Army's Equipment-Six Teachings(Part 1)
From World's Chinese Wiki
Army's Equipment-Six Teachings (Tai Gong Six Teachings-Tiger Teaching Chapter 1)
本篇论述军队战时应装备的各种兵器和器材及其性能。
English
King Wu asked Tai Gong:"When the king mobilizes the armies, are there any rules for determining the army’s equipment, such as the implements for attack and defense, including type and quantity?"
Tai Gong said:"A great question, my king! The implements for attack and defense each have their own categories. These implements will affect the effectiveness of the army. The source of awesomeness of the army."
King Wu said:"I would like to hear about them."
Tai Gong replied:"As for the basic numbers when employing the army, if commanding ten thousand armed soldiers the rules for the various types of equipment and their employment are as follows.
Thirty-six Large Charging Chariots, with teams of skilled officers, strong crossbowmen, spear bearers, and halberdiers - for each side of the large chariots Altogether twenty four people in each chariots. The chariots have eight-foot wheels. On it, pennants and drums are set up. According to the art of war, such chariots are referred to as 'Shaking Fear'. They are used to penetrate solid formations, to defeat strong enemies.
Seventy-two Large Flank Chariots equipped with teams of skilled officers, strong crossbowmen, spear bearers, and halberdiers comprise the flanks. They have five-foot wheels and winch-powered linked crossbows which fire multiple arrows for self-protection. They are used to penetrate solid formations and defeat strong enemies.
One hundred and forty-four Flank Supporting Small Chariots equipped with winch-powered linked crossbows to fire multiple arrows for self-protection. They have deer wheels and are used to penetrate solid formations and defeat strong enemies.
Thirty-six Crossbow Large Chariots equipped with skilled officers, strong crossbowmen, spear bearers, and halberdiers comprising the flanks, with ‘flying duck’ and ‘lightning’s shadow’ arrows for self protection. ‘Flying duck’ arrows have red shafts and white feathers, with bronze arrowheads. ‘Lightning’s shadow’ arrows have green shafts and red feathers, with iron heads. In the daytime, they display pennants of red silk six feet long by six inches wide, called ‘Blinding Light’. At nigh, they hang pennants of white silk, also six feet long by six inches wide, called ‘Meteors’. They are used to penetrate solid formations, to defeat infantry and cavalry.
Thirty-six Great Attack Chariots. Carrying Praying Mantis Martial Warriors, they can attack both horizontal and vertical formations and can defeat the enemy.
Light Chariots for repelling mounted invaders, also called ‘Lightning Chariots’. The art of war refers to them as mounting ‘thunder attacks’. They are used to penetrate solid formations, to defeat both infantry and cavalry that are attacking at night.
One hundred and sixty Spear and Halberd Chariots, for repelling night invaders from the fore. Each carries three Praying Mantis Martial Knights. The art of war refers to them as mounting ‘thunder attacks’. They are used to penetrate solid formations, to defeat both infantry and cavalry.
Iron truncheons with large square heads weighting twelve catties, and shafts more than five feet long, twelve hundred of them. Also termed ‘Heaven’s Truncheon’. The Great Handle Fu Ax with an eight-inch blade weighing eight catties, and shaft more than five feet long, twelve hundred of them. Also termed ‘Heaven’s Ax’. Also the Iron Square Head Pounder, weighing eight catties, with a shaft of more than five feet, twelve hundred. Also termed ‘Heaven Pounder’. They are used to defeat infantry and hordes of mounted invaders. The Flying Hook, eight inches long. The curve of the hook is five inches long, the shaft is more than six feet long. Twelve hundred of them. They are thrown into the masses of soldiers to hook the soldiers.
To defend the army, deploy chariots equipped with wooden Praying Mantises and sword blades. Each chariots is twenty feet across, altogether twenty of them. On open, level ground the infantry can use them to defeat chariots and cavalry.
Wooden caltrops which stick out of the ground about two feet five inches, one hundred twenty. They are employed to defeat infantry and cavalry, to urgently press the attack against invaders, and to intercept their flight.
