Evaluation of China's Military Situation by Foreign Observers in the Ming and Wei Dynasties
"Notes of Matteo Ricci" describes another Chinese characteristic in the military - "a scholar leading the army." "From the perspective of Europeans, that seems to be a rather strange and somewhat ineffective method. All
In the examination, whether it is military science or mathematical medicine, especially the examination of philosophy.
The chief examiner or proctor is always chosen from among the elders of philosophy, never adding a military expert, mathematician, or doctor. People who are good at ethics are highly respected for their command, and they seem to be able to make justifiable decisions on any issue.
judgment, even though these issues are far from their own expertise.
"Notes of Matteo Ricci": "Because military science is not cultivated and valued in this country, the ceremony for awarding the number one scholar in the military is much simpler. In fact, few people in the military pursue this degree and do not regard it as important.
What is the significance? The military examination is divided into three parts. The first part is for the soldier to ride a fast horse and shoot nine arrows. The second part is to stand still and shoot nine arrows. Anyone who can shoot four arrows on horseback can stand
Those who can shoot two arrows can take the third part of the test. In this part, they must answer some questions about military strategy in a written test."
Prisoners, soldiers and beggars
"Scholars, farmers, workers and merchants" is the traditional Chinese class division. What is the status of soldiers? According to "Notes of Matteo Ricci": "There is probably no other class of people in this country who are more degenerate and more corrupt than soldiers."
Lazy. Everyone in the army must be living a miserable life, because they enlisted not out of patriotism, loyalty to the emperor, or any desire to gain a declared honor, but simply
As subjects, they have to work for their employers. Most of the people in the army are slaves of the emperor. Some of them are enslaved because they have committed crimes, and some are to atone for the sins of their ancestors. When they engage in military activities, they are sent
To do the most menial jobs, such as carrying sedan chairs, raising pack animals and other such slave trades. Only high-ranking officials and military commanders have certain authority within the army. The weapons supplied to the army are actually unusable.
When attacked by the enemy, they cannot even defend themselves. Except in real battles, they only carry fake weapons. The fake weapons are issued to them so that they will not be completely without weapons during exercises. We have already described that, regardless of official or illness, regardless of official rank
It is ridiculous and ridiculous to be whipped by ministers like primary school students despite their status and status." It can be concluded that military service was a lowly job at that time, and it was often performed by prisoners. In "Water Margin", the plot of being sent to the army for breaking the law was repeated again and again.
The living conditions of soldiers are slightly better than that of beggars.
According to the account of the Portuguese Borella in the "China Report", he himself was a prisoner in China from 1549 to 1552.
"How cautiously and leisurely they kill, how cruel and swift their whips are. Their whips are made of these bamboo stems and are about as long as the chest of a medium-sized person. They hit people on the thighs, which is called
The person lies on the ground, with his legs straight and his hands tied behind his back. This kind of whip cane is very cruel, and the head will bleed immediately. A whip cane consists of two wrenches, and the torture is carried out by the servants standing on both sides, each beating one leg. Two whip canes
The descendants could not stand, so they held hands and legs to help them get up. Many people died after receiving fifty or sixty lashes with a cane, because their buttocks and balls were all rotten. They put bamboo boards into a large water tank.
Beat the prisoners more severely. During the torture, the men had no mercy, talked to each other, ate and drank, and picked their teeth.
The beatings were so severe that the whole hall was filled with blood; after the beating, they dragged the prisoner to the cell by one leg like a sheep instead of escorting him back. If the poor prisoner in custody with a serious crime could find a way to save his life at the end of this interrogation,
If there is no rope for hanging, they will rush to hang themselves to avoid suffering the torture of whipping.
Several servants of the prisoners confirmed to me that one day forty prisoners hanged themselves in their cell because they would rather die than receive the cane. The Portuguese told me that the rope was so short that it was difficult to tie it.
They tied their necks tightly and hung them on a stick in the wall; because the stick was short, they pulled each other until they died, and at the same time they fought to hang themselves first."
Look at those prisoners who "were afraid of being hanged with whips and sticks, fought because they were vying to be hanged first, and helped each other because they couldn't hang themselves." What kind of punishment for evil can be so terrifying!
gunpowder for fireworks
"Notes of Matteo Ricci": "Finally, we should talk about saltpeter. There is quite a lot of this stuff, but it is not widely used to make black powder, because the Chinese are not good at using guns and rarely use it in combat. However,
, but saltpeter is used in large quantities to make fireworks for mass entertainment or festivals. The Chinese like this kind of performance very much and regard it as the main program of all their celebrations. Their technology in making fireworks is really excellent, and there is almost nothing like it.
