墨子 MOZI

The way of bringing peace to a state starts from the proper use of the land. If the land is properly used, achievement can be completed. If the land is not properly used, then regardless of labour, there is no achievement. People are also like this. If prior preparations are not made with respect to [military] equipment, there is no way to bring peace to those who must defend the city. If officers, soldiers and ordinary people are numerous but are not of one mind, the responsibility invariably lies with their leaders. In all cases, the carrying out of rewards and punishments and the bringing about of order must come from the king or duke. [He] must frequently send people to reward those who defend the frontiers and mountain passes and those who toil in guarding against barbarian invasion. He must ascertain whether the defensive leaders’ materiel is more than enough or not enough, whether the topography is suitable for frontier defence and whether their equipment and preparations are always adequate (many). If in the border districts and regions, they see that trees and wood are lacking, there is little to use. If the fields are not opened up, there is little to eat. If there are no large houses with grass roofs, there will be little to use for burning.

Make an inner battlement and an inner footbridge and place prepared utensils on top of them. Officers, soldiers and servants are all billeted inside the road on the wall, in each case appropriately divided according to their place of defence. Two servants are assigned to every ten men with one person to hold the tallies. This person is called the ‘servant officer’ and is responsible for guarding every gate. All those who guard the gates and those responsible for the prohibitions of defence should not let anyone linger or remain beside the gates. Those who do not follow orders are put to death. Further, when the enemy reaches [a city with] a 1,000 zhang wall, they must be met at the outer wall, this being to the defender’s benefit. In the case of a city with a wall less than 1,000 zhang, do not go to meet them but look at the deployment of the enemy forces and their number, and [then] meet them. This is the principal point of defending a city wall. For any situation not covered in this, in all cases look at it in the light of basic principles and human affairs.

In general, in guarding a city, the best option is to inflict damage on the enemy quickly, but the advantage of waiting until relief arrives should also be recognized in defence. Certainly, if these things can be done, then the defence can be successful.

In the methods of defence of a city, if the enemy is 100 li or more away, the general in command issues an order urgently summoning the [members of] the five offices and the leaders of a hundred men, as well as the kindred of rich men and important families to reside in official dwellings. He orders trustworthy men to defend and guard them for reasons of caution about secrecy.

When the enemy makes an ‘ant approach’ (massed infantry assault) against the city, the defending general must have not less than 300 men in his camp, while the generals of the four sides and the four gates must choose officers of meritorious service and followers prepared to serve to the death, these numbering 100 men [for each general]. The gate generals collectively defend the other gates. Above the gates high towers should be built and skilled archers dispatched to them to take up positions. The outer battlements and the earthen wall should have one man for defence. Send the sons of important houses. Every 50 bu, have one tower.

On the basis of the neighbourhoods within the city, eight divisions (wards) are created with one officer for each division. Each officer has four assistants with whom to patrol the streets within the neighbourhood. Old and young people in the neighbourhoods don’t take part in the actual business of defence, or in the planning. Four divisions are made in a neighbourhood, with one leader for each division to look into comings and goings that are at inappropriate times or are for other strange or nefarious purposes. Officers from the four assistants upwards who have defensive responsibilities must be given reliable tallies by the commander-in-chief (Great General), and when he sends them out on defensive business, they should carry these reliable tallies. In the case of these tallies not corresponding or calls not eliciting a matching response, military officers from leaders of a hundred men upwards at once stop them and let the commander-in-chief hear of it. Those who should stop them but don’t and assistants to the officers who let them go are all put to death. In the case of all those who commit a crime meriting the death penalty or more, all their parents, wives, children and siblings are implicated.

Among the adult men who are defenders on the wall, in a file of ten, six should have crossbows and four should have other weapons. In the case of adult women and the old and young, there should be one spear for each person.

