸路置將，馬不能盡給，則給其直，而委諸將自市。 其在熙河蘭會路者，即以為買馬之數。
At the beginning of Xining, Hebei cavalry were ordered to establish societies following the Shaanxi and Hedong precedent, mutually assisting with funds to purchase horses at progressively increased official prices. Soon more than one hundred thousand pearls from the Fengchen Treasury were issued to cover the expense. Afterward, Shaanxi horse societies suffered from excessive levies. During Yuanfeng, the circuit was ordered to abolish the method and receive supply from the Horse Purchase Bureau instead. Generals were established across circuits; when horses could not all be supplied, cash was given and generals entrusted to purchase on their own. In the Xixi Lan-Hui circuit, this counted toward horse purchase quotas.
92
初，內外諸軍給馬，例不及其元額，視其闕之多寡，以分數填配。 元豐更立為定制，凡諸軍闕馬應給者，在京、府界、京東西、河東、陝西路無過十之七，河北路十之六。 然其後諸軍闕馬者多，紹聖三年，乃詔提舉陸師閔於歲額外市馬三萬匹，給鄜延、環慶路正兵，餘支弓箭手，仍權不限分數。
Initially, inner and outer armies typically received less than their original horse quotas, with fractional allocation according to shortage levels. Yuanfeng established fixed quotas: armies lacking horses would receive no more than seven tenths in the capital, capital district, eastern and western Jing, Hedong, and Shaanxi circuits, and six tenths in Hebei. Many armies still lacked horses. In the third year of Shaosheng (1096), Commissioner Lu Shimin was ordered to purchase thirty thousand horses beyond the annual quota for Yan-Yan and Huancqing regular troops and archer-soldiers, temporarily without fractional limits.
93
宣和初，真定、中山、高陽等路乏馬，復給度僧牒，令帥臣就市，以補諸軍之闕。
At the beginning of Xuanhe, Zhending, Zhongshan, Gaoyang, and other circuits lacked horses. Monk ordination certificates were again issued for commanders to purchase locally and supplement army shortages.
94
高宗紹興二年，置馬監於饒州，守卒領之，擇官田為牧地，復置提舉。 俄廢。 四年，置監臨安之餘杭及南蕩。
In the second year of Shaoxing (1132), a horse superintendency was established at Raozhou under garrison soldiers, with official land selected as pasture and a commissioner restored. It was soon abolished. In the fourth year, superintendencies were established at Yuhang and Nandang near Lin'an.
95
十九年，詔：「馬五百匹為一監，牡一而牝四。 監為四群。 歲產駒三分及斃二分以上，有賞罰。」 帝謂輔臣曰：「議者言南地不宜牧馬。 昨自牧養，今二三年，已得馬數百。」 先是，川路所置馬，歲牧於鎮江。 是年春，上以未見蕃息，遂分送江上諸軍。 後又置監郢、鄂間，牝牡千，十餘年僅生二十駒，且不可用，乃已。 故凡戰馬，悉仰秦、川、廣三邊焉。
In the nineteenth year, an edict ordered: "Five hundred horses form one superintendency — one stallion to four mares. Each superintendency forms four herds. Rewards and punishments applied for annual foal production of thirty percent and deaths exceeding twenty percent." The emperor told chief ministers: "Critics say southern lands are unsuitable for horse pasture. Since pasture rearing began two or three years ago, we have already obtained several hundred horses." Previously, horses from the Sichuan circuit were pastured annually at Zhenjiang. That spring, seeing no multiplication, the emperor distributed them to various armies along the river. Later a superintendency was established between Ying and E with one thousand breeding horses. Over ten years only twenty foals were born, all unusable, and the effort was abandoned. Therefore all war horses relied entirely on the Qin, Chuan, and Guang frontiers.
96
秦馬舊二萬，乾道間，秦、川買馬額歲萬一千九百有奇，川司六千，秦司五千九百。 益、梓、利三路漕司，歲出易馬絹十萬四千疋。 成都、利州路十一州，產茶二千一百二萬斤。 茶馬司所收，大較若此。 慶元初，合川、秦兩司為萬一千十有六。 嘉泰末，合兩司為萬二千九十四。
Qin horses formerly numbered twenty thousand. During Qiandao, Qin and Chuan horse purchase quotas totaled more than eleven thousand nine hundred annually — six thousand for the Chuan bureau and five thousand nine hundred for the Qin bureau. The transport bureaus of Yi, Zi, and Li three circuits annually disbursed one hundred four thousand bolts of silk and gauze for horse exchange. Eleven prefectures in Chengdu and Lizhou circuits produced twenty-one million two hundred thousand jin of tea. The Tea-Horse Bureau's receipts were roughly thus. At the beginning of Qingyuan (1195), the Chuan and Qin bureaus combined totaled eleven thousand sixteen horses. By the end of Jiatai (1204), the two bureaus combined totaled twelve thousand ninety-four horses.
