Forage Supply Of The Army Of Qing Dynasty(1644-1839)

The construction and development of the army of Qing Dynasty could not be separated from various military livestock.For the army of Qing Dynasty,forage supply was closely related to the military strength.From the qing shanhaiguan to the Opium War,forage supply system of the army of Qing Dynasty continues to develop and improve,showing a dynamic development process.Before the qing shanhaiguan,military livestock were mainly fed by grazing.However,after the qing shanhaiguan,the old forage supply method did not adapt to the new situation and had certain limitations.Therefore,the Qing government gradually adopted other methods to obtain forage.However,there were some disadvantages in the forage supply of the Qing Army.In response to the problems in forage supply,the Qing government continuously adjusted its policies and initially established a forage supply system which applicable to the whole country.In the middle and late period of Kangxi Dynasty,the rule of the Qing Dynasty had stabilized,the Qing government’s overall planning and control capabilities were strengthened.he Qing government’s overall planning and control capabilities were strengthened.Against this background,Qing’s forage supply system had further developed and basically solved the remaining problems in the Qing army’s forage supply.The Qing army can flexibly use different forage supply methods according to the different areas,seasons,and special circumstances encountered.It was worth noting that at this time,the chaotic phenomena in the forage supply had not yet been completely resolved,and many precedents was cited in the Qing army’s forage supply.This phenomenon is more prominent.From Jiaqing Dynasty to the Opium War,there were fewer wars in the Qing Dynasty,so the QingArmy’s demand for military service animals decreased.At the same time,the previously formed forage supply system gradually showed some unsuitable phenomena and exposed some new problems.Therefore,on the basis of inheriting the original forage supply system,the Qing government supplemented and adjusted it.Overall,in the process of solving the actual problems,the army of Qing Dynasty’ forage supply system continues to develop and improve,and becomes more flexible.With the development of the forage supply system,the combat effectiveness of the army of Qing Dynasty was guaranteed,and national unification was finally completed.Entering the Jiaqing Dynasty,even though the Qing government continued to improve the forage supply system,signs of military decline in the Qing Dynasty have begun to show.In the end,the army of Qing Dynasty was at a disadvantage in its engagement with Western forces in modern times.Only by thoroughly reforming the military system,the army’s combat effectiveness can be improved once again.