If an urgent situation suddenly arises, the centre army rapidly strikes the drum three times. Then all people must refrain from moving about along the road on the wall and in the lanes and streets in the neighbourhoods. Those who do move about are put to death. When [men] and women go towards the main army, the order is given to those moving for men to walk on the left and women to walk on the right, and for them not to walk together. [In this way,] all go to their defensive [positions]. Anyone who does not follow the order is put to death. Those who leave their defensive positions have their corpses displayed for three days – this being used as a warning against treachery. The leaders of the neighbourhoods and all those with defensive responsibilities live [adjacent to] the neighbourhood gates. The leader personally opens the gate to admit an officer. He then accompanies him in inspecting the areas of defensive responsibility of the elders right up to the narrow lanes and secluded places where no one lives.

What treacherous people plan is to collaborate [with the enemy] outside. It is a crime [that warrants] pulling apart by chariots. Leaders and elders, as well as officers in charge of divisions, who fail [to apprehend such people] are all put to death. If they do apprehend them, they are free of guilt and are also rewarded with gold [to the amount of] 2 yi (i.e. 40 taels) per person. The commander-in-chief sends trustworthy men to walk around the defensive areas. On long nights, there are five tours of inspection and on short nights, there are three tours of inspection. Also, the officers on the four sides all personally walk around their defensive areas like the walking around of the commander-in-chief. Those who do not comply with the order are executed.

Protective screens must be made for all furnaces. Chimneys should be high and extend 4 chi above the building. Care must be taken not to lose [control of] a fire. Those who lose [control of] a fire are put to death. Those who deliberately lose [control of] a fire to create disorder are pulled apart by chariots. Five-man squads that do not apprehend [such people] are put to death. If they do apprehend [them], they are free from blame. Those who go to put out the fire dare not make a noise or clamour, while those who leave their defensive posts and obstruct the laneways [being used] for fire relief are put to death. The leaders, as well as elders and officers, who have defensive responsibilities for the division containing these laneways all involve themselves in putting the fire out. The officer for the division quickly orders men to inform the commander-in-chief. The commander-in-chief sends trustworthy men from the left and right to put out the fire. Division officers who fail to report it are put to death. In all cases, women who commit crimes warranting the death penalty, as well as those who lose [control of] a fire, even if they cause no harm, right up to those who use fires to bring about disorder, are all treated according to the law. These are important prohibitions for a besieged city.

(Important prohibitions for a besieged city:) When the enemy suddenly arrives, strict orders are given to officers and people that none must dare to make a noise or clamour, to gather in groups of three, to walk together, to watch each other, to sit silently weeping and allowing tears to flow, to raise their hands and question each other, to point at each other, to call to each other, to signal to each other, to follow each other’s footsteps, to throw things at each other, to strike each other, to touch each other’s persons or clothing, to blame and refute, to argue and talk, or to watch the enemy’s actions and movements without orders [to do so]. [Those who do these things] are put to death. If a five-man squad does not apprehend them, they are put to death. If they do apprehend them, they are free from blame. If a five-man squad [member] scales the wall and goes over to the enemy and [the other members] of the squad don’t apprehend him, they are put to death. If the leader of a hundred men goes over to the enemy, the regimental leader is put to death. If the regimental leader goes over to the enemy, the regimental general is put to death. In the case of those defecting to the enemy, parents, wives, children and siblings are all torn apart by chariots. Those who report on these matters before the event are free from blame. Those who leave their positions at the time of facing the enemy are put to death. Five-man squads that do not apprehend them are put to death. Those that do apprehend them are absolved from blame.

When a fierce battle has raged at the battle line and the enemy has been repulsed and driven down the wall and is unable to scale it again, two men are chosen from every regiment and rewarded with an increased salary. If a siege is defeated where the wall is greater than 1 li in circumference, the general in charge is enfeoffed with 30 li of land and made a guannei hou (Marquis of Guan’nei). The deputy general is rewarded with the title of shangqing (senior minister) and deputies and officers according to their roles, bestowing on them the rank of wudafu (grandee of the ninth order). In the case of other officers who are brave and take part in the planning of a strong defence, knights errant as well as officers on the wall and lesser officers of various ranks from the five departments, all are rewarded with the title of gongcheng (grandee of the eighth order). In the case of men who took part in the defence, increase their rank by two grades. In the case of women [who took part in the defence], reward them with 5,000 cash (copper coins). In the case of men and women, both old and young, who did not take part in the defence, give each person 1,000 cash (copper coins) and remit their taxes for three years, so they pay nothing, neither rent nor goods taxes. This is the way to encourage officers and people to be strong in the defence of a besieged city.