Short-axle Quick-turning Spear and Halberd Chariots, one hundred and twenty of them. They were employed by Yellow Emperor to vanquish Chi You. They are used to defeat both infantry and cavalry, to urgently press the attack against the invaders, and to intercept their flight.
For narrow roads and small bypaths, set out iron caltrops eight inches wide, having hooks four inches high and shafts of more than six feet, twelve hundred. They are for defeating retreating cavalry.
If, in darkness of night, the enemy should suddenly press an attack and the there are bound to be clashes, stretch out a ground net and spread out two arrow headed caltrops connected together with ‘weaving women’ - type caltrops on both sides.The points of the blades should be about two feet apart. Twelve thousand sets.
For fighting in wild expanses and in the middle of tall grass, there is the square-shank, arrow-shaped spear, twelve hundred of them. The method for deploying these spears is to have them stick out of the ground one foot five inches. They are used to defeat infantry and cavalry, to urgently press the attack against invaders and to intercept their flight.
In narrow roads and small bypaths, and constricted terrains, set out iron chains, one hundred twenty of them, to defeat infantry and cavalry, urgently press the attack against the invaders, and intercept their flight.
For protection and defense of the gates to fortifications, there are small mobile shields with spear and halberd tips affixed, twelve of them and winch-drive, multiple arrow crossbows for self-protection.
Modern
武王问太公道：君王起兵征伐，军队武器装备和攻守器材，其种类和数量有一定标准吗？
太公说：这的确是个大问题啊！攻守战具的种类、数量，各有不同，这是有关军队威力强弱的大问题。
武王说：我想知道得详细些。
太公说：凡统率甲士万人，其所使用的武器嚣材的大概标准是：武冲大战车三十六辆，以“材士”使用强弩、矛、我在两旁护卫，每车用二十四人推行。其车轮高八尺，车上竖旗设鼓。兵法上把这车辆叫做“震骇”，可用它攻破坚阵，击败强敌。
