Practical Record of Military Training

戚继光Qunyan Publishing House · ChinaSep 2023

4.6

Word count: 109K words
Chapters: 254

Summary

The Record of Military Training (Lianbing Shiji) was written by Qi Jiguang while drilling troops at Jizhen. The main collection comprises 9 juan and the miscellaneous collection 6 juan. Together with the Jixiao Xinshu (New Treatise on Military Efficiency), it is known as one of the paired volumes of Qi's military writings. The nine juan contain nine chapters and 264 articles in total: Training Methods for Troops (1), Training Courage and Spirit (2), Training Ears and Eyes (3), Training Hands and Feet (4), Training Camp Formations (5, drill-ground maneuvers), Training Camp Formations (6, marching camps), Training Camp Formations (7, field camps), Training Camp Formations (8, combat conventions), and Training Commanders (9). Appended are the six juan and six chapters of the miscellaneous collection: General Remarks on Storing and Training (in two parts), A Precious Mirror for Officers Taking Up Post, Oral Instructions from the Altar (compiled by Li Chao and Hu Shouren), Explanation of Weapons, and Explanation of Chariot, Infantry, and Cavalry Camp Formations. The book is also prefaced by "General Rules," i.e., "the order of distributing teaching materials," in fifteen articles, which describe what officers and soldiers should each learn, the standards, how teaching materials are distributed, and measures for supervising study.

Editor's review

The Record of Military Training is a military treatise written by Qi Jiguang while drilling troops at Jizhen. Its main collection has nine juan and its miscellaneous collection six, and together with the Jixiao Xinshu it is known as one of the paired volumes of Qi's military writings. The main collection moves in clear stages from training methods, courage, ears and eyes, and hands and feet to camp formations—drill-ground maneuvers, marching camps, field camps, and combat conventions—and finally to the training of commanders; the miscellaneous collection gathers General Remarks on Storing and Training, A Precious Mirror for Officers Taking Up Post, Oral Instructions from the Altar, Explanation of Weapons, and Explanation of Chariot, Infantry, and Cavalry Camp Formations, with an emphasis on institutions and practical affairs. The fifteen articles of the prefatory "General Rules" describe what officers and soldiers should each learn, the standards, the distribution of teaching materials, and measures for supervising study, showing that Qi's thought on military training went beyond formations to organization and training management. This 2023 Qunyan Press edition makes this Ming military classic accessible to general readers. In reading, one should grasp the structure that gives equal weight to training commanders and training soldiers, and note how such training steps as courage, ears and eyes, and hands and feet serve coordination in camp formations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in ancient Chinese military history and military treatises
Scholars and students of Ming military institutions and training methods
Military enthusiasts interested in Qi Jiguang himself and his deeds
Readers engaged in team management and organizational training who wish to draw on ancient ideas

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting modern warfare theory or analysis of weapons technology
General readers who want only stories of Qi Jiguang fighting Japanese pirates and prefer narrative
Beginners impatient with ancient military terminology and unit designations

Reading tips

Begin with the chapter order of the nine juan of the main collection to grasp the overall framework from training troops to training commanders, then turn to the miscellaneous collection.
When reading the fifteen articles of the "General Rules," note the measures for distributing teaching materials and supervising study in order to understand Qi's approach to training management.
When encountering terms for camp formations, weapons, and the like, read the relevant chapters of the miscellaneous collection alongside them; there is no need to puzzle over every word.
Read it alongside its paired volume the Jixiao Xinshu to compare Qi Jiguang's views on training in different periods.

About the publisher

Qunyan Publishing House China · Founded in 1989

Founded in 1989, Qunyan Publishing House has long been committed to publishing academic and educational books for mid- and high-level readers, and has built up a certain presence in Eastern philosophy, classical literature, and classic works. Representative titles available in the database include Records of the Grand Historian, Dream of the Red Chamber, Selections of Refined Literature, Complete Song Ci, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Record of Daily Knowledge, Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang, and The Collected Works of Wang Yangming, covering common categories such as ancient poetry, medicine, and examinations. Its author resources include Sima Qian, Cao Xueqin, Xiao Tong, Li Shan, Pu Songling, and Gu Yanwu. The press also offers distinctive series such as the Biographical Series of the China Democratic League and the Historical Documents Series of the China Democratic League, and publishes research on historical documents, biographies, memoirs, and textbooks and academic works by League members. Public information is limited, and its overall publishing scale and complete catalogue require further verification.

