Treatise on Armament Technology, Volume 71

Page 4

Tenth: Should there be bows and crossbows without strings, arrows without feathers or heads, or if these components are loose or unstable, or if there is a fault with the crossbow trigger mechanisms, the equipment is considered ineffective. If the weapons cannot be discharged, the commanding officer must take great care to inspect them and ensure they are prepared for use against the enemy. original: 弩牙 (nuya); the "teeth" or trigger assembly of the crossbow, a critical precision component.

Eleventh: If clothing or armor is damaged, it should normally be repaired by threading. The government will provide leather cord, and soldiers must use awls and knives to ensure the repairs are tidy and the equipment is kept in good order.

Twelfth: Spears, knives, blades, swords, halberds, and all such items must always be kept sharp and keen.

Thirteenth: Those who arrive late to their posts, or who arrive but do not have their personal gear or find their equipment incomplete, shall be executed. original: 斬 (zhan); referring specifically to beheading, the standard military execution for severe negligence.

Fourteenth: If the ranks are not straight, the banners and flags are in disarray, or the gongs and drums do not sound at the proper time, all involved shall be held accountable and punished. In traditional Chinese warfare, gongs and drums were the primary means of signaling advances and retreats; failure to signal correctly led to total battlefield chaos.

Fifteenth: Privately speaking with the enemy shall be treated as the same crime as corresponding with them via letters or documents. This was considered an act of high treason or espionage.

Sixteenth: One must not leak secret military matters or matters of strategy and divination within the army. original: 陰陽事 (yinyang shi); "Yin-Yang matters" refers to secret strategic plans, the timing of attacks based on the calendar, or interpreted omens.

Seventeenth: Those who fail to protect their commanding officer—if the commander is lost while they are in his company—shall immediately be held accountable and punished.

Glossary of Terms:

• Trigger Mechanism (original: 弩牙, nuya): The internal bronze components of a crossbow that hold and release the string.
• Punished (original: 坐罪, zuozui): To be implicated in a crime and receive the prescribed legal penalty.
• Banners and Flags (original: 旌旗, jingqi): The visual signaling system used to direct troop movements.
• Gongs and Drums (original: 金鼓, jingu): The auditory signaling system; drums signaled the advance, while gongs signaled the retreat.