宋朝厢军职能新探

厢军是宋朝的常备军,除具“役作、工徒、营缮”等职能外,还具有明确的对内镇压和对外防御的军事职能。其主要表现在驻守各地的厢军作为一种现实的军事力量,与禁军一起发挥了防御和戍守的重要作用;厢军的军事职能在宋朝军事制度上也有较充分的体现,在北宋中期以前厢军实行了更戍制度,有效补充了各地禁军力量的不足;厢军还是北宋巡检系统中的军事力量的组成部分,充分发挥了维护地方治安的作用;由于厢军军事职能的存在,必然会参与对外防御和对内镇压的军事行动,而且在对外防御的战斗中不乏骄人的战绩。厢军作为统治阶级的工具,其军事职能能否得到有效的发挥,不仅取决于统治阶级的意志,而且同政治状况、官员素质关系密切。

A new research of Xiang Forces' function in the Song dynasty

Xiang Forces were a standing army in the Song dynasty. Except the function of penal servitude, it had a clear military function to suppress the inside and guard against the outside. Its main function was as actual army forces defending different places and playing a very important role in guarding together with the Jin (forbidden) Forces. Xiang's function implemented the system of exchange defending before the middle of Northern Song times and stood as an important part of police forces to maintain law and order. Because of its existence, it eventually took part in suppressing the inside and guarding against the outside and did good jobs in the latter. However, how it functioned as a tool of the ruling class depended not only on the will of the ruling, but on the political status and quality of its officials.