The officers and men responsible for the great gate are under the charge of no more than two men. The brave and daring are in the front line. The five-man squads are responsible for each other; each squad is ordered to know those on the left and right, and those to the front and rear. Those who leave their posts without permission are put to death. The commandant of the gate makes three inspections during the day and one at night after the drum has sounded and the gate has been closed. The Defender frequently deputes men to make an inspection and to inform those above of men who have left their posts. All meals are taken inside the dwelling place and not outside. In respect to internuncios, shield-bearers, purifiers and women who serve at the front, the Defender must carefully and closely examine the nature of their intentions, expressions, assignments and conversations. When superiors drink and eat, they must order people to taste [the food first]. All those who do not comply are bound and asked for their reasons. If there is something which displeases the Defender in respect to internuncios, shield-bearers, purifiers and women serving at the front and the Defender says to beat and bind them, those who do not follow the order or who bind them later, are all put to death. He must frequently and plainly warn them. In the case of all those beneath the gate, morning or evening, sitting or standing, each is ordered to place himself according to age and seniority. In the morning and evening, when they take up positions, first place to the right those with merit and ability. All the rest are to stand according to rank. Every five days each officer reports to his superior any cases of someone larking about, or not taking a serious attitude, or taking pleasure in ridiculing or harassing others.

All men and officers who are sent out and return must be ordered to present some form of identification when they go out and come back. If a senior officer of the defence makes an inspection tour of the district, he must send a reliable man beforehand to check that the circumstances at the garrison are satisfactory. Subsequently, his own man and the garrison commander can come out to meet him. When they have informed him of conditions, they can all enter. Attendants must constantly observe the intentions of those above them and follow them when they go forth – but only their own superiors. They must not follow others unless ordered to do so by their superior.

‘Guest’ troops [can assist] the defence of the ‘host’ troops, but when they are participating in defence, the ‘host’ troops should also defend the ‘guest’ troops. In the case of troops within a city whose own troops have already fallen to the enemy, great care should be taken, frequently checking their register. Those from the same town are not allowed to defend the same place together. Those officers in charge of stairs and gates should examine their [identification] tallies and if there is correspondence, they should enter and be accepted. If their [identification] tallies don’t correspond, they are seized and the Defender informed. In the case of those on the wall, if their attire arouses suspicion or they don’t follow orders, [then they too are seized and reported to the Defender].

The night drum should be within the main gate of the Defender. In the evening, the order is given for a cavalryman or messenger carrying an identification tally to close the city gate; in either case it must be a person of rank. At dusk, the drum is struck ten times and the gates and pavilions are all closed. Those walking about are put to death, [but first] they must be bound and questioned as to their reasons. Then the punishment is carried out. When daylight is seen, the great drum [is struck] and this allows people to move about. Each of the officers of the city gates enters and requests the key to open the gate. Immediately this is done, they return the key. Those who hold [identification] tallies do not follow this order. When an enemy comes, the tower drums [are struck] five times and also drums are struck all around. Various small drums then respond to this. Those who join the army after the small drums have sounded five times are punished. Commands must be sufficiently fear-inducing and rewards must be sufficiently beneficial. Orders must be carried out. Once orders are issued, people must follow them at once. Be on the lookout for orders that can be carried out not being carried out.

