Letter to the Gyeonggi Inspector移京巡察使文

The intent of this drilling of troops is to gather the able-bodied men of each ward, each village, and each hamlet and have them drill as suits them, so that each may keep his own place whole. Yet the magistrates have not searched that intent out deeply, and those who are company officers do not know either what the business is, but look upon it as a picking of soldiers to go on frontier watch and the like; and there are even those who hit upon schemes to evade the rules and get clear. It is truly to be sighed over.

What was taught them at the first, when articles for military study were drawn up apart, was only that they should be ordered into ranks where they are, as village companies bind themselves into a society and shoot the bow: those who shoot the bow becoming archers, and those who use the gun and the spear becoming gunners and spearmen. And once the ranks were formed, there was to be a round of inspection at once, and those able in practicing their skills, and those who as company officers and banner chiefs and squad chiefs took up the business in earnest, were to be rewarded out of the ordinary course, or to have the sundry labor of their households remitted, so as to show the intent of holding them particularly apart.

Yet now it is heard that in the picking of soldiers they still follow the habit of former days and leave it in the hands of the military section and the local functionaries (鄕所), and do not have the company officers and the banner chiefs and squad chiefs take sole charge of it. The books of war say that whether the soldiers of a squad are able or not is looked into, and that banner chief, squad chief, and company officer alike are held jointly liable in their order and reward and punishment carried out. Now if the company officers and the banner chiefs and squad chiefs do not grade and sift them themselves, on what ground shall reward and punishment be given at the round of inspection hereafter?

Further, those under fifty years and above fifteen who are not sick and worn may all be put into the ranks, though they know nothing of handling a bow; and those above fifty whose boldness and strength stand out beyond others are likewise not to be barred for their years. In short, when all the men are made soldiers and never forget to practice their skills at all times, then the place can be kept whole, and there will surely be profit from it hereafter.

One set of the Jixiao xinshu's (紀效新書) method of ordering into ranks, together with the articles printed by the Military Training Directorate and the muster rolls of descriptions, are printed and sent in a number reckoned to the counties; give directions again clearly, that this intent be wholly and plainly known. Hereafter, when I go round in person and test their skills, it will be examined whether it has been carried out or not and demotions and promotions made apart; look into this as well and put it in practice.