Preface
Horse politics is an administrative management system implemented by the ancient government for the procurement, pastoral care, management, and use of horses. It is closely related to the military system, tax system, postal system, legal system, accounting system, and trading system. In ancient China, the completeness of the horse government would have a significant impact on the military, economic and administrative operations of each dynasty. Therefore, Ma Zheng has been valued by all dynasties, and Qin is no exception.
As we all know, Qin's history is divided into two parts, namely the Qin's history before Qin's unification and the dynasty after Qin's unification. In 771 BC, Shen Hou joined forces with Quanrong to conquer the capital of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and the King You of Zhou, was killed. In order to escape the harassment of the Quanrong, the successor, King Ping of Zhou moved eastward to Luoyi .
Qin Xianggong sent troops to escort King Ping of Zhou. King Ping "appointed Duke Xiang as a prince and granted him a land west of Qi." After Qin was named a prince by King Ping of Zhou, in order to enrich the country and strengthen the army, various efforts were made in politics, economy and military aspects, and ultimately unify the whole country. Taking Qin Shihuang defeated the six eastern countries in 221 BC and unified the country, the history of Qin can be divided into two sections, namely the history of Qin in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period and the history of Qin in the Qin Dynasty that unified the world.
Reasons for Qin to attach importance to horse politics
In traditional ancient China, it can be said that the number of horses was one of the important symbols of a country's prosperity and strength. During the Warring States Period, Qin State finally defeated the six Eastern countries and unified the country with its strong military strength, which was closely related to the factor of attaching importance to the construction of Ma Zheng. Qin attached great importance to the construction of horse politics and made it play an important role, mainly including four reasons: the influence of traditional horse raising habits, the special geographical location and natural conditions, the long-term miscellaneous with Rong Di, and the influence of the construction of horse politics system in Shang and Zhou dynasties.
The influence of traditional horse raising habits
The Qin State was able to develop from a small vassal state called "barbarians" by the six eastern countries to the overlords of the princes, which is closely related to the traditional Qin habits, that is, raising horses. Qin's ancestors were originally a nomadic tribe in China with the main occupation of raising horses. It can be said that the Qin clan was a horse-raising family in the early days. This family will pass on the horse breeding industry. The origin of the surname Ying Qin is closely related to the horse raising industry. During the Yao and Shun period, the Qin people had already tamed livestock for the rulers. Qin became a prince because of his meritorious assistance in the Shang Dynasty. At the end of the Shang Dynasty, Qin's ancestors still served as King Zhou of Shang.
After Zhou destroyed Shang in the Battle of Muye, both the Qin people and the Shang people were conquered, but Qin did not retain the status of the princes and became a vassal of the Zhou people, with a very low status. During the reign of King Cheng of Zhou, Qin was lucky enough to develop slowly. By the reign of King Miao of Zhou, Zaofu was honored by King Miao of Zhou for his good deeds. King Xu Yan launched a rebellion during the reign of King Miao of Zhou, and Zaofu was the reign of King Miao of Zhou, and finally King Miao of Zhou quelled the rebellion. King Miao gave Zhao Cheng to Zaofu, and the Zaofu family was thus called the Zhao family. During the reign of King Xiao of Zhou, Fei Zi was granted the title of vassal of Zhou and was given the surname to win.
In 770 BC, King Ping of Zhou left Guanzhong in order to avoid the harassment of Rong Di and moved the capital to Luoyi . When the King Ping moved the capital, Duke Xiang of Qin sent troops to escort. Therefore, King Ping of Zhou appointed Duke Xiang of Qin as the "Princes". Qin was recognized by the Zhou royal family and was granted the title of prince, and Qin began to emerge. Qin began to adopt various measures to strengthen the army and enrich the country, and strive to become the overlord of the princes.
Special geographical location and natural environment
- "The Strategies of the Warring States" records the geographical location of Qin in detail. "The Qin people lived in a very special geographical location. It can be said that they lived in a zone that is suitable for agriculture and pastoralism. Before Tai entered Guanzhong, the geographical location was very special, and it was located in the western part of my country. .
The ancestors of Qin first lived in the southeastern part of Gansu Province and the western part of Shaanxi Province. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the entire society was in a period of great turmoil, great change and great development. Qin was also in the process of fierce social change. Qin had a large area suitable for animal husbandry production.
The whole hill had sufficient water sources, vast and lush grasslands, suitable for grazing, and suitable for horse raising. There are many mountains in Gansu, with crisscrossing mountains and altitudes varying a lot. Moreover, the sun shines are strong and the grasslands are vast, which is very conducive to the development of the horse breeding industry. The climate in Longnan County is very special and belongs to a cold, warm and semi-humid climate. At the same time, from the perspective of soil, terrain, grass growth conditions, water sources, etc., it can be said to be a relatively ideal place for horse pasture. Horses and cattle are also suitable for raising in Yong area.