Passwords: at night there are passwords. Omission of the password is punished. Create regulations pertaining to defence preparations and publish them, saying, ‘such and such a regulation’. Display them publicly in offices, streets, lanes, stairways and gates, and order those going to and fro to look at them and know them. All officers, soldiers and ordinary people who make plans to kill or injure their general or leader, as well as those who have plans to rebel, [are guilty of] the same crime. Those who are able to seize them and inform on them are rewarded with 20 jin of yellow gold and the perpetrators are punished severely. Those who take upon themselves activities that are not their responsibility, for example those who take it upon themselves to control things that it is not their proper place to control, are put to death. All officers, soldiers and ordinary people who take it upon themselves to enter other divisions that are not their own divisions are immediately detained and handed over to the sikong (Minister of Works) or hou (an attendant) of their division and the hou informs the Defender. Those who do not detain [such people] or who take it upon themselves to release them are put to death. In the case of those who are able to seize one person who is planning to rebel, betray the city or scale the wall to go over to the enemy, use the laws to commute the death penalty for two men or hard labour for four men. In the case of those who go over the wall abandoning their parents, the parents, wives, children [and siblings of those absconding, are all put to death].

Bring out all the materials from people’s houses – tiles or large stones – reckon up the quantity and record the size. If [material] that should be brought out is not brought out, the officer is at fault. All the soldiers and people positioned on the wall in each case protect those to their left and right. If those to the left or right are guilty of a crime and they don’t know about it, then the next five-man squad is guilty of a crime. If someone is personally able to apprehend a criminal or report him to an officer, in all cases reward him. If someone is not in a five-man squad but knows beforehand of another five-man-squad’s crime, in all cases double his reward.

Outside the wall is the Director’s responsibility; inside the wall is the Defender’s responsibility. If those under the Director, his assistants and the commandant abscond, they are held responsible. If the number of those absconding is a full ten men or more, then the punishment for each is to be downgraded two ranks. If the number is one hundred men or more, the Director, his assistants and the commandant are reduced to the ranks. In all cases they can atone for their crime, but to do so they must capture a number of the enemy equal to the number of men they have lost. Then they are pardoned.

In calling for people who wish to use materials, cloth or grain to trade or exchange for various utensils, they should be given a fair price. If townspeople who are friends, or older or younger brothers commit a crime, even if it is not in the same district, and they wish to use husked or unhusked grain, gold or money, cloth or silk, or other materials to atone for it, order that they be allowed to do so. For transmitting messages, there should be one person every 10 bu. Those who delay a message or fail to transmit it are put to death. All matters that may be advantageous are quickly transmitted to the Defender as messages. Officers, soldiers and ordinary people who wish to convey something quickly should make a transmission of the message [by] asking an officer. Those who delay or do not request a message [to be sent] are put to death.

Each district reports [to those] above the number of its heroes, strategic advisers, senior officials and rich households.

Officers, soldiers and people in government offices below the wall protect those to the front and rear, and those to the left and right from fire. If a fire starts spontaneously, those who spread it to others are put to death. All those who use the many and strong to oppress the weak and few, as well as those who rape other men’s wives or daughters, so creating a great clamour, are put to death.

At all city gates and posts, care is taken to examine the tallies of those coming and going. If a tally is doubtful or there is no tally, then in all cases the person goes to the district court and is questioned about what he was sent for. Those who have satisfactory tallies are accommodated well in government buildings. If they have friends or brothers whom they wish to see, they are sent for, but they (the tally holders) are not allowed within the streets and lanes. In the case of someone who has a question to ask of the elder or the gate guard, it is possible to allow the elder’s steward to transmit it. In the case of other matters or of people of lowly rank, they are not allowed to enter the streets or lanes. Elders are not allowed to go to the houses of the ordinary people. Messages and orders within the wards are by feathers; the feathers are kept in the elder’s office. The head of each household is responsible for orders within the dwelling. Those who fail to carry out or who delay the orders are put to death. Households have a defender in charge of provisions. Officers, soldiers and ordinary people who are without tallies but take it upon themselves to enter the lanes and offices of a ward, and officers, elders and gate guards who fail to stop and interrogate them, are all put to death.