版权信息
练兵实纪
凡例(1)
卷一练伍法第一
骑兵
车兵
辎兵
合车步骑营
车步旗保结式
中军旗鼓
卷二练胆气第二
第一。辨真操
第二。循士情
第三。公赏罚
第四。信口耳
第六。谨漏泄
第七。定军礼
第八。止蓦越
第九。详责成
第十。正名法
第十一。连觉察
第十二。达士情
第十三。清减
第十四。分军饷
第十五。苏劳役
第十六。戢滥差
第十七。励火兵
第十八。恤病伤
第十九。视病期
第二十。戒居常
第二十一。遵节制
第二十二。思豢养
第二十三。稽功过
第二十四。体初犯
第二十五。省己过
第二十六。劝涵忍
第二十七。程逃故
第二十八。补军限
第二十九。拟捕拘
第三十。明勾摄
第三十一。申军纪
第三十二。立逃约
第三十三。究冒顶
第三十四。禁争殴
第三十五。禁喧哗
第三十六。禁窃盗
第三十七。禁博奕
第三十八。禁妖妄
第三十九。禁乖异
第四十。严途令
第四十一。书器械
第四十二。整骑什
第四十三。养战马
卷三练耳目第三
第一。明旗鼓
第二。明笛号
第三。明喇叭
第四。明哱啰
第五。明铜锣
第六。明羯鼓
凡例(2)
第八。明摔钹
第九。明炮号
第十。明釭号
第十一。明旗次
第十二。明旗应
第十三。明旗色
第十四。明望旗
第十五。定发放
第十六。稽传令
卷四练手足第四
第一。校武艺
第二。校远射
第三。校火器
第四。校圆牌
第五。校腰刀
第六。校刀棍
第七。校大棒
第八。校大钯
第九。校战队
第十。校呐喊
第十一。校磨旗
第十二。校打鼓
第十三。察遗失
第十四。稽损废
第十五。收火器
第十六。小比较
第十七。练心力
第十八。练手力
第十九。练足力
第二十。练身力
卷五练营阵第五（场操）
第一。操马兵
第二。操步兵
第三。广行营
第四。广下营
第五。谨惊马
第六。操车兵
第七。分车任
第八。操车骑
第九。正车误
第十。明用骑
第十一。稽差避
第十二。正等威
第十三。练行伍
第十四。称地形
第十五。置冲车
第十六。操辎管
第十七。分辎责
第十八。马辎合营
卷六练营阵第六（行营）
第一。练启行
第二。明行禁
第三。清行伍
第四。遇卒警
第五。请火器
第六。定报事
第七。传号令
第八。防解手
第九。病军马
第十一。渡水阻
第十二。辨分兵
第十三。过山林
第十四。逢怪异
第十五。严哨法
第十六。拟驻宿
第十七。拨巡视
第十八。治贸易
第一。安野营
第二。遇人畜
第三。谨营壁
第四。严营门
第五。慎启放
第六。稽出营
第七。恤病军
第八。查军器
第九。放厕所
第十。革抽差
第十一。备火警
第十二。止扰害
第十三。报机密
第十四。治喧动
第十五。戢透漏
第十六。责交通
第十七。惜水草
第十八。处夜解
第十九。教夜巡
第二十。申夜号
第二十一。辨巡箭
第二十二。设灯火
第二十三。备雨晦
第二十四。下暗营
第二十五。变明暗
第二十六。诘来人
第二十七。重夜令
第二十八。出夜奇
第二十九。明再发
卷八练营阵第八（战略）
第一。练战实
第二。谕用命
第三。查火器
第四。作怒气
第五。申连坐
第六。齐士心
第七。禁贪利
第八。治贪级
第九。戒铳手
第十。惩虚铳
第十一。饬铳器
第十二。恋伤害
第十三。罚故避
第十四。报私仇
第十五。处水陷
第十六。经山谷
第十七。弃旗鼓
第十八。失战马
第十九。整追兵
第二十。给战获
第二十一。分零功
第二十二。处阵降
第二十三。刑俘奸
第二十四。慎妄杀
战后六条
第一。报战伤
第二。报阵亡
第三。报功级
第四。报人口
第五。报军器
第六。报马匹
卷九练将第九
第一。正心术
第二。立志向
第三。明死生
第四。辨利害
第五。做好人
第六。坚操守
第七。宽度量
第八。声色害
第九。货利害
第十。刚愎害
第十一。胜人害
第十二。逢迎害
第十三。萎靡害
第十四。功名害
第十五。尚谦德
第十六。惜官箴
第十七。勤职业
第十八。辨效法
第十九。习兵法
第二十。习武艺
第二十一。正名分
第二十二。爱士卒
第二十三。教士卒
第二十四。明恩威
第二十五。严节制
第二十六。明保障
凡例(2)
杂事
卷一储练通论（上）
储将
练将胆
练将艺
练真将
分将品
卷二储练通论（下）
一。原军礼
一。原用人
一。原性气
一。原感召
一。原信
一、原教
一。原群艺
一。原练兵
一。原火器
一。原火器
一。原战器
一。原用器
一。原将
一。原练兵
一。原器
一。原战
卷三将军到任宝鉴
卷四登坛口授
卷五军器制解
马兵
马上器械
步军器具
卷六车、步、骑营阵解
敌台解
烽堠解
车营解
马营解
步营解
辎重营解

