In Three Kingdoms they reteat and attack with Gongs and Drums. But in Art of War they say they use Bells and Drums is this just a different translation, or have the forms of signalling in battle change from period to period?
Attack and Reteat signals?
Started by
Ghost_of_Han
, Jul 30 2004 07:30 PM
3 replies to this topic
#1
Ghost_of_Han
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Posted 30 July 2004 - 07:30 PM
#2
Kulong
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Posted 30 July 2004 - 07:33 PM
I wouldn't be surprised if forms of signalling change throughout history. However, mistranslation is just as unsurprising.
生為中國人，死為中國魂。
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"You can believe in any god, as long as it's our God."
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General_Zhaoyun
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Posted 30 July 2004 - 08:31 PM
Bells are used in Taoist ritual... I've never heard of it being used in the army. Isn't it too soft for a signal. Gongs are perhaps more significant.
"夫君子之行：靜以修身，儉以養德；非淡泊無以明志，非寧靜無以致遠。" - 諸葛亮
One should seek serenity to cultivate the body, thriftiness to cultivate the morals. If you are not simple and frugal, your ambition will not sparkle. If you are not calm and cool, you will not reach far. - Zhugeliang
#4
Yun
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Posted 30 July 2004 - 09:29 PM
They had some very large bells back then. Have you seen the Bianzhong (Chime Bells) from the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng? If you've watched the RTK television series by CCTV you'll have seen them striking a bell with bronze hammers to sound the retreat. A gong was also used as an alternative, but that was also a small high-pitched gong rather than a large resounding one. The signal for retreat was simply "striking the metal" (mingjin 鸣金), and thus anything metallic was OK.
The drums, on the other hand, were often very large, to create a truly awe-inspiring roar. I've heard the Chinese drum beaten as a signal for a charge (in a performance that we took part in when I was training in the Singapore army), and it's really morale-stirring for your own guys and terrifying for the enemy. Much more so than the little Western military drum, which is really more for marching than anything else. Compared to the drums, all that's needed for the bells or gongs is that they be loud and high-pitched enough to be audible above the roar of battle.
An example of large Chinese bronze bells:
The drums, on the other hand, were often very large, to create a truly awe-inspiring roar. I've heard the Chinese drum beaten as a signal for a charge (in a performance that we took part in when I was training in the Singapore army), and it's really morale-stirring for your own guys and terrifying for the enemy. Much more so than the little Western military drum, which is really more for marching than anything else. Compared to the drums, all that's needed for the bells or gongs is that they be loud and high-pitched enough to be audible above the roar of battle.
An example of large Chinese bronze bells:
The dead have passed beyond our power to honour or dishonour them, but not beyond our ability to try and understand.
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