In the strife of the Warring States Period, the Zhao State has always been in a weak position. However, after the reign of King Wuling of Zhao, the state of Zhao suddenly rose to become one of the most powerful military forces at that time. All these turning points originated from a seemingly simple reform implemented by King Wuling of Zhao - "Hufu Cavalry Shooting". It's unbelievable that a piece of clothing can make a country so strong. How did King Zhao Wuling do it? What kind of mystery is hidden behind this? Let's find out.
The Origins of Reform
During the Warring States Period, the Zhao State was attacked on all sides and the situation was critical. It is bordered by Qi in the east, Zhongshan in the west, Han and Wei in the south, and harassed by nomads in the north, and is in a difficult situation. The state of Zhao has been an agricultural country since ancient times, and its people made a living from farming, and it was customary to wear loose Hanfu robes. However, this costume was no longer feasible during the war years.
King Wuling of Zhao was young and wise, and he knew that Zhao had to change his course in order to gain a foothold among the nations. Therefore, he resolutely put forward the reform plan of "Hufu Riding and Shooting". The so-called "Hufu" is to imitate the clothing of the northern nomads, with narrow sleeves and short clothes on the upper body, long trousers with a crotch on the lower body, and a belt around the waist, which is convenient for riding and archery combat.
As soon as this plan was proposed, it caused huge controversy in the Zhao State. The ministers of Zhao expressed their opposition one after another, believing that this violated Chinese etiquette and religion and undermined the dignity of the nation. They cite scriptures and cite a number of reasons to oppose reform.
In the face of such strong resistance, King Zhao Wuling was not discouraged. He personally went into battle, using calm language and incisive arguments, to refute the doubts of the ministers one by one. He pointed out that the ritual system is for the benefit of the country and the people, and it should be adjusted with the changes of the times. The state of Zhao was on the border, bordering nomads, and if it did not reform, it would fall into a situation of passive beating. Only by adopting the cavalry and archery superiority of the Hu people can Zhao State continue to improve itself and take revenge on the enemy.
King Zhao Wuling's eloquence finally convinced the stubborn ministers. Under his personal supervision, the reform was fully rolled out in the Zhao state. From the monarch to the soldiers, they were all required to wear Hu clothes, and from the capital to the frontier, mounted archery training was ubiquitous. Up and down the Zhao Kingdom, there was a hot scene.
The specifics of the reform
When King Zhao Wuling implemented the Hufu cavalry and archery reform, he adopted a series of specific and powerful measures to ensure that the reform could be carried out in an all-round way.
First of all, it is the implementation of Hufu for the whole people. King Wuling of Zhao ordered that from the monarch to the common people, without exception, they must wear Hufu. He set an example by himself, abandoning the luxurious deep coat with large sleeves and replacing it with a short-sleeved shirt and breeches of the Hu people. Subsequently, he ordered the ministers and officials of Zhao to all wear clothes and show people as a leading demonstration.
For the nobles who still resisted, King Zhao Wuling did not punish them directly, but patiently persuaded them. He explained to them that clothing is only an external form, and the key lies in whether it can benefit the country and the people. Hufu is light and convenient for riding and shooting, which is exactly what Zhao Guo needs at the moment. At the same time, he also promised that Hu Fu was only a temporary move, and when Zhao became strong, he would restore Chinese etiquette.
Under the personal supervision of King Wuling of Zhao, Hufu quickly spread throughout the Zhao Kingdom. In the streets and alleys, you can see Zhao people in bearded clothes everywhere. Even the women and children of Zhao were required to wear Hu clothes. For a time, Zhao was full of a strong nomadic style.
At the same time, King Wuling of Zhao reorganized the army of Zhao and vigorously developed cavalry. He ordered the conscription of able-bodied men throughout the country into the newly created cavalry units. This cavalry was different from the traditional infantry, they were neatly dressed in beard, held halberds, and had excellent riding and archery skills.
In order to strengthen the combat effectiveness of the cavalry, King Wuling of Zhao also vigorously promoted some new military equipment. Among them, the most famous are the so-called "martial crowns" and "minion hats". The Warrior Crown is a helmet with an iron neck guard that protects the head of a cavalryman, while the Minion Hat is a helmet with an iron face guard that resembles the fangs of a beast and is extremely powerful.
With these innovative equipment, Zhao's cavalry showed unprecedented combat effectiveness on the battlefield. They were as light as swallows, moved quickly, attacked when they advanced, and defended when they retreated, and became the mainstay of the Zhao army.