FAQ

What is the relationship between The Record of Military Training and the Jixiao Xinshu?

The two books are known as the paired volumes of Qi's military writings. The Jixiao Xinshu was completed earlier and mainly reflects Qi Jiguang's experience training troops and fighting Japanese pirates along the southeast coast; The Record of Military Training was written while he drilled troops at Jizhen, with nine juan in the main collection and six in the miscellaneous collection, and its content focuses more on training and camp organization in the context of northern garrison defense.

Does this book deal only with troop deployment and formations?

Not only that. Besides drill-ground maneuvers, marching camps, field camps, and combat conventions in the chapters on camp formations, the main collection has separate chapters on training courage and spirit, ears and eyes, hands and feet, and commanders; the miscellaneous collection covers General Remarks on Storing and Training, A Precious Mirror for Officers Taking Up Post, Explanation of Weapons, and more. The whole book covers training management, the cultivation of officers, weapons, and camp formations.

What are the fifteen articles of the "General Rules" at the front of the book about?

According to the sources, the General Rules, i.e., "the order of distributing teaching materials," describe what officers and soldiers should each learn and the standards, as well as how teaching materials are distributed and measures for supervising study. They reflect Qi Jiguang's emphasis on organizing and implementing training and are an important entry point for understanding the book's thought on military training.

What background do general readers need to read this book?

It is best to have a basic understanding of Ming military institutions and the conventions of ancient Chinese military treatises, and to be familiar with some terms for unit organization, camp formations, and weapons. If you are simply a military enthusiast, you can first read the chapter framework and the General Rules, then choose more accessible chapters such as Training Commanders and Training Courage and Spirit; there is no need to read every juan closely from the start.

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About the author

戚继光 Author

Qi Jiguang was an important military figure of Ming-dynasty China and a military scholar who left behind several writings. Publicly available information about his native place, official posts, and the details of his life is limited, and the materials available here do not provide exact dates of birth and death or nationality, so this introduction focuses on his works as represented in this collection. Four of his works are included here, with representative titles such as Lianbing Shiji (A Practical Record of Military Training), Jixiao Xinshu (New Treatise on Military Efficiency), and Selected Poems of Qi Jiguang. These works concentrate on troop training, army management, and practical combat methods; they are clearly organized and emphasize operability, reflecting a pragmatic and rigorous style of military writing. The selected poems also show that he engaged in literary expression beyond military affairs. His writings are later classified under culture, military affairs, Eastern philosophy, and classical poetry, and they are of reference value for the study of traditional military thought and Ming-era poetry and prose.