摘要
滿洲入關之後，統治者面對新的情勢，為使八旗制度能夠繼續運作，乃以八旗制度為基礎，設計出若干新措施，養育兵制度即為其中之一。「養育兵」一詞，滿文讀作「hūwašabure cooha」，原意指：「培養年幼的閒散，不使當差，給吃錢糧者」，自雍正二年（1724）實施以來，其性質分別被統治者賦予養育與教育的雙重意義，或是恩恤措施，乃至軍事功能。從實際的情形來看，養育兵的人數隨著時間不斷擴充，他們佔京城禁旅的四分之一，也在各處駐防擔負基本的防守工作，並備披甲之選，且被視為是改善貧困旗人生活的途徑。然而，在國家軍隊編制固定、政府財政有限的前提下，養育兵的編制是如何擴大與調整，經費是如何調度與運用，能否解決旗人生計困難等等，以及此一制度得以持續運作的原因，都值得深入探究。因此，本文從官書、檔案梳理資料，分別從編制與經費來源、人員選補管教、待遇與生計問題等方面，進行比較、分析的研究，用以了解養育兵的性質、作用，及其制度的變遷。
The policy of “supernumerary soldiers” (yangyubing) was one of the new strategies devised by the Qing emperors to continue the Eight-Banner system when they confronted new social and political situations after 1644. The term “supernumerary soldiers” in Manchu is “hūwašabure cooha,” referring to “a young man brought up at state expense who was destined for military service and therefore exempt from the corvée.” Since the implementation of the policy in 1724, some emperors regarded it as a social relief policy while others emphasized its military functions. In reality, the number of the supernumerary soldiers grew over time to one quarter of the total of the Metropolitan Banners. They were engaged in the defense of provincial garrisons and were candidates to be reservists. Being a supernumerary soldier was thus considered to be an avenue for a poor bannerman to improve his livelihood. However, given the fixed nature of the military establishment and the limited budget from the government, issues such as the expansion and regulation of the “supernumerary soldiers,” the adjustment and manipulation of the funds, whether it was a solution to the problem of livelihood of the poor bannermen, and the reasons that the system could be operated continuously till the twentieth century deserve further discussion. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the nature, the functions, and the evolution of the policy on “supernumerary soldiers” in terms of the system of qualification, funding sources, recruitment and training, as well as salary and livelihood issues.
關鍵詞
八旗制度、養育兵、旗人、生計問題、駐京八旗、 各省駐防
Eight-Banner system, supernumerary soldiers (yangyubing), bannermen, livelihood, Metropolitan Banners, provincial garrison