97
然累歲市易，多不及額。 蓋南渡前，市馬分而為二：其一曰戰馬，生於西郵，良健可備行陣，今宕昌、峰貼峽、文州所產是也； 其二曰羈縻馬，產西南諸蠻，短小不及格，今黎、敘等五州所產是也。 羈縻馬每綱五十，其間良者不過三五，中等十數，餘皆下等，不可服乘。 守貳貪賞格，以多為貴。 經涉險遠，且綱卒盜其芻粟，道斃者相望。
However, over successive years, purchase quotas were often not met. Before the southern crossing, purchased horses were divided into two types: war horses, born in the western frontier posts, fine and strong and suitable for battle — such as those produced at Dangchang, Fengtiexia, and Wenzhou; and tributary-control horses, produced by various southwestern tribes, short and substandard — such as those from Li, Xu, and four other prefectures. Tributary-control horses came fifty per convoy — of these, no more than three to five were fine, about a dozen middling, and the rest inferior and unsuitable for riding. Prefects and vice-prefects coveted reward standards and valued quantity over quality. Traversing dangerous and distant routes, with convoy soldiers stealing fodder, dead horses lined the roads.
98
成都府馬務，歲發江上諸軍馬凡五十八綱，月券錢米二百緡，歲計萬一千六百緡。 興元府馬務，歲發三衙馬百二十綱，其費稱是。 率未嘗如數，蓋茶馬司靳錢帛，馬至，價不即償致然也。
The Chengdu Prefecture Horse Office annually dispatched fifty-eight convoys to armies along the river, at two hundred strings monthly in coupon cash and grain, totaling eleven thousand six hundred strings per year. The Xingyuan Prefecture Horse Office annually dispatched one hundred twenty convoys to the Three Yamen at comparable expense. Quotas were rarely met because the Tea-Horse Bureau withheld cash and silk, failing to pay promptly when horses arrived.
99
舊蕃蠻中馬，良駑有定價。 紹興中，張鬆為黎倅，欲馬溢額覬賞，乃高直市之。 夷人無厭，邀求滋甚。 後邛部川蠻恃功。 趙彥博始以細茶、錦與之。 而夷人每貿馬，以茶、錦不堪藉口。
Formerly, tribal horses had fixed prices for good and inferior quality. During Shaoxing, Lizhou Vice-Prefect Zhang Song, hoping to exceed quota and win rewards, purchased horses at inflated prices. Tribal peoples grew insatiable and their demands ever more excessive. Later the Qiongbu River tribes leveraged their service merits. Zhao Yanbo first paid them in fine tea and brocade. Yet whenever tribal peoples traded horses, they complained the tea and brocade were unsatisfactory.
100
慶元中，金人既失冀北地，馬至秦司亦罕。 舊川、秦市馬赴密院，多道斃者。 紹興二十七年，詔川馬不赴行在，分隸江上諸軍，鎮江、建康、荊、鄂軍各七百五十，江、池軍各五百，殿前司二千五百，馬司、步司各千，川馬良者二百進御。 此十九年所定格也。
During Qingyuan, after the Jurchens lost the lands north of Ji, horses reaching the Qin bureau became rare. Formerly, Chuan and Qin horses sent to the Military Affairs Bureau suffered heavy losses along the route. In the twenty-seventh year of Shaoxing (1157), Chuan horses were ordered not to the mobile court but distributed among river armies: seven hundred fifty each to Zhenjiang, Jiankang, Jing, and E; five hundred each to Jiang and Chi; two thousand five hundred to the Palace Front Office; one thousand each to the Cavalry and Infantry Bureaus; and two hundred fine Chuan horses to the emperor. This was the quota fixed in the nineteenth year.