All those who steal defensive implements and weapons, or materials, or steal from others are put to death, if the value is one cash (copper coin) or above. Officers, soldiers and ordinary people should each write their names in large writing on a placard within their offices (barracks). The Defender inspects their offices (barracks) and those who have entered on their own responsibility are put to death. On the wall, every day there is an issue of mats which allows them to be exchanged and reissued. If there is concealment of prohibited items or failure to report such concealment, offenders are put to death.

In the case of an officer, soldier or ordinary person dying, immediately summon their relatives who, with the deputy sikong, bury them. Do not let [the family members] sit around weeping. In the case of those who are badly wounded, let them return home to heal the wound and be well looked after. Provide a doctor who gives medicines. Give them 2 sheng of wine and 2 jin of meat per day. Order an officer to go repeatedly to their village to see if the wound has healed. [If it has,] he immediately notifies those above. In the case of those who falsely wound themselves to avoid their service, put the whole family to death. When the battle is over, the Defender sends officers to go in person to approach the families of the dead and wounded and to go to their houses to offer condolences and express sympathy.

When the enemy has withdrawn and the battle is over, offer a sacrifice repaying the spirits for their blessing and assistance. The Defender gives the order to reward heroes of the districts who fought valiantly and all those with merit. He himself must go to the families of the dead and wounded to offer condolences and express sympathy to them and personally to see the surviving relatives of the dead. When the siege of the city has ended, the Chief quickly sends out messengers to give recognition to officers and men, picking out those with merit, as well as those who have died or been wounded, and bestowing on them rank and salary. The Defender himself honours and favours them, making it clear that he values them. This lets resentment be directed towards the enemy.

On the wall, soldiers and officers each protect those to their left and right. If there is someone who wishes to collude with [the enemy] outside the wall, his parents, wife, children and siblings are all put to death. Those to the left or right who know [of his plans] but do not seize and denounce him are all guilty of the same crime. Families in the wards below the wall should all protect each other, just like those on the wall. Anyone who is able to seize or denounce [a traitor] should be enfeoffed with a district of one thousand households. If [the traitor] they seize is not to the left or right, but is in another five-man squad, enfeoff them with a district of two thousand households.

Wall Prohibitions: officers, soldiers and ordinary people who imitate the enemy’s identification tallies and banners are executed. Those who don’t follow orders are executed. Those who take it upon themselves to issue orders are executed. Those who neglect orders are executed. Those who prop up their halberds, lean against the wall and don’t go with the majority are executed. Those who don’t answer or recklessly call are executed. Those who set free those who have committed a crime are executed. Those who praise the enemy and spread slander inside the wall are executed. Those who leave their post and gather to talk are executed. Those who hear the city drum sound five times and are late going to their post are executed. Everyone must write their own name in large writing on a placard which is hung at their post. The Defender must personally inspect the front and rear of his post, and those who are not at that post or have recklessly entered it are executed. Those who leave their post to the left or right and together enter another post, and those to the left or right who don’t seize [them], as well as those who carry private letters, make requests or bear letters for others, or who set aside defensive matters to attend to private matters, or soldiers or ordinary people who steal each other’s houses or children, are all to be executed without [possibility of] pardon. People who bring reports are to be recorded [in a register]. Those who pass randomly within the army but have no tally are executed. When the enemy is beneath the wall, [those soldiers on the wall] must, at the appropriate times, change their posts but their support personnel should not change.

Praising the enemy: [those who] take few to be many, disorder to be order or a clumsy enemy attack to be a clever attack are put to death. There should be no verbal exchanges between the enemy and the defenders. If the enemy shoots in letters, they should not be picked up. If [enemies] outside display their skills to [the defenders] within, there should be no response. Those who don’t follow these orders are all put to death. It is forbidden to pick up letters shot in by the enemy or to shoot letters at the enemy. In the case of those who transgress the orders, their parents, wives and children are put to death and their bodies exposed on the wall. Those who are able to seize and denounce them are rewarded with 20 jin of gold. Those who can move about at prohibited times are only the Defender, those carrying the tallies of the Grand Defender and messengers.

