Chapter 15 3. Military Olympics

The Battle of Chengpu took place in 632 BC.On the Jin side, Duke Wen of Jin was present in person.On the Chu side, the commander-in-chief is Cheng Dechen (ziyu).Before the start of the war, Shuai Chu sent an envoy to declare the war. This is what he said: The warriors of our country, please play a gladiatorial game with the warriors of your country.Your Majesty can just sit in the car and watch, and your ministers are willing to accompany you.Jin Wengong sent an envoy to reply: "The virtuous king of our country has received the order of the commander-in-chief."The reason why the widowed monarch is stationed here is because he kept his promise back then, and he would retreat when encountering noble troops.That's all, how dare you resist the mighty teacher of your country?However, since our country has not received your army's truce order (in fact, war has been declared), I have no choice but to ask you, doctor (referring to the envoy of Chu State), to tell your soldiers to drive your chariots and be loyal to your state affairs. See you in the morning. 9

This is really a ceremony before a soldier, similar to a ball game. In fact, the Spring and Autumn War is more like competitive sports.Time, in principle, is only one day.For example, the battle of Chengpu just mentioned was only fought on the second day of April.On the third, fourth, and fifth day of junior high school, the victorious Jin army rested in place.After eating the food left by the Chu army, he set off to return home.The shortest war, even just one morning, is called "destroy this and eat in the face". 10 locations, generally on the national border.The national border is called "Jiang", so it is called "Battlefield".The national border is in the "field", so it is called "field battle".

Field warfare is not brutal, much less savage, and war must be declared in advance.To declare war, envoys must be sent, but the king or commander cannot appear in person.But the envoy declares war, but it must be in the name of the king or commander.The attitude is of course polite; the words used are also diplomatic rhetoric; the title is extremely particular.Undeclared war only existed in the Warring States Period.At that time, as Mencius said, it was "fighting for land, killing people to fill the wild; fighting for a city, killing people to fill the city." In the Spring and Autumn War, there was a lot of etiquette, and some even stopped to salute in the middle of the fight.In 575 BC (fifty-seven years after the Battle of Chengpu), during the Battle of Yanling between Jin, Chu and Yanling, Quezhi (Quezhi, pronounced as Que), a senior official of the 12 Jin Kingdom, encountered the King of Chu three times, and each time he had to get off his chariot and take off his clothes. Helmets, small strides, and respect.At this time, the king of Chu was the co-king, and he was equally courteous.He even sent an envoy with a bow to visit Chozhi.

The envoy said on behalf of the king of Chu: "At the height of the battle just now, there was a man in a light red uniform. What a gentleman!"When he sees a widow, he walks in small steps, will he be injured? But Zhi immediately took off his helmet and saluted: Great Your Majesty!Your humble foreign minister has come to follow our country's widowed king to participate in the battle, and thanks to the king's permission, he put on his armor.I am on official business, so I dare not thank you in person for your kind care.Please ask your envoy to tell your majesty that your subjects are in good health and are about to fight to the death with your army.

The two of them remained polite for a long time before bidding farewell and continuing to fight. Courtesy is more important than winning or losing. Talk about etiquette and talk about rules.The first rule is not to beheaded.Envoys are sacred and inviolable at all times, regardless of their position.Second, don't use obstacles.That is, instead of blocking the enemy in narrow places, we must fight decisively in open areas.Third, there is no drumming.That is, before the opponent's formation is set up, the other party cannot march with drums.Fourth, no serious injuries.That is, when fighting, the same person cannot be injured repeatedly.If the opponent is already injured, no matter where the injury is, you can't do it a second time, and you should let him go back for treatment.Fifth, do not catch Ermao.It's just that people with gray hair can't be captured, they should be allowed to go back to retire.Sixth, do not chase north.That is, when the enemy retreats, he cannot pursue him.You can also chase, but the limit is fifty steps.So in the Spring and Autumn Period, fifty steps can be laughed at by a hundred steps.Because running fifty steps is safe, why do you run a hundred steps?

So gentlemanly, comparable to the Olympics. When and who made these rules of the game?Not sure.Are they all strictly enforced?Not necessarily.But it is certain that these rules were completely destroyed during the Warring States Period.Because in the Warring States period, the purpose of war was to annex other countries, of course, to destroy the other party's vital forces, to kill people on a large scale without blinking, and to fight annihilation wars.In the Spring and Autumn Period, it was the opposite. The purpose of war, to put it nicely, was to maintain international order and maintain world peace.To put it harshly, it's nothing more than striving to be the boss of the rivers and lakes.The boss has to convince others with virtue and lead by example, so things can't be overdone.This kind of war is naturally arranged like a ball game, declared war like a treat, fighting like eating, fighting like a competition, gentle and elegant, fair play, at most gentle, courteous and thrifty.

9.For the matter, see "Zuo Zhuan·Xi Gong Twenty-eight Years".Retreating for three homes is a promise made by Duke Wen of Jin to King Cheng of Chu in 637 BC. 10.See "Zuo Zhuan The Second Year of Cheng Gong". 11.See "Mencius Li Loushang". 12.For the battle of Yanling, see "Zuo Zhuan Sixteen Years of Duke Cheng".