101
廣馬者，建炎末，廣西提舉峒丁李棫請市馬赴行在。 紹興初，隸經畧司。 三年，即邕州置司提舉，市於羅殿、自杞、大理諸蠻。 未幾，廢買馬司，帥臣領之。 七年，胡舜陟為帥，歲中市馬二千四百，詔賞之。 其後馬益精，歲費黃金五鎰，中金二百五十鎰，錦四百，絁四千，廉州鹽二百萬斤，得馬千五百。 須四尺二寸已上乃市之。 其直為銀四十兩，每高一寸增銀十兩，有至六七十兩者。 土人云，尤駔駿者，在其產處，或博黃金二十兩，日行四百里，第官價已定，不能致此。
Guang horses — at the end of Jianyan (1130), Guangxi Cave-Ding Commissioner Li Yu requested purchasing horses for the mobile court. At the beginning of Shaoxing, the operation was subordinated to the frontier commission. In the third year, a commissioner was established at Yongzhou to purchase from the Luodian, Ziqi, Dali, and other tribes. Soon the Horse Purchase Bureau was abolished and military commanders took charge. In the seventh year, Commander Hu Shunzhi purchased twenty-four hundred horses annually and was rewarded by decree. Horses grew finer thereafter. Annual expenditure was five taels of yellow gold, two hundred fifty taels of medium gold, four hundred bolts of brocade, four thousand bolts of silk gauze, and two million jin of Lianzhou salt, yielding fifteen hundred horses. Only horses four chi two cun and above were purchased. The base price was forty taels of silver, with ten taels added per additional cun in height — some reaching sixty to seventy taels. Locals said the finest swift horses at their place of origin sometimes traded for twenty taels of yellow gold and traveled four hundred li per day, but fixed official prices could not obtain them.
102
自杞諸蕃本自無馬，蓋轉市之南詔。 南詔，大理國也。 乾道九年，大理人李觀音得等二十二人至橫山砦求市馬，知邕州姚恪盛陳金帛誇示之。 其人大喜，出一文書，稱「利貞二年十二月」，約來年以馬來。 所求《文選》、《五經》、《國語》、《三史》、《初學記》及醫、釋等書，恪厚遺遣之，而不敢上聞也。 嶺南自產小駟，匹直十餘千，與淮、湖所出無異。 大理連西戎，故多馬，雖互市於廣南，其實猶西馬也。 每擇其良赴三衙，餘以付江上諸軍。
The Ziqi tribes originally had no horses of their own — they resold horses from Nanzhao. Nanzhao was the Dali kingdom. In the ninth year of Qiandao (1173), twenty-two Dali envoys including Li Guanyinde arrived at Hengshan Stockade seeking to trade horses. Yongzhou Prefect Yao Ke lavishly displayed gold and silk to impress them. They were greatly pleased and produced a document dated "twelfth month, second year of Lizhen," promising to bring horses the following year. They requested the Wen Xuan, Five Classics, Discourses of the States, Three Histories, Primary Learning Record, and medical and Buddhist texts. Ke generously sent them as gifts but dared not report to the throne. Lingnan itself produced small ponies at ten-odd thousand per horse, no different from those of the Huai and lake regions. Dali bordered the Western Rong and had many horses. Although traded at Guangnan, they were in fact still western horses. The finest were selected for the Three Yamen; the remainder distributed to armies along the river.
103
寶慶四年，兩淮制府貿易北馬五千餘，而他郡亦往往市馬不輟。 咸淳末，有紀智立者獻謀，以為兩淮軍將、武官、巨室皆畜馬，率三借二，二借一，一全起，團結隊伍，借助防江，各令飼馬役夫自乘之官，優給月錢一年，以半年為約，江面寧即放歸。 又云，陳巖守招信，團馬至七千，出沒張耀，此其驗也。 臣僚言：宜倣祖宗遺意，亟謀和市馬，如出一馬，則免其某色力役。 惟是川、秦之馬，遵陸則崇岡復嶺，盤回斗絕； 舟行則峽江湍急，灘磧險惡。 每綱運，公私經費十倍，而人馬俱疲。 上則耗國用，下則困州縣。 綱兵所經，甚於寇賊。 雖臣僚條奏更迭，終莫得其要領。 豈馬政各因風土之宜，而非東南之利歟？
In the fourth year of Baoqing (1228), the Two Huai commandery traded more than five thousand northern horses, and other prefectures also continued purchasing horses. At the end of Xianchun, Ji Zhili submitted a plan: Two Huai military officers, martial officials, and wealthy households all kept horses. Units would be formed on a graduated mobilization basis — three borrow two, two borrow one, one fully called up — to assist river defense. Horse-keeping laborers would ride their own horses for the government with generous monthly pay for one year on six-month terms, released when the river was calm. He also cited Chen Yan's defense of Zhaoxin, where seven thousand organized horses appeared and disappeared with great effect, as proof of the concept. Officials argued that the founding ancestors' intent should be followed and horse purchase urgently planned — exempting certain corvée obligations for each horse contributed. However, transporting Chuan and Qin horses overland meant crossing lofty ridges and layered peaks on winding, precipitous routes; while transport by boat meant navigating gorge rivers with swift currents and treacherous shoals and rapids. Each convoy cost ten times normal public and private expenses, exhausting both men and horses. It depleted state resources above and distressed prefectures and counties below. Where convoy soldiers passed wrought worse havoc than bandits. Although officials submitted detailed memorials in succession, none ultimately grasped the essentials. Was it not that horse administration must adapt to local conditions, and was ill suited to the advantages of the southeast?