When the Defender takes responsibility for the defence of the city, he must carefully question elders, officers and great officers about all those who have unresolved grievances or enmities with one another. He should summon such people and definitively resolve [their disputes] for them. He must personally identify such people, make a record of them and keep them apart. In the case of those whose personal grievances harm the affairs of the city or its officers, their parents, wives and children are all put to death. Those who collude with [the enemy] outside are to have all their family [put to death]. Those who are able to capture, seize or denounce such people are to be enfeoffed with a city the size of that which is being defended. The Defender gives them his seal, confers honours and favours on them, and gives them an official position, letting officers and great officers, as well as soldiers and people, all clearly know about it. In the case of local worthies who have frequent intercourse with feudal lords outside, [the Defender] should visit them often, order the local leader to get to know them well and keep an eye on them. He should also frequently entertain them and invite them to dine [with him] so as not to let them come and go as they please. [He should also] bind them to him by holding hostages. In the case of leaders of the districts and wards, elders and local worthies, their relatives, parents, wives and children must be honoured and favoured. If there are poor people who are unable to provide themselves with food, those above should give them food. In addition, at appropriate times the parents, relatives, wives and children of brave knights are all to be given wine and meat. He (the Defender) must show them respect and they must be quartered near the Grand Defender. The Defender’s tower should be adjacent to the hostage quarters and be skilfully encircled. It must be a thickly plastered tower which does not let those below see what is above, whereas those above should be able to see what is below. Those below do not then know whether there are people above or not.

For those who are close to him, the Defender should pick officers who are honest and incorruptible, loyal and reliable, impartial, and able to meet their responsibilities. There is no need to prohibit drink and food, [such as] wine and meat. Each is to guard his own cash and gold, cloth and silk, and material things, taking care that there is no stealing from each other. The walls of the buildings housing the hostages must be three in number. On the tops of the walls, those defending pile up broken fragments of pots. On the gates there are officers who are in charge of all the gates of the wards. In closing and locking the gates, they must wait for the Grand Defender’s tally. For the protecting guard, [the Defender] must select warlike soldiers who are particularly reliable. There must be careful selection of officers who are loyal and reliable, impartial, and able to meet their responsibilities.

Order those guarding the general to build themselves surrounding walls 10 chi high. In the case of those on the large and small gates, order them to guard the commander’s gate as well.

Those who ‘watch the vapours’ must be quartered near the Grand Defender, while the shamans must be quartered near the public altars of soil. They must be respected and treated as spirits. The shamans, prayermakers, recorders and those who ‘watch the vapours’ must use favourable words to inform the people but must report the true situation to the Defender. The Defender alone should know the true state of affairs and that is all. Shamans and vapour-watchers if they self-importantly spread bad news to startle and frighten the people, are executed without possibility of pardon.

If it is calculated that food will be insufficient, each person should make known how much he has, recording for a family the amount of the five grains in dan and sheng. A fixed time is set for this. Record [the results] in a register along with the various goods and materials that officers give in compensation. When the time limit is reached, in the cases of those who have hidden [food] and have not made it known or who have made it known but incompletely, order officers and soldiers to make observations and apprehend [them]. All [who have done this] are executed. Those who are able to seize and denounce [offenders] are rewarded with three-tenths [of the grain]. Collect unhusked and husked grain, cloth and silk, cash and gold, and locate and gather domestic animals. In all cases, value them at a fair price, give [the people] a contract with the chief and record it. When the siege is over, repay each person, rewarding him with double the price. Also use the price, value and amount to confer rank. In the case of those who wish to become officers, let them do so. In the case of those who do not wish to become officers but wish to receive reward, rank or emolument, or who wish to redeem relatives or acquaintances who have committed a crime, order that they be permitted to do so. In the case of those who have received rewards, let them visit the hostage quarters and hand over their relatives [to them]. In the case of all those who wish to assist their superiors again, double their ranks and rewards. [In the record there should be,] for a certain district, ward or individual family with two mouths to feed, a pile of grain of 600 dan; and for a certain district, ward or individual family with ten mouths to feed, a pile of grain of 100 dan. For bringing out the unhusked and husked grain have a time limit. When the time limit has passed, any grain that is not brought out is confiscated. Those who are able to seize or denounce [offenders] are rewarded with three-tenths [of the grain]. Be careful not to let the people know the amount of unhusked and husked grain.

