分塞令

Ordinance on Sector Defense

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分地守塞

Dividing Territory and Guarding Sectors

中軍、左、右、前、後軍，皆有分地，方之以行垣，而無通其交往。將有分地，帥有分地，伯有分地，皆營其溝域，而明其塞令。使非百人無得通。非其百人而入者，伯誅之；伯不誅，與之同罪。

The center, left, right, van, and rear divisions each have their assigned sector, bounded by running walls, with no passage between them. Generals have their assigned sectors, brigade commanders have their assigned sectors, and company commanders have their assigned sectors. Each camps within its ditched perimeter and enforces the sector defense ordinance strictly. No one may pass through unless belonging to that hundred-man company. If someone from another company enters, the company commander shall execute him. If the company commander fails to execute him, he shares the same crime.

Notes

1context

The five-division structure (中軍, 左, 右, 前, 後) was the standard Warring States army organization. The 分塞 system creates hermetically sealed sectors within the camp, preventing unauthorized movement and making infiltration by spies or saboteurs nearly impossible.

2context

The three-tier command hierarchy: 將 (jiang, general), 帥 (shuai, brigade commander), 伯 (bo, company commander of 100 men). Each level has territorial responsibility within the camp.

通行之法

Regulations for Movement and Passage

軍中縱橫之道，百有二十步而立一府柱，量人與地，柱道相望，禁行清道。非將吏之符節，不得通行。採薪芻牧者，皆成行伍；不成行伍者，不得通行。吏屬無節，士無伍者，橫門誅之。逾分乾地者，誅之。故內無乾令犯禁，則外無不獲之奸。

Along the longitudinal and lateral roads within the camp, a marker post is erected every 120 paces. The posts are spaced according to the terrain and manpower, positioned so that each post is within sight of the next. Movement is prohibited and the roads are kept clear. Without a general's or officer's tally-token, no one may pass.

Those gathering firewood, cutting fodder, or tending livestock must all move in formation. Those not in formation may not pass. Officers without tallies and soldiers without squad assignments shall be executed at the camp gate. Anyone who crosses into another sector or trespasses on assigned ground shall be executed.

Therefore when there are no violations of orders or prohibitions within, there will be no undetected treachery without.

Notes

3context

符節 (fu jie, tally-tokens) were split tokens used for identity verification. The general kept one half and issued the other to authorized personnel. This is the same authentication system used for civilian administration under the Qin legal code.

4context

120 paces (百二十步) is approximately 166 meters at the standard Warring States pace of ~1.38 meters. This spacing ensured visual contact between posts while providing adequate coverage of the camp road network.

Edition & Source

Text: 《尉繚子》 Weiliaozi
Edition: 中華古詩文古書籍網 transcription
Commentary: Traditional military commentaries