Letter to Gyeonggi on Training the Troops移京畿敎鍊軍兵文

The state's troubles on its northern and southern frontiers do not cease, and the teaching and drilling of soldiers against what may come unlooked for grows more pressing by the day. Only, in the doing of it the right way has not been found: the people are thrown into commotion, and crafty clerks work their tricks, now having the men gather at the county gate, now having them gather at the garrison-command (鎭管), so that they shoulder their provisions and come and go and linger here and there. The people's hardships run in many directions, resentment rises out of this, the business shows no effect, and the people's strength is worn out first.

Now the Ministry of War's articles for military study (武學事目) have weighed this evil deeply and have pared the rules for drilling troops down to what is simple and easy. In each county, for each village of the four great wards, a man apart is to be appointed — one careful, with a head for reckoning, and diligent enough to be entrusted — and made company officer (哨官); he is to choose the banner chiefs (旗總) and squad chiefs (隊總) himself; and at a place within the village near at hand and easy of ground a field for practicing arms is to be set up, where they may drill as it suits them whenever there is leisure from the farm work. This business has already been reported and handed down and made known to the garrison commands and to the magistrates of the several counties. So if, following the intent of the articles, they first choose the company officers and then choose the banner chiefs and squad chiefs, and each drills his troops where he stands, there will be no evil of going to and fro to distant places day after day, and no trouble of the clerks of the military section (兵房色吏) working their tricks to encroach and exact; there will be achievement without labor.

This year the grain is somewhat plentiful, so the people have happily escaped the fear of hard eating, and the season of leisure from the farm work has come besides, which is just the time for drilling troops and practicing archery. If this time is let slip and nothing done, what other time is there to wait for? Now the Defense Commander (防禦使) goes down on this business: do not follow the habits of former days, but obey the Defense Commander's direction and dispose of it as suits you, so that the hearts of the people gladly follow and military administration is put in order and raised up.

If among the company officers there be any who gives his whole heart to the business and brings the soldiers in his charge to exact drilling and accomplishment, a reward shall be deliberated and reported and a substantive post (實職) bestowed, to be the ground of encouragement; look closely into this as well and carry it out.