Fubing System Fǔbīng 府兵

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Fubing 府兵 was the primary military insti- Until the early eighth century men considered tution that evolved during the Western Wei admission to the fubing to be an honor, and wealthy dynasty (535–556 ce) and developed and de- families were given priority in the recruitments that oc- clined from the 540s to the 740s. The dis- curred every three years. The fubing system integrated soldiers into the agricultural population and made the mantlement of the fubing system in the 740s military self-supporting and cost-effective. The militia effectively decentralized the military and pro- men, twenty to sixty years old, had permanent status as vided opportunities for career militarists to farmer-soldiers. In times of peace they cultivated their challenge and undermine the authority of the land in the growing seasons, and in the winter months central government. they went on rotational tours to the capitals and frontiers. In return for the extra land allocation and exemption from taxes and corvee (unpaid labor due to the state), they were not paid a salary and had to supply their own food, weap- ubing, translated as “territorial soldiery,” “gar- ons, and horses. rison militia,” “soldiers of the headquarters,” The Tang dynasty had 634 garrison units, each with “ f a r m e r - soldiers,” and “ s o l d i e r - cultivators,” was 800–1,200 farmer-soldiers. Two-thirds of these men had the primary military institution that evolved during the rotational duties in the capitals, Chang’an, Luoyang, and Western Wei dynasty (535–556 ce) and developed and Taiyuan; the remainder had three-year postings at the declined from the 540s to the 740s. The institution had frontiers. These units could also be turned into expedi- tribal and nomadic origins that reflected themixed- blood tionary forces. The fubing system began to decline in the ancestry (Xianbei, Turkic, Chinese) of the rulers who late seventh century when the uneven burden of services founded the dynasties that adopted it (Western Wei, and shortage of land for allocation turned away potential Northern Zhou [557–581 ce], Sui [581–618 ce], and Tang recruits. The move toward a professionalized army began [618–907 ce]). in the 670s with ad hoc recruits and more troops placed Yuwen Tai (507–556) of the Western Wei created the directly under military governors. In 695 Empress Wu multiethnic force when he combined the small northern (reigned 690–705 ce) promoted the examination system Asian cavalry with the local Chinese militia; the garrisons in search of new blood from prominent families, who then grew in number as more Chinese farmers were integrated found serving as officers in thefubing system less appeal- into the military institution. During the Sui dynasty and ing than before. By 749 the administration of Emperor Xu- first part of the Tang dynasty the fubing was the primary anzong (reigned 712–756 ce) had completely dismantled military institution until it was replaced by professional the fubing system and replaced it with a professional army armies in the 740s. of career soldiers and officers. These reforms benefited 874

frontier military governors such as An Lushan, but they Further Reading put the Tang government at risk of rebellion. In the 750s Graff, D. A. (2002). Medieval Chinese warfare, 300–900. Tang China’s professionalized army had the same num- London: Routledge. ber of soldiers as the fubing system, but the costs soared Pulleyblank, E. G. (1955). The background of the rebellion of and burdened the central government, which now paid An Lu-Shan. London: Oxford University Press. the salaries, food, and equipment of all the soldiers. The Pulleyblank, E. G. (1976). The An Lu-Shan Rebellion and dismantlement of the fubing system effectively decentral- the origins of chronic militarism in late T’ang China. ized the military and provided opportunities for career In J. C. Perry & B. L. Smith (Eds.), Essays on T’ang soci- militarists to challenge and undermine the authority of ety (pp. 32–60). Leiden, The Netherlands: E. J. Brill. the central government, leading to rebellion and crisis. Twitchett, D. (Ed.). (1979). The Cambridge history of China: Vol. 3. Sui and T’ang China. Cambridge, U.K.: Cam- Jennifer W. JAY bridge University Press.

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