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明代搪報之創生及其編制
The Genesis and Organization of T'ang-pao in Ming Dynasty
並列摘要
Ever since the wei-so 衛所system had collapsed the Ming government had moved the north the defensive-line southward, the Ming defense along the Nine- Frontiers (pien 邊) had been put into an unfavourable position. To cope with this grave situation, the Ming government adopted several new military strategies to strengthen its defense. These new strategies included: the installation of Regional Commanders (Tsung-總兵), Viceroys (Tsung-tu 總督) and Provincial Governors (Hsun-fu 巡撫) at the northern frontier; the repair and consolidation of the Great Wall. In addition, the traditional method of passive information-collection had also been replaced by an active and mobile information collection network. This new information-collection network was the so-called t'ang-ma-pao-shih搪馬報事, which was briefly called t'ang-pao搪報. As character, 搪, is similar in pronunciation and shape to the character, 搪; thus. 搪報, was often corrupted搪報. The organization of t'ang-pao had four different types, each having been set up at different times. The first type was pien-t'ang 邊搪. When Lu Hsiang-sheng 盧象昇 was the Supreme Commander of Hsuan-fu 宣府 and Ta-t'ung 大同, he set up fifteen courier stations (tso-t'ang 坐搪) in each of the twenty-four Sub-Defense Areas (Lu 路). The t'ang was stationed at thirty miles beyond the pass (K'ou 口). The distance between each t'ang was twenty miles. Each t'ang had four couriers, who were divided into two shift duties. The total number of couriers of each Sub-Defense was sixty, they were subordinate to the Provincial Courier Officer (t'i-t'ang officer 提搪官). All together, there were one hundred and twenty-four officers and couriers in the three Defense Areas (chen 鎮), with the same number of horses. The men stationed at each t'ang consisted of chivalry, night sentinel (yeh-pu-shou 夜不收), mercenaries (chia-ting 家丁) and an interpreter (t'ung-shih 通事). The second type was set up to wipe out the Japanese pirates (wo 倭). In fighting the Japanese pirates, Ch'i Chi-kuang 戚繼光 had posted twenty-four mobile t'ang po 搪撥 at about twenty miles from the frontier headquarter. Each t'ang had five men and five horses. The third type was set up to suppress the bandits. When Lu Husiang-sheng was ordered to hunt down the bandits in Yun-yang 鄖陽, Husiang-yeng 襄陽 and Ching-chou 荊州, he installed courier soldiers at every important point all over the three prefectures. A station was set up every ten miles. Each t'ang had two energetic young men, who were subordinated to the Provincial Courier Officer. The fourth type was set up by the Ministry of War. We know from official sources that this type was instituted in the Ch'ung-c hen 崇禎 period with the purpose of spying at the bandits. The contents of the t'ang-pao had been limited to military reports. These reports were usually sent to the Regional Commanders, Viceroys and Provincial Governors only by the Division Commanders stationed at the frontier. After receiving the reports, the higher officers would sent them swiftly to the central government through the postal-service. Using these prompt military reports from the frontier defense, the central government could make decisions more accurately and confidently. The capability of the Ming government to devise military plans, to organize frontier defense and to exterminate the northern invaders were thus greatly enhanced.