When the Defender enters the city, the first thing he does is acquire scouts (spies). Having acquired them, he immediately quarters them and provides food for them. He does not let them know about the preparations for defence. The scouts are given separate quarters and their parents, wives and children all share these same quarters. They are given clothing and food, wine and meat. Send a trustworthy officer to look after them well. When the scouts come back again, they are questioned. The Defender’s dwelling should have three encircling walls. Towers are built at the corners of the outer encircling wall. [Also,] towers are built on the inner encircling wall which are 1 zhang 5 chi [high] where they enter the hostage quarters. And make a double road. The hostage quarters should not have [separate] apartments. Every three days there should be an issue of mats. Closely inspect them and spread rushes in the dwelling to a thickness of 3 chi or greater. In sending out scouts, knights of the districts and fiefs who are loyal and trustworthy, skilled and honest must be sent. Their close relatives, wives and children are to be substantially rewarded with money and property. It is certainly important, when sending out scouts, to take care of their parents or wives and children and make separate quarters for them, so they are not in the same place as [other] officers. Give them wine and meat as food.

When [the Defender] sends out other scouts (spies), they are rewarded materially as for the previous scouts. When they return, compare their reliability. If it is sound, reward them. If three lots of scouts are sent out and all three are reliable, double the reward. In the case of those who don’t wish to receive rewards, but wish to become officers, promise them an official position of 200 dan. The Defender confers on them a seal. In the case of those who don’t wish to become officers but wish to receive rewards and salaries, treat them all as previously indicated. Reward those who are able to penetrate deeply into enemy territory twice as much as the other scouts, once assured of the veracity of their reports. If they don’t wish to receive rewards but wish to become officers, promise them an official position of 300 dan. In the case of those knights who are rewarded for guarding the wall and moat, the Defender must personally visit their parents to let it be seen how much he respects such men. In the case of those who wish to assist their superiors again, the rewards in terms of rank, emolument and the opportunity to redeem those who have transgressed are doubled.

The scouts should set up flags on high and suitable places not more than 10 li [from the wall]. Each flag should have three men to guard it. Extending back to the wall, there should be three flags, so there can be communication between the beacon towers on the wall and the positions of the flags. In the daytime, this is by smoke. At night, it is by fire. When it is heard where the enemy is coming from, and the formation and inevitability of attack are known, give consideration to the small cities that cannot defend themselves. Completely protect those who are old and weak, the millet and rice, and the domestic animals. Send out not more than fifty soldiers and scouts (spies) but when the enemy reaches the parapet, withdraw them. Take care there is no delay. The group of scouts should not exceed three hundred men. In the evening, send them out carrying some identification. In the case of empty places, wild but strategically important places where people come and go, the scouts are to follow their tracks and establish their whereabouts. There should be not less than three men per ward. As soon as it is light, send them out to track. Each [scout] sets up his signal and those on the wall respond to him. The advance guard should sit both inside and outside the outer wall and also set up a signal. One half of the advance guard must be allowed to remain stationed within the outer wall, so the enemy has no way of knowing their number. If there is an alarm and the enemy is seen to have advanced beyond the signal in the field, those on the wall raise a flag to make known the enemy’s movements. When the enemy is seen, one beacon is raised. When the enemy enters the region, two beacons are raised. When the enemy approaches the outer wall, three beacons are raised. When the enemy enters the outer wall, four beacons are raised. When the enemy approaches the inner wall, five beacons are raised. At night, fire is used; in all cases the numbers are the same.

