Among the popular costume dramas in recent years, Qing Dynasty dramas are loved by the audience because of their profound historical heritage and gripping plots. Whether it is the classics of old dramas year after year or the endless innovation of new dramas, they have successfully captured the hearts of the current audience.
In Qing court dramas, a common role is a soldier. Although these soldiers have similar images and wear uniform uniforms, they often have a big "soldier" engraved on their chests to show their military rank.
However, those who observe carefully may find that some creeps do not only have the word "soldier" on their chests, but also may have three words such as "ding", "brave", and "pawn". This aroused the curiosity of the audience, why the official uniforms are not uniform, and the soldiers are divided into these four different types, what is the difference?
In 1644, Li Zicheng invaded Beijing, and the Ming Dynasty fell. The Qing rulers, in an attempt to consolidate the rule of the new dynasty, began to recruit regular troops from outside the Guanxi region on a large scale to maintain stability on the frontier, and these soldiers were collectively known as the "Green Battalion Soldiers", along with the Manchurian Eight Banners, the two main forces of the Qing Dynasty.
Compared with those Eight Banners Praetorian Guards who were born in the noble families of the banner people, the Green Battalion was born at a lower level. Most of them come from ordinary peasant families in the Guanzhong area, grew up on the yellow earth, and endured the invasion of wind and sand year after year. In a desperate living environment, they can't see a little hope, and joining the Green Battalion is a rare opportunity for them to change their fate.
After rigorous selection and training, these young men have lost the frizziness and arrogance of peasant boys and grown into real warriors. They learned to work as a team and learned the importance of following orders. Under the uniform, it is no longer the boy who can only pick wild vegetables and herd cattle, but instead a warrior who is loyal to the country. They were not only well-trained and brave in battle, but more importantly, strict military discipline, which made the Qing army's combat effectiveness even better.
On the battlefield, the Green Battalion is often the main force for a frontal breakthrough. In the face of the invasion of the increasingly powerful Russian Empire, it was the heroic and stubborn resistance of the Green Battalion that defended the security of the homeland. In the baptism of blood and fire, they successfully guarded the rivers and mountains of the motherland. In the face of such a huge peasant rebel army as the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the same green battalion soldiers have been fighting with it for many years. Even after the other brave men saw their comrades fall one by one, the green battalion soldiers still gritted their teeth and did not retreat.
While giving obvious preferential treatment, the Qing court also strictly required the green battalion soldiers to be strict in their work style. The most typical event of this was the "Babu Sea Mutiny" that occurred in 1755. That year, a junior officer in the Green Battalion angered the soldiers, and the soldiers killed the officers in a fit of rage, which ensued a riot. The officers had hoped that the incident would have subsided, but the soldiers involved were still emotional. No one noticed that one of the soldiers was holding a dangling knife in his hand.
In the end, the soldiers of ** were almost completely wiped out. This incident directly led to a major change in the green camp system. At that time, many soldiers did not participate, but they were purged because they took responsibility. This also made the recruits who served in the Green Battalion fearful, and the military discipline and style became stricter. In the painful lesson of blood, the invincible iron army of the Qing Dynasty was forged.
The Green Battalion soldiers are not only heroes on the battlefield, but also enjoy pensions to spend their old age after being discharged from the army. The Qing court established a large number of soldiers and horses throughout the country, and allocated special funds every year to support the lives of veterans. These divisions are grand and extraordinary, with entertainment facilities and free room and board. Retired veterans spend the rest of their lives here, no longer worrying about tomorrow.
Although these retired veterans have big and small scars on their bodies, their faces are full of indescribable pride - they are the pillars of this country!
Unlike the proud soldiers of the sky, those soldiers with the word "brave" embroidered on their chests have a much more tragic fate. Because they are the so-called "village warriors" - that is, the militia cannon fodder who are temporarily recruited to fill the numbers.
The main thing in Xiangyong is the countryside, and the living conditions of farmers can be imagined. The vast majority of them are illiterate, and they live a precarious life by farming and herding cattle. The family has little land, how can they feed the family if they don't have enough to eat?
When war came, the imperial court would temporarily levy more soldiers. So the officials from all over the country simply grabbed Ding directly from the village. As long as it is a strong young man, all men must be enlisted. As a result, families who were already struggling to make ends meet were miserable because they lost their main labor force.
