The Study On The Military Logistics System In Yuan Dynasty

The Yuan dynasty, which was a quite unique dynasty in Chinese ancient history, was a unified dynasty from north to south founded by Mongolian people initiated from the northern desert. An outstanding characteristic of Yuan dynasty is that it maintains the dual Mongolian and Chinese systems of politics and culture throughout the whole dynasty. Similarly, the military logistics system of Yuan dynasty also shows the color mixed with Mongolian factors and Chinese factors mutually. As an important period in Chinese ancient history, the military logistics system in Yuan dynasty inherits traditions in the past and gives enlightenment for the future. However, it carries on connotations different from other dynasties, and reveals rich and varied colors.The military logistics system in Yuan dynasty refers to many factors, including not only the regulations of the system, but also the establishment of various organizations, the concrete supporting measures and implementations. Generally speaking, the military logistics system refers to the supplies and managements of clothes, food, residence, use, transportation and other military goods and materials. It is the foundation on which the soldiers live and fight, and transforms with the development of the levels of social productivity. During the long period from Mongolian early society, the Mongolian Empire, to the Yuan dynasty, the development and transformation of the military logistics system in Yuan dynasty experienced a long progressive historical process.On the basis of previous research, this paper generalizes the development and transformation of the military logistics system in Yuan dynasty by collecting historical materials comprehensively. The paper also tries to make deeper research by making use of historical method, military method, comparative analysis and many other kinds of methods.In the long period of Mongolian Empire and Yuan dynasty, remarkable changes had taken place in the military logistics system. In different stages, Mongolian factors and Chinese factors both made impact on it. In the early period, the logistics style determined by Mongolian factors under sole pastoral economy occupied a dominant position absolutely. But after Kublai became the Emperor of Yuan dynasty, Mongolian rulers attached importance to Chinese production methods in Han area, and Chinese factors occupied the superiority in the military logistics system gradually. At the same time, the methods of military logistics supplies transformed from "seeking a livelihood from the enemy" to Chinese traditional methods.The weaponry system is an important component in the military logistics system. The weaponry can be divided into individual weapon equipment, cavalry equipment, naval equipment, military safeguard equipment and so on, which constitutes an organic unity together with the armed forces industry, the distribution and management of military supplies and so on. Through it we can understand the scale levels of individual weapon equipment and integral equipment in Yuan dynasty.The supply of military goods and materials is a very important part of the military logistics system in Yuan dynasty. Due to the transition of the military logistics system from "getting food from the enemy" to the Chinese traditional methods of logistics supply which is called "the grain and fodder for soldiers and horses are gathered in advance", the military supply depots that are combined with the relay station, tonden (cultivating wasteland by the army and peasants) and so on play an important role. The main military supply depots in Yuan dynasty includes two capitals (Dadu and Xanadu) and nearby regions, for example, Dadu Lu,Datong Lu,Xanadu Lu,Yingchang Lu,Xinghe Lu and so on; Some military supply depots established during the War to Southern Song Dynasty, for example, Jining Lu,Bianliang Lu,Xiangyang Lu,Xingyuan Lu,Chengdu Lu and so on; military supply depots in Outer Mongolia and northeast area, for example, Kharkorum Lu,Chenhai,Daning Lu,Dongjing Lu; and military supply depots in Northwestern Region, for example,Ningxia fu Lu, Ganzhou Lu and Ejina Lu and so on. These military supply depots near the borderland played a significant role in the whole military supply system, and undertook the function powerfully to provide the military supply for the army.Scholars have studied the military farm settlement, auruq, horsy policy and many other issues in detail, which are also organic composing parts of the military logistics system in Yuan dynasty. This paper mainly concentrates on several points:typical military farm settlement-Xingyuan Lu; several issues about auruq; discussion on several issues on the horsy policy in Yuan dynasty, especially on people's raising the official horses and the horse transaction. In this way, we improve the research on the military logistics.