For a distance of 100 bu from the outer wall, high and low walls as well as trees and timber both large and small should be cut down and removed completely. The wells of private dwellings outside [the wall] should be filled in completely, so water cannot be drawn from them. Private dwellings outside the wall should be destroyed completely and trees completely cut down. Anything that might be used in attacking the city is taken inside the wall. Let each person have a record of what is his. When the attack is over, each person can use the record to reclaim what is his. The officers making the bonds should write down the number of items. If there are trees and timber facing the road that cannot be completely brought within [the wall], burn them so as not to let the enemy get hold of them and use them.

People should write [their names] in person in large writing on boards and display them at their posts (offices). The authorities should issue a proclamation in relation to military discipline that anyone who indulges in licentious behaviour will have his ears pierced with an arrow. Arrogant and self-important people who deceive upright people, make a continuous clamour, stop many people on the roads preventing them from going about their normal business or causing them to delay it to an inappropriate time without informing their superiors are to have their ears pierced with an arrow. Those who shout out and frighten the people are punished by death. Those who condemn their superiors without remonstrating with them or who unrestrainedly indulge in evil words are punished by death. No one in the army should dare to have musical instruments or [the game] weiqi. Those who do are to have their ears pierced with an arrow. No one should dare to gallop a cart or run on foot without an order from an officer. Those who do are to have their ears pierced with an arrow. No one in the army should dare to scatter oxen or horses. Those who do are to have their ears pierced with an arrow. Those who drink or eat at inappropriate times are to have their ears pierced with an arrow. No one in the army should dare to sing or wail. Those who do are to have their ears pierced with an arrow. Let each person in charge of punishments complete the death penalty [where appropriate]. If there is an officer who sees a crime but does not report it, he should receive the same punishment. Or if he lets [the perpetrator] escape, he should also be put to death. In all cases, generals and leaders who fight with the ordinary people in disregard of the laws are put to death. In all cases, supervisors who do not send knights, soldiers, officers and people to hear the oath of command are to suffer the punishment in their stead. In all cases, people are put to death in the marketplace and their corpses exposed for three days.

The guards in attendance outside the gate of the defence headquarters should be in two groups sitting on either side of the gate. They are to take turns in eating so as not to leave [the gate] unattended. The guards at the gate are to select one leader who, at appropriate times, enters and informs the Defender of conditions. The Defender examines the list of those who have absconded and makes the guard and their leader responsible for seeking out the absentees and reporting them. Four men are to sit on either side of the defence headquarters gate within, and two men are to sit outside the san (?exit) gate on either side. When visitors are seen, they are to take hold of their weapons and stand in front [of the gate]. They are to take their meals in turns and are to announce the names [of the visitors] to their superiors.

A high tower should be built below the Defender’s hall. When those on watch look out and see carriages, horsemen or foot soldiers approaching along the road outside, as well as anything out of the ordinary inside the wall, they immediately report this to the Defender. The Defender waits for those on lookout on the wall, as well as the district officers, to come and inform him of the circumstances in order to verify them. Those men below the tower are to receive the reports of the lookouts and announce them to the Defender.

For the connecting roads that surround the Defender’s dwelling, build a narrow road with a wall on each of its two sides to a height of 1 zhang and make observation holes[, so that those on the wall can look into the hostage quarters]. When wooden tablets with writing are obtained, they must be carefully examined and verified. If there are places where they are not satisfactory, then they are not for the moment passed on, pending correction. The walls on the narrow road outside the thoroughfares both have towers high enough to overlook the wards. On [each] tower there is one drum and a portable furnace. Then if there is some reason, the drum [is sounded]. When the officer arrives, this stops. At night, fire is used to indicate where the drum is. Below the wall there should be one latrine every 50 bu. The latrines should be the same on and below the wall. Those who have committed crimes but are not to be put to death are sent to clean out the latrines as a punishment.