Why did Mulan buy equipment at her own expense when she went out to war?

In our modern eyes, it is only natural that soldiers who defend their country are given preferential treatment and the state is responsible for their food, clothing, housing and transportation. However, after Mulan decided to go out for her father, the preparations she made were to buy horses in Dongcheng, saddles in Xicheng, reins in Nancheng and whips in Beicheng, and travel all over the city. After she bought herself a complete set of equipment, she said goodbye to her relatives and hurried to report for duty. Why did Mulan buy equipment out of her own pocket when she went out to war? This has to talk about the military system at that time.

The warriors under the government army system went to war.

From the story background of Mulan becoming a monk as her father, it happened in the Northern Wei Dynasty during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Mulan prepared weapons and armaments at her own expense, which is a typical feature of the military system of official camp in Sui and Tang Dynasties. Some people say that Mulan lived in the Northern Wei Dynasty, and there was no government military system. Why did Mulan do this?

The official establishment of the system of officers and men was founded by Yu Wentai, the minister in charge of the Western Wei Dynasty, after the Northern Wei Dynasty split into the Eastern Wei Dynasty and the Western Wei Dynasty. But we should know that Mulan Ci is a literary creation, not a history book. After its birth, after continuous polishing by later scholars, some of its characters, such as "Twelve Changes" and "Fire Companion", can reflect the traces of the Tang Dynasty. The version we are seeing now was processed by people with reference to the historical characteristics at that time.

According to the provisions of the imperial military system, Hua Mulan's family is a scholar or a military household. Once they are placed in, they will leave their civilian status, live in concentrated areas, become military families and enjoy the treatment of military households. For example, you don't have to pay taxes and you don't have to work hard at home. The income is much stronger than that of ordinary farmers, and the family economy is much more affluent, so Mulan has money to buy equipment.

However, there is no free lunch. Military families must serve the court from generation to generation, and men must participate unconditionally in wartime. In other words, future generations should do the same duty besides themselves. If they have daughters, they must also be betrothed to the sons of other military families. I was killed in battle, and my wife had to choose to remarry other military households. This generational inheritance ensures the continuous output of personnel. Mulan's family is like this. Khan is a soldier, and his father's name is on the roster. One of the Hua family has to go to war. Hua's father is old and his brother is too young. Only Mulan was old enough to fight for her father.

Self-provided materials when going out to war is another feature of the officers and men system. In addition to armor and a few weapons that need unified management, government soldiers prepare their own common weapons such as bows and arrows, short spears or sabres. Even pack animals and food that travel instead of walking need to pay for themselves. That's why Mulan bought it at buy buy.

It's been a long time since I paid for the war myself.

In fact, for a long time in history, soldiers always brought their own equipment. For example, in the Western Zhou Dynasty, soldiers fought mainly from China, and slaves and "savages" were not qualified at all. Aristocratic armed forces and clan armed forces are the main components, mainly car wars. Four horses and one horse, three soldiers in the car and 72 soldiers down the steps. Nobles should bring their own chariots and weapons and armor, and those who follow should prepare some leather armor to protect themselves. If they have no money, they should use a big stick as a weapon, which is called a pestle. There is an idiom called "blood drift"

During the Warring States period, the same was true of Qin. After Shang Yang's political reform, he was knighted with military exploits, and civilians also needed to prepare their own clothes, money and food for service. Among the Qin bamboo slips unearthed in Yunmeng Sleeping Tiger Land, there is a Letter from the Battlefield, with two brothers, Heifu and Jing, as the protagonists. In 225 BC, Wang Jian, a general of Qin State, fought against Chu in Huaiyang, and Heifu and Jing wrote home to ask for money and clothes.

Of course, it doesn't mean that you have to pay for everything, but you still have to take care of yourself. After all, it is unrealistic to bring your own dry food for a long time, but you still have to bring your own dry food to recruit people to the assembly point. Travel expenses are not reimbursed, and all expenses on the way are self-care.

Therefore, the Tang Dynasty flourished and declined.

At least in the Northern Wei Dynasty, the system of officers and men had taken shape. At that time, the rulers of the Northern Wei Dynasty supported themselves with a number of professional military forces by distributing fixed land. This form is actually the tradition of tribal soldiers brought by Xianbei people who ruled the Northern Wei Dynasty from the grassland. This tradition was later inherited and perfected by Yu Wentai, and formally formed a system. The military strength in the early Tang Dynasty was based on the system of government soldiers.

Li started his career in the Tang Dynasty. Li Yuan's grandfather and Du Yuan's grandfather were both eight generals in the Western Wei Dynasty. The Guanlong Group headed by them is a military aristocratic group formed on the basis of the government military system. Since the Western Wei Dynasty, Guanlong Group has successively created the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty. China was controlled for nearly 200 years, but it was controlled for almost 500 years.

Yu Wentai reorganized the soldiers in Guanzhong area into six armies, which were subordinate to the military government and led by six generals. In the tenth year of Zhenguan in Tang Dynasty (636), the military mansion was finally named Zhechong Mansion. There are 627 folding houses with names and locations to test. Government soldiers usually farm, train intermittently and join the army in wartime. Government soldiers need to have enough land and time to ensure the output of wartime support. If the above conditions cannot be met, then the officer system will face the risk of bankruptcy.

The war from the Northern Dynasties to the early Tang Dynasty was relatively small in scale and did not last long. Government soldiers take turns to go out, leaving time to cultivate their own land and take care of their own equipment. In the early Tang dynasty, the social status of government soldiers was also very high. Those who have made meritorious deeds are rewarded and have more opportunities for promotion. The families of the deceased can receive pensions and their lives are guaranteed. In addition, there is extra income from spoils to increase family wealth. With such generous treatment, the combat effectiveness of the army in the early Tang Dynasty can be guaranteed. The rule of Emperor Taizong and Tang Gaozong was effectively implemented in the early stage, but by the middle Tang Dynasty, it had existed in name only, and Tianbao, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, was abolished for eight years.

First, with the continuous expansion of the territory of the Tang Dynasty, the battlefield distance is getting farther and farther, and the round-trip cycle of government soldiers is lengthened, which means that the time occupied is greatly increased. Second, the newly developed areas lack agricultural land available for distribution. Third, with the passage of time, the land originally distributed by government soldiers has been continuously annexed, losing its supporting foundation.

The collapse of the government military system greatly weakened the strength of Tang Jun, and the military forces declined. The Anshi Rebellion in 755 AD tore open the fragile mask under the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and the Tang Dynasty turned from strong to weak. Similar history has appeared more than once. In the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang also established a health center system similar to the government military system. After the change of the civil fort, it gradually failed for similar reasons.