The complex military organization of the Ming Dynasty, with its unique system of guards and battalions, built a dazzling line of defense. This paper provides an in-depth interpretation of the evolution and characteristics of these two systems, revealing the military stability and rigor of the Ming regime.
The Ming Dynasty, as the last Han ruling dynasty in Chinese history, was talked about by future generations for its strength during its glory days. Generations of heroic soldiers have fought bloodily to protect the rivers and mountains of the motherland, and the great cornerstone of this strength is exactly what we are going to explore today - the military system of the Ming Dynasty. Here, we will take a glimpse of how the soldiers of that era built the stability and security of the country through loyalty, courage, and the pursuit of honor.
The military system of the Ming Dynasty was like a complex of buildings, consisting of multiple levels. To put it simply, it can be divided into two major systems: the guard army and the battalion army. The Guards, as the name suggests, are mainly responsible for garrisons. They are stationed all over the country to protect their territory from being violated. The battalion soldiers, on the other hand, are the troops that serve as offensive duties in war. They formed the core of the battle, delivering the heaviest blow to the enemy. Therefore, whether it is the guard army or the battalion soldiers, they are an important component of the military system of the Ming Dynasty, and together they ensure the safety of the country.
So how do we understand the relationship between these two systems? In fact, there is a delicate balance between the two. In peacetime, the imperial court generally focused on the construction of the garrison, and their training was stricter and their equipment was more advanced, which made them the backbone of the observation and defense of the enemy on the national border. On the battlefield, the battalion soldiers have repeatedly shown outstanding combat exploits and grown into a brave and good fighting force. It is particularly worth mentioning that in the early Ming Dynasty, in order to ensure military reserves, the imperial court encouraged the Weisuo army to intermarry with the local people, which strengthened the stability of the country itself.
First, as the supreme command center of the Guards, the Commanders and Envoys are all not hereditary, but are selected through examination. Further down, the hereditary system was only beginning to be implemented for the positions below the Wei Commander, among which the Wei Commander of the Zheng Sanpin was the highest rank, worthy of their mission of protecting the country. In terms of thousands of households, the main thousand households are the five products, and the deputy thousand households are from the five products to the hundred households of the hundred households, and their grades are the six products, and there are two general flags and ten small flags in each hundred households.
In contrast, the battalion system has a general soldier, deputy general soldier, staff general, guerrilla, capital division, garrison, conduct, thousand general, and general general as its position structure. Although they did not have the strict hereditary system of the Guards, due to the war factor, they placed more emphasis on actual combat capabilities rather than family lineage. Each battalion is basically infantry-based, equipped with a large number of artillery, rockets and other heavy weapons, but the overall treatment is slightly inferior to that of the guards.
In short, the military organization of the Ming Dynasty was tight and fine, and everyone had clear responsibilities and obligations. Although there are differences in the names of them in various records, in any case, whether it is the guard army or the battalion soldiers, they are the source of power that cannot be ignored behind the strength of the Ming Dynasty!
At present, the mainland is facing various challenges, and we are well aware that only by being strong can we win the future. For this reason, a comprehensive understanding and study of the military system of the Ming Dynasty is undoubtedly of great significance for enhancing the mainland's national defense strength. Here, I hope that we will inherit the fine traditions of the ancient sages, develop advanced military technology, and make greater contributions to the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!