The far-reaching impact of the reforms
King Wuling of Zhao's Hufu cavalry and archery reform not only made Zhao State leap forward in military strength, but also had a far-reaching impact in the fields of economy and culture.
First of all, in terms of military strength, Zhao State's combat effectiveness has been greatly enhanced by virtue of the newly formed cavalry army. This cavalry unit is known as the "Hundred Gold Soldiers", which shows its important position.
They are dressed in hufu, wearing a military crown or a hat of minions, and wearing short weapons at their waists, and can exert lethality from far and near. Mounted archery is well-trained, highly mobile, and works seamlessly with infantry and convoys, forming an invincible elite force.
In order to review this new army, King Wuling of Zhao built a large-scale Congtai in Handan City. Congtai is made up of many pavilions and pavilions, towering into the sky, and there are overpasses, snow caves, makeup pavilions and other landscapes. On the day of the military parade, King Wuling of Zhao would climb high and overlook and watch the cavalry parade performance. In that year, the scene of Zhao Guo's Congtai was once chanted by the poet as "the drunken beauty on the stage, and the samurai under the stage". It can be seen that King Zhao Wuling is proud and proud of the new army.
In addition to the improvement of military power, Zhao's economy also achieved great development in the reform. In order to meet the needs of cavalry, Zhao vigorously developed animal husbandry, leather processing industry, weapons manufacturing and other related industries. Animal husbandry, in particular, has become a pillar industry in Zhao. The Zhao people raised horses as a common practice, and the number of horses increased greatly, providing a steady stream of war horses for the cavalry.
At the same time, Zhao's iron-smelting industry also made great progress. Archaeological discoveries show that the number of iron weapons unearthed in Zhao far exceeds that of other vassal states, which shows the degree of development of the iron manufacturing industry in Zhao at that time. This provided a large number of high-quality weapons and equipment for the Zhao army, which was an important guarantee for the enhancement of military strength.
The reforms not only promoted the economic development of the Zhao state, but also accelerated the integration of different ethnic groups. The status of the Hu people in Zhao has been greatly improved, and the language, clothing, medicine and other cultures of the Hu people have also been widely spread in Zhao State. At the same time, the Zhao people also began to get used to the Hu people's way of life, and the integration of the two sides gradually deepened. This kind of ethnic integration undoubtedly brought new vitality to the Zhao State and strengthened its national strength.
The historical significance of the reform
Although King Wuling of Zhao's Hufu cavalry reform was strongly opposed by Zhao at the time, it opened up a new path for the development of China's military system, and its impact was far-reaching and long-lasting.
First, this reform set a precedent for Chinese-style militarism. Prior to this, the vassal states also had armies, but they were mainly used to defend against the enemy. King Wuling of Zhao regarded military affairs as the country's top priority, and all the people were soldiers, and everyone learned the art of riding and archery.
He even personally supervised the formation, took the lead in wearing Hu clothes, and set an example to implement reforms. As a result, the military gained unprecedented attention and development in the Zhao State.
Secondly, the reform of Hufu cavalry and archery laid the foundation for Zhao's status as a powerful state. After the reform, Zhao relied on the elite cavalry troops to perform many miraculous feats on the battlefield. They repeatedly attacked the Zhongshan Kingdom to regain the occupied lands, and in the Battle of Maling, they defeated the powerful Wei army and expanded their territory. It was this cavalry army that made Zhao one of the most powerful military forces at that time.
Finally, the reforms of King Wuling of Zhao also had a profound impact on later generations. Under his example, other vassal states followed suit and vigorously developed cavalry armies. By the Qin and Han dynasties, cavalry had become the main force and continued until the Ming and Qing dynasties. It can be said that the Hufu cavalry and archery reform of King Wuling of Zhao injected new vitality into the development of the ancient Chinese military system.
In that year, in order to implement reforms, King Wuling of Zhao had to personally go into battle and fight with the diehard ministers. He used calm language and incisive arguments to refute the other party's doubts one by one, and finally convinced the stubborn ministers. Under his personal supervision, the reforms were fully rolled out in the Zhao state, and cavalry armies sprung up.
King Wuling of Zhao Wuling's Hufu cavalry and archery reform left a valuable historical enlightenment for people. If a country wants to be strong and prosperous, it must keep pace with the times and dare to innovate; a leader must have foresight and sagacity and the courage to carry out reform and opening up. Only in this way can the country continue to grow itself in the midst of change and eventually move towards glory.