Treatise on Armament Technology, Volume 52

Formation Training Systems: Prohibitions and Mandates

Thirty-eighth: Those tasked with scouting and reporting who carry the white flags must unfurl them immediately upon sighting the enemy. If no enemy is sighted, the flags must remain furled. original: 採報 (caibao); scouts responsible for gathering intelligence and reporting back to the main force.

Thirty-ninth: The flags and signals assigned to the various squads must not be mixed or confused. If there is an overlap or exchange that causes confusion, or if the current assignment is found to be impractical, a petition must be submitted to the superiors immediately to rectify the situation.

Fortieth: Soldiers are not permitted to privately remove or exchange the armor and weaponry they carry on their persons. If equipment is damaged or becomes unusable, a formal request for replacement must be made. However, if a soldier has a particular mastery of a weapon—such as the bow, crossbow, spear, or saber—the command should accommodate the soldier’s preference for their convenience. original: 從士卒之便 (cong shizu zhi bian); this shows a pragmatic side of Ming military law, allowing for individual skill specializations despite strict standardization.

Forty-first: The assigned personnel, horses, and squad formations are not permitted to be changed or transferred privately. In the case of illness, the individual must inform the administrative official or the squad leader, who will report the matter to the appropriate department so that a replacement can be dispatched to fill the vacancy. 填替 (tianti): the process of "filling and replacing" a gap in the ranks to maintain formation integrity.

Forty-second: Squads must march in their specifically assigned order. Even when speed is required or when the road presents hazardous obstacles, the rear squads... The text cuts off here and continues on the following page.