Therefore, most of the Qin people lived in areas with vast plains and lush water and grass, which provided unique conditions for the development of animal husbandry. The development of Qin Ma Zheng is closely related to Qin's special geographical location and natural environment. Therefore, this is also an important reason why Qin attached great importance to the construction of Ma Zheng.
and Rongdi have been intertwined for a long time
Mr. Xu Rihui once said: "It is no exaggeration to say that a history of early Qin development is largely a history of the struggle between Qinying and Xirong ." "
The relationship between Qin and Rong is complex. It can be said that there are both conflicts and fusions. The two influence each other. A ancestor of Qin in the late Shang Dynasty, Zhongqing had already "in the Western Rong, protecting Xi Chu". also intermarried with the kings of the Rong clan during the reign of Duke Xiang of Qin. Therefore, the relationship between Qin and Rong clan is relatively integrated. The conflict between Zhou and Rong in the late Western Zhou Dynasty was extremely sharp.
In this case, as a vassal of Zhou, the relationship between Qin and Rongdi changed, and the conflict began to change from the original fusion: Qin Zu Quan Qiu Daluo clan The Qin people were destroyed by Rong, Qin Zhong died in Rong, Qin hated Rong and gritted their teeth. It can be said that the Qin people and Rong people lived together for a long time, with complex relationships, both conflicts and governance, and the two influenced each other. The nomadic peoples were good at riding and shooting, had a tradition of martial arts, and often fought in wars. In order to win the war, they raised a large number of horses and often fought on horses. It can be said that they were strong enemies on the horse's back that the Qin people could not ignore.
Because Qin and Rong Di were mixed for a long time, they were in During the opposition, Qin attacked each other. In order to deal with Rong Di, Qin must greatly enhance its military strength, and he must learn from Rong Di to develop cavalry and chariots. Whether it is cavalry or chariot, he needs horses as an auxiliary. Qin raised a large number of horses. Therefore, Qin horse politics can develop greatly.
4. Shang and Zhou The influence of the construction of the horse politics system
The ancestors of the Shang Dynasty were also very good at operating animal husbandry. In the mid-Xia period, merchants tame cattle and horses, greatly improving their productivity level . During the Chengtang period, merchants continued to accumulate food and grass, recruit people and horses, and at the same time used livestock to make friends with princes from all over the country to destroy Xia. It can be seen that the livestock industry in the Shang Dynasty was relatively developed, so raising horses would inevitably be valued by merchants. The biggest influence on Qin was the Zhou horse politics. The Zhou horse politics mainly spyed through the "Liquor of Zhou".
"Liquor of Zhou" records all aspects of social, political, economic, cultural, customs, rituals and laws in the pre-Qin period, with very rich content and all inclusiveness. The political systems implemented in the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Warring States Period were also recorded. "Liquor of Zhou" Although the recorded political system is not the original appearance of the Western Zhou system, we can also see some contents of the Western Zhou system:
- 1. The Zhou Dynasty has adopted a combination of pastoral care and stable raising:
- 2. The horse raising organization sets up officials who specialize in horse raising: 3. Horses are divided into different types according to their function and quality; 4. The measures to manage horses are detailed and systematic. Horses need to register and set up horses, and there are strict regulations on their use and breeding.
The horse political system of Shang and Zhou is relatively complete. 6. The Qin people not only drove for the kings of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, but were also responsible for managing the Shang and Zhou horses. They must be familiar with the Shang and Zhou horse politics system. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Qin horse politics learns from and inherits the Shang and Zhou horse politics.
The development of the Qin horse politics
The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period were a period of great turmoil, great changes and great development in my country's history. In order to achieve prosperity and strengthening the country, the army is constantly reforming political, economic, military and other aspects. The number of horses is one of the important symbols of a country's prosperity and strength. Therefore, horses are increasingly valued by the vassal states, and Qin is no exception. Qin adopted various methods to manage horses, so that horses have achieved significant development.
The development of cavalry
The development of the Qin State's horse politics is first reflected in the development of cavalry. In ancient my country, cavalry has always been the most powerful and gorgeous existence on the battlefield. Horses are used as riding tools first in areas where horses have been produced since ancient times, and are suitable for horse growth. should first think of nomadic peoples. Horse riding is a habit of nomads.
The Qin people and Rong Di have been in a long time. In their continuous interactions, Rong Di's thoughts, culture, lifestyles, etc. have had an impact on the Qin State. Rong Di's riding and shooting skills are included. The Qin people regarded raising horses as a traditional habit for a long time and were good at raising horses very early. Until the Zhou Dynasty, it was still a nation dominated by animal husbandry. In the late Western Zhou Dynasty, the Zhou Rong often had wars, and the contradictions became increasingly acute.
Under this situation, as vassals of Zhou, the Qin people also continued to fight with Rongdi in order to gain the trust of the King of Zhou. During the battle between Qin and Rong, the Qin people realized one step further that infantry was far inferior to Rong Di's cavalry. In order to deal with Rong Di, the Qin people must learn from Rong Di to develop cavalry. The development of cavalry will inevitably lead to riding tools and horses. Cavalry has high requirements for war horses. Not only does it need to increase the number of horses, but it also needs to ensure the quality of horses and strengthen the management of horses. In order to gain the overlord status of the princes during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Qin developed cavalry on a large scale. Under this circumstance, the Qin State's military power developed, reversed the long-term passive backward situation and became a strong country.
