Treatise on Armament Technology, Volume 71

Thirty-third: All weapons and equipment must be assigned to specific soldiers to be carried on their person. Even for a single bow or a single arrow, the soldier's name must be written upon it as a mark. In the event that an item is lost, this makes it easy to verify ownership and return it to the rightful soldier. original: 書名在上記號 (shuming zai shang jihao); this reflects a high degree of bureaucratic accountability within the Ming military to prevent theft and ensure readiness.

Thirty-fourth: Anyone who violates the General’s orders at any moment shall be executed. original: 斬 (zhan); specifically refers to execution by beheading, the standard punishment for insubordination in historical Chinese military law.

Thirty-fifth: If the vanguard or the rearguard encounters an enemy assault, they must transmit the report to the commander-in-chief with the utmost speed. 先鋒 (xianfeng) and 殿後 (dianhou): the "vanguard" and "rearguard," respectively, which served as the front and rear buffers of a marching army.

Thirty-sixth: When vanguard scouts or those tasked with capturing prisoners enter foreign territory, they must not light smoke or fires prematurely. There is a danger that this would startle our own men and horses, or allow the enemy to see the signals and prepare their defenses. 捉生 (zhuosheng): literally "capturing the living," these were elite scouts or "snatch squads" tasked with capturing enemy soldiers for interrogation.

Thirty-seventh: While the army is marching, they must halt immediately upon receiving the order to stop. While the army is stationary, they must move immediately upon receiving the order to march. Any delay or error in these movements shall be punished.

Thirty-eighth: Regarding the metal gongs and the drums: sound them immediately upon receiving the order, and stop them immediately upon receiving the order. In traditional Chinese warfare, drums (鼓 - gu) signaled the advance, while metal gongs (金 - jin) signaled the retreat or halt.

Thirty-ninth: Regarding the banners and flags: unfurl them immediately upon receiving the order, and roll them up immediately upon receiving the order. The same discipline applies to the movements of camp formations. Flags and banners were the primary visual language of the battlefield, used to relay complex maneuvers to thousands of men simultaneously.