They can't imitate it skillfully with fireworks. They are especially good at recreating war scenes and making rotating fireballs, fire trees, fruits, etc. They seem to spend any amount of money on fireworks. When I was in Nanjing, I witnessed the country changing for the sake of peace.
The fireworks display was held during the Spring Festival, which was their grand festival. On this occasion, I estimate that they consumed enough gunpowder to sustain a sizable war for several years.
"The weapons supplied to the army are actually inoperable. They cannot attack the enemy or even defend themselves. Except when they are actually fighting, they only carry fake weapons. The fake weapons are issued to them so that they will not be completely without weapons during exercises.
"
Let me add a description from the Russian Nikolai Milescu's "China Chronicles": "Although they have invented iron cannons and muskets since ancient times, they are afraid of the heavy weight and do not usually carry them. They only attack cities.
Artillery must be used only when destroying the city wall. They do not have skilled artillery. There are some Portuguese and Spanish deserters who are good at artillery and are training them. They fight without any rules and go their own way. It is simply a melee, with both cavalry and infantry.
In this way, they had no other way to attack the city except to cut off the food source and force the opponent to surrender. They also did not know how to use explosives to blow up the city.
Regarding the lack of martial spirit among soldiers and ordinary people, foreigners use very harsh terms.
"Chinese Comics"---Nicola Milescu
They never carry any weapons. They are extremely non-martial and do not like to hold guns or sticks. They say that carrying weapons and engaging in fighting is a hooligan behavior and an inhumane behavior. People should be harmonious and modest. Quarrels, fights and wars are
The behavior of wild beasts should not be tolerated by humans. China also has an army, but the Chinese do not respect them, but curse them. All the above descriptions are about purely Chinese people (referring to Han people). "Compared to us Europeans, the Chinese are
Bravery is what women show in front of men. When they fight, they are as timid as mice. When they meet the enemy, they run away like sheep when they see wolves. This is because the Chinese people have always lived in a peaceful environment. They don't like it and don't like it.
They are good at martial arts, regard martial arts as a shame, and almost regard martial arts practitioners as thieves. Therefore, once a foreign enemy invades, they are not ashamed to pay compensation and seek peace.
If they gather men and horses, they can also form a large army of 100,000 soldiers and horses, but they are the weakest army. Because of this, such a huge Chinese empire was conquered by the little Bogda Khan. The Chinese people are not loving by nature.
They like to engage in martial arts, agriculture, business and other things. Although the Bogda people are more brave and good at fighting than the Han people, after all, they are people from the same continent. Compared with the Europeans, they are still inferior and not as powerful and heroic as the Europeans. I
Personal experience illustrates this point. Some Cossacks who had crossed paths with them on the Amur River told me that 100 of us could withstand and defeat 1,000 of them. They were also amazed by our bravery and skill in fighting. Today's
Bogda Khan started making cannons. They wanted to buy our muskets very much.
Although the Chinese and Bogda people have guns and other weapons, they are not good at fighting, so a small number of European soldiers can conquer them, because the Europeans are brave, fearless, well-armed, and good at fighting, and the European soldiers are stronger than the Chinese soldiers. They
His fatal weakness is lack of determination and fear of death. Once he encounters the enemy, he will run away like a frightened rabbit when he hears the sound of gunshots."
Since the soldiers are so cowardly, what about the military horses?
tame horses
"Notes of Matteo Ricci": The Chinese don't know much about taming and training horses. The horses they use in daily life are gelded, so they are quiet and good-tempered. They have countless military horses, but they have all degenerated.
They are powerful and lack the spirit of bravery. Even the roar of the Tatar horses can scatter them, so it is practically useless to fight. In addition, because the horses have no hooves and are very delicate, these horses cannot stand up to the camp.
Or take a longer walk on a mountain trail.
A country where silver flows and treasures are hidden, but its armaments are slack and it is weak and can be bullied. How can this image of a gorgeous and weak fat body not stimulate the covetousness of the robbers? Moreover, Matteo Ricci has clearly pointed out the path to the goal.