It is impossible for these improvised Xiangyong to be systematically trained, let alone strong in martial arts. Some of them were touching a gun for the first time, leaving their hometown for the first time, and they couldn't help but sigh that they were like caged birds. Some people didn't even have guns, so they had to bring their own farm tools to charge. In the face of the roaring artillery fire, they were at a loss.
A group of peasants who have just come out of the soil, facing the cruel life-and-death struggle on the battlefield, the strength of the enemy and the enemy can be imagined. Watching their comrades fall one by one, they understood that the odds of victory were slim. But an order is an order, and no matter what, these villagers still have to rush to the line of fire in the name of cannon fodder. Some people are vigilant, some are insensitive, and more importantly, the longing for their families supports them to move forward.
After the bloody storm, the needs of the imperial court were also satisfied. They don't need to sign a contract, and naturally they don't get any pension. They can only return to their hometown with their pain and redevote themselves to the toiling rural life. Those brief combat experiences were quickly overwhelmed by the suffering realities of life.
Of course, there are also those who fall into the dirt of a foreign land and no longer have a chance to return home. Their families looked at the empty beds and the upside-down chopsticks, and their hearts were twisted like knives – their children, their husbands, disappeared without a trace with the sound of a trumpet.
The pawns who are in charge of patrolling and surveillance, their lives are not very good. Theoretically, they don't need to go to the front line to die, and their work is just daily patrols inside and outside the city, which seems to be relatively easy.
However, this is not the case. Take the jailers as an example, their annual income is only 6 taels**, which is only enough to make ends meet. You must know that at that time, prices were skyrocketing, and this money was not enough to support the family. It costs a lot of money for a family to eat. What's more, there are also expenses such as rent, daily use, medicine expenses, etc., 6 taels ** is a drop in the bucket.
As a result, the jailers began to use their meager power to extort money from prisoners and civilians. The imposition of high prison and prison fees has become commonplace. The inmates also restricted the inmates' diet and daily life, and strictly controlled the inmates' every move. Sometimes there is even the threat of lynching, and as long as the "protection money" is paid, they can be treated humanely.
The means of accumulating wealth by the yamen guards are also endless. For example, deliberately making things difficult for the clerk, forcing the collection of various miscellaneous fees, and sometimes even deliberately delaying the process. Only parties who are willing to "dot" can be given priority. The people were miserable, but the government was unmoved.
In fact, these city guards did not want to fall. But at a time when prices were soaring and they were corrupt, they really couldn't support their families with their meager income. These officers and soldiers, who are supposed to uphold justice, can only struggle to survive between greed and conscience.
Under the giant tree of the Qing Dynasty, the most difficult state of survival was none other than the D-class soldiers. This kind of character is mainly responsible for trivial chores such as transporting grain and grass, transmitting military information, and to put it bluntly, he is the lowest level of miscellaneous servants in the imperial court.
They have neither systematic military training nor direct participation in combat. Usually the only job is to serve tea and water, run errands and make calls. The main task is to ensure logistics, but the transportation of military rations is a difficult task. The distance was long and the supplies were heavy, so they ran on both sides of the official road every day, and sometimes even had to brave the scorching heat and cold to complete the mission.
The main background of these Ding is also from the bottom of society, either some ethnic minorities with a very low level of education, or some of the lowest level of peasants, urban poor and displaced people. In short, he is the lowest servant in the court. Despite the hardships of life, their status never seemed to rise.
But these people don't let that make them honest. On the contrary, they are extremely shrewd** and always make money from their work. For example, deliberately overreporting arms procurement** and falsely reporting transportation losses to profit from themSometimes, some materials are smuggled directly from the warehouse and sold privately.
These Ding are clever and tried and tested. Even some normal charging items, they can change their ways to make money from them. If merchants from all over the country want to pass the checkpoint, they must give these dings a little sweetness, otherwise the transportation certificate will not be able to be done at all.
It can be said that in this weak and decaying feudal dynasty, the ones who are really clever and capable and do everything are these Dings. It was their patience and wisdom and their unyielding spirit that allowed this dying dynasty to be reluctantly extended for a few breaths.
So you see, fate is never absolutely fair. Even soldiers from the same dynasty, even if there is only one word difference in the name, the final outcome can be so different.
Life is between a roll call and a lottery. The path before you seems to be up to you. Family, talent, opportunities, all kinds of powerful forces that are powerful in you push you forward or backward. In your life, can you meet that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take away the delicate cheeks sent to you by the goddess of fate.
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