In ancient China, the government soldier was a military system under the direct command of the emperor, soldiers were recruited from the people, they were given fixed treatment during their service, and they returned to their villages to resume civilian status after retirement. This system mainly existed during the Tang and Song dynasties, but today we are mainly talking about the military system of the Sui Dynasty.
The main reason is to enhance the army's combat effectiveness and social stability. In the traditional conscription system, due to the lack of systematic training and management, the quality of newly recruited soldiers is often uneven, and it is difficult to guarantee combat effectiveness.
The government military system, on the other hand, has improved the overall quality of soldiers through long-term professional training and strict military discipline requirements, thereby enhancing the combat effectiveness of the army. At the same time, since the soldiers can return to the countryside after retirement, they no longer become a factor of social instability, which also contributes to social stability.
During the Sui Dynasty, the country was divided into a number of "prefectures," each with its own barracks and a general (called a "governor") who was responsible for managing and training soldiers. When the state needs to send troops, it will recruit troops from the states according to a certain proportion, and these soldiers will train in their respective camps in normal times, and when war breaks out, they will be urgently assembled to fight.
However, despite the many advantages of the government military system, there are also some problems. For example, because government soldiers are full-time soldiers, they are unable to engage in agricultural production or other occupations during their military service, which increases the pressure on some families. In addition, due to the large number of government soldiers, once there is a large-scale injury or death, a large amount of money is needed to pay for the pension, which also poses a lot of pressure on the state finances.
The government military system is an important military system in ancient China, which not only improves the combat effectiveness of the army, but also contributes to social stability. While there are some problems, overall it is still a commendable institutional innovation.