Military Training Of The Regular Army Of The Song Dynasty

It is one of modern military theory that the drill is most important method to improve combat effectiveness. Because Song's army always lost battle, its drill suffered criticism from many scholars. As a big empire, whether the drill had little virtue in Song Dynasty, which it deserve study. At present time, there are short of deep exploration about song's drill in academia, and more critical on this point. So it is necessary that comprehensive research of this contention. On the basis of former research, my thesis will divide four parts to probe the drill of regular troops and how to development in Song dynasty.In first part, it introduced the history of drill before the Song Dynasty. The original drill formed in prehistory, and had normalized in the period of pre Qin dynasty. From the Spring and Autumn to the Warring States Period, with the development of the military thought, the ancient military theory had elementary system.In second part, it probed the content, development and thoughts of Song's drill. This part is the core of whole article. In Song dynasty the extent of drills fluctuated, because emperor's attitude to the military affairs was different. For example, in period of Zhen Zong, the national policy that esteem civil mandarins and restrain military ones had been established, and the drill had been ignored by government. While in period of Shen Zong, the emperor regarded the drills as the emphasis of the army reform, and stressed that improving abilities of the forces was the aim of the drills.At the beginning of South Song, the drills were implemented by some generals who had gained experience in battles. So the drills during this time had been more effective. At later stage of South Song, the invention and use of powder weapons brought new items to the army, which was differ to the former time.In the third part, it mainly explored the matter of the drills in Song dynasty. The infantry constituted the principal part of troops, so these soldiers were mostly training object. And bows and crossbows were important weapons, which the strength and pinpoint had been well disciplined. The training of the cavalries was also necessary, for their main enemies were from northern grassland. Meanwhile studying tactics was the indispensable part of drills.In the fourth part, it will discuss the cavalry of Song. Because of complex reasons, the building of cavalry was not always satisfying. But the government had attached important to the training of cavalry. The content of training included skills on the horse, using weapons and so on.In the fifth part, it introduced the navy in Song dynasty. Song had advanced navy, especially in south Song for their geographical conditions. The contents of marines' training included how to adapt the life in the warship and use various weapons.In the sixth part, it will probe into the discipline of phalanxes, which was also a part of the tactics education. The function of phalanxes were harmonizing manifold arms of services and exerting the advantage of a group. Song dynasty had done a lot of research on the phalanxes training, and finally the aim and characteristic of phalanxes training—"infantry overmatch cavalry" had come into being.In the seventh part, it will appraise drills of Song synthetically. The foundation of drills was politics, economy, military technique and strategy. In this course, three distinct characters had engendered, and brought satisfying effects on defending nation. But the shortcomings were also obvious, which deserved aftertime reference.It is indubitable that there were many disadvantages in the drills of Song dynasty. But its drills had strongpoint, otherwise the empire Song would have been in hundred years. So it is leitmotiv in my thesis that probed comprehensive drills of their regular troops and how to right review these.