The increase in stable gardens
The development of the Qin State horse politics is also reflected in the increase in the Qin horse-raising mechanism, namely the stable garden. The Qin people were a horse-raising clan and started their family by raising horses. After Qin established his capital, Xianyang, he continued to launch wars and annihilate other six countries. The Qin army and its logistics and transportation troops both need a large number of horses, so they must set up a wide garden to raise and breed horses. The number of stable gardens is increasing, and it can be inferred that the number of horses raised in Qin will also increase. In order to manage horses, a complete system must be set up to manage the stable garden.
Improvement of horse raising technology
Improvement of horse raising technology is also one of the manifestations of the development of the Qin State horse politics. The improvement of horse breeding technology in Qin State was first reflected in the development of horse breeding. The status of horses is very important. In order to ensure that the number of horses can meet the needs of the country, the ancients carried out artificial training of horses. The Qin people regard raising horses as a traditional habit and have been born through raising horses in all dynasties. In the process of constantly domesticating and selecting good horses, a special ability to judge the quality of a horse by relying on eyesight and experience to identify the horses from the appearance is summarized, namely, equestrianism.
Qin State specially set up people who watched the horse and were valued by the rulers. The improvement of horse raising technology is also reflected in the feeding of horses. The feed consumed by horses is uniformly distributed by the state and will not be waited for expiration. The feed consumed by horses is a draft. In order to ensure that horses have enough feed, the Qin State established a strict system for collecting drafts. In order to feed horses, in addition to ensuring sufficient feed, Qin also feeds horses at a certain time. That is, when officials use horses to use horses when they are on business trips, they need to feed them once, and they need to feed them once after the matter is completed and return. Eight horses need to be fed together. If the horse is used too often, it must not be fed the next day.
If the driving distance is relatively long, if the horse feels tired, you can feed it once. finally talks about horse training and protection. In order to ensure that the horse can play its role in war, it is necessary to train the horse's speed, endurance and how to command the horse. If the horse does not meet the standards, certain punishments must be imposed on the officials in charge.
Complete setting of officials
Complete setting of officials is also one of the manifestations of the development of the Ma Zheng in Qin State. Judging from the existing materials, it has set up officials such as Kui Sui Fu, Zao Jiang Fu, Yuan Yanfu, and Sima. First look at the stable husband. He is the slaughter in charge of stable horses. It was set during the Qin Dynasty. Horses managed by the stable husband will be severely punished when they are underperforming in their service, and the relevant orders, ministers, servants and history will also be punished.
It can be seen that the stable husband is responsible for managing the use of the stable horses in the county. Secondly, the souvenir. Soap Wishes were also set up during the Qin Dynasty. Zao Sufu is the person in charge of the breeders in the stable. Soap is generally composed of slave-identified "chengdan" and "little ministers". Soap will also be set with soap lovers, soap lovers, soap lovers, and so on. The same goes for the Yuan, and the Yuan slaughter and Yuan slaughter will be set up to manage the Yuan like a stable. Yuan Yanfu is the person in charge of Yuan.
Sima's position should also be worth noting . The seal of Qin also records many various official positions established in the stable garden, such as "Zhang Jiancheng Seal", "Gong Jiancheng Seal", "Tai Jiancheng Seal", "Zhong Jiancheng Seal", "Zhong Jiancheng Seal", "Zhong Zhan Horse", and so on, which can reflect that the horse officials set up in the Qin State are very complete.
The unified Qin Dynasty horse politics
The Qin Dynasty horse politics system is very strict. Not only does it set up many specific institutions and official positions in the central government to manage horses, but the local government also has a complete horse politics system. Among the central institutions, the contents of the Qin Fengni involved in horse politics include roughly two parts, namely the horse management agency, the horse management agency, and the stable officials. The Ma Zheng positions were set up in several counties.
First of all, local counties, like the central government, need a large number of horses for daily affairs and military purposes, and local governments will set up corresponding departments to manage horses: secondly, from the official positions of local counties to manage horses, local counties also established a complete horse political management system; finally, for those counties in the northern agricultural and pastoral areas, they still continued the traditional habit of raising horses in Qin and took advantage of the advantages of the geographical environment to develop the horse farming industry.
postscript
Qin's history is very long, including not only the history of Qin during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, but also the history of Qin dynasty that defeated the six eastern countries and unified the country. There must be many reasons why Qin State was able to defeat the six Eastern countries and unify the country, but the factor of attaching importance to the construction of Ma Zheng should never be ignored.
The Qin State and the Qin State in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period were different due to different territory and problems they faced, and the measures to manage horses were also different. It can be said that the Qin Dynasty inherited and innovated the construction of the Ma Zheng in Qin. Moreover, the Qin Dynasty's horse political system is more detailed and specific than the Qin State. Through the development of two periods, Qin horses are becoming a complete system for managing horses.