武翼大橹矛戟战车七十二部，以有技能而勇敢的武士使用强弩、矛、戟为两旁护卫。这种车装有五尺高的车轮，并附有绞车连努，可用它攻破坚阵，击败强敌。提翼小橹战车一百四十四部，并附有绞车连弩，这种车装有独轮，可用它攻破坚阵，击败强敌。
大黄参连弩大战车三十六辆，以“材士”使用强弩矛戟在两旁护卫，并附有“飞凫”、“电影”两种族帜。飞凫用红色的竿，白色的羽，以铜矛头为旗竿头；“电影”用青色的竿，红色的羽，以铁矛头为旗芋头。白天用大红色的绢作旗子，其长六尺，宽六寸，名为“光耀”；夜间用白色的绢作旗子，其长六尺，宽六寸，名为“流星”。这种战车可用以攻破坚阵，击败强敌。
大扶胥冲车三十六辆，以螳螂武士乘于车上，可用它纵横冲击，击败强敌。轻快的车骑也叫电车，兵法称它为电击。它可用以攻破坚阵，击败故人乘夜来袭的步骑。矛戟扶胥轻车一百六十辆。每车乘螳螂武士三人，兵法称这种为霆击，可用它攻破坚阵，击败敌人的步骑。
大方头铁棒也叫天掊，重十二斤，柄长五尺以上，共一千二百把。长柄斧也叫天钺，刃长八寸，重八斤，柄长五尺以上，共一千二百把。方头铁锤也叫天槌，重八斤，柄长五尺以上，共一千二百把。可用以击败敌人的步、骑兵。飞钩，长八寸，钩尖长四寸，柄长六尺以上，共一十二百枚。它可用以投到敌方钓取敌人。
军队防守时，应使用“木螳螂剑刃扶胥”每具宽两丈，共一百二十具，也叫行马。在平坦的地形上步兵可用它阻止敌人的车。骑的行动。设置木蒺藜，要高于地面二尺五寸，兵一百二十具。可用它阻止敌人的步、骑，拦阻势穷力竭的敌人和截断逃跑的敌人。轴旋短冲矛戟战车共一百二十辆，黄帝曾用以打败蚩尤。可用它击败敌人的步、骑，拦阻势穷力竭的敌人和截断逃跑的敌人。
在隘路、小道，可以布设铁蒺藜。铁蒺藜刺长四寸，宽八寸，每具长六尺以上，共一千二百具，可用它拦阻敌人的步兵和骑兵。敌人在能见度很低的时候宽突然前来挑战，白刃相接，这时应张设地罗，布置两镞蒺藜和参连织女，各具的芒尖相距二寸，共一万二千具。在旷野深草地区作战，配备方胸鋋矛，共一千二百把。设置鋋矛的方法，是使它高出地面一尺五寸。以上这些，都可用以阻止敌人的步、骑、拦阻势穷力竭和敌人和截断逃跑中的敌人。
在隘路，小道和低洼的地形上，可张设铁锁链，共一百二十具。它可用以阻止敌人的步骑，拦阻势穷力竭的敌人和截断逃跑的敌人。守卫管门用矛、戟、小橹各十二具，并附有绞车连弩。
(待续)
Original
武王问太公曰：王者举兵，三军器用，攻守之具，科品众寡，岂有法乎?
太公曰：大哉，王之问也！夫攻守之具，各有科品，此兵之大威也。
武王曰：愿闻之。
太公曰：凡用兵之大数，将甲士万人，法用武冲大扶胥三十六乘，材土强弩矛戟为翼，一车二十四人推之。以八尺车轮，车上立旗鼓。兵法谓之震骇，陷坚阵，败强敌。武翼大橹矛戟扶胥七十二具，材土强弩矛戟为翼。以五尺车轮，绞车连弩自副，陷坚阵，败强敌。提翼小橹扶胥，一百四十四具，绞车连弩自副，以鹿车轮，陷坚阵，败强敌。大黄参连弩大扶胥三十六乘，材土强弩矛戟为翼。“飞凫”、“电影”自副。飞凫赤茎白羽，以铜为首；电影青茎赤羽，以铁为首。昼则以绛缟，长六尺，广六寸，为“光耀”；夜则以白缟，长六尺，广六寸，为“流星”。陷坚阵，败步骑。大扶胥冲车三十六乘，螳螂武士共载，可以纵横，可以败敌。辎车骑寇，一名电车，兵法谓之电击。陷坚阵，败步骑寇夜来前。矛戟扶胥轻车一百六十乘，螳螂武土三人共载，兵法谓之霆击，陷坚阵，败步骑。方首铁掊维盼，重十二斤，柄长五尺以上，千二百枚，一名天掊。大柯斧，刃长八寸，重八斤，柄长五尺以上，千三百枚，一名天钺。方首铁槌，重八斤，柄长五尺以上，千二百枚，一名天槌。败步骑群寇。飞钩长八寸，钓芒长四寸，柄长六尺以上，千二百枚，以投其众。三军拒守，木螳螂剑刃扶胥，广二丈，有二十具，一名行马。平易地，以步兵败车骑。木蒺黎去地二尺五寸，有二十具，败步骑，要穷寇，遮走北。轴旋短冲予戟扶胥百二十具，黄帝所以败蚩尤氏。败步骑，要穷寇，遮走北。狭路、微径，张铁蒺藜。芒高四寸，广八寸，长六尺以上，千二百具，败步骑。突瞑来前促战，白刃接，张地罗，铺两镞蒺藜，参连织女，芒间相去二寸，万二千具。旷野草中，方胸鋋矛，千二百具，张鋋矛法，高一尺五寸。败步骑，要穷寇，遮走北。狭路、微径、地陷，铁械锁参连，百二十具。败步骑，要穷寇，遮走北。垒门拒守，矛、戟、小橹十二具，绞车连弩自副。
(待续)
[Back to Jiang Tai Gong Six Teachings - Tiger Teaching]