千年运河:中华帝国的军事大动脉

The Grand Canal: Imperial China’s Main Military Artery

后勤补给历来是影响战争胜负的重要因素之一,其中粮食的供应尤为关键。春秋争霸战中诞生了中国最早的一批运河,其主要目的即是便于粮食等后勤补给物资的转运,秦汉时期为了征伐南越而修建了灵渠,曹魏为平定北方开挖了一系列的运河,隋唐以后的京杭大运河不仅是重要的军事后勤补给线,而且关系到国家政治、经济等方方面面,成为维持整个帝国运转的大动脉。在传统时代,陆运主要依靠人力和畜力,长距离粮食转运效率极低,而水运则具有明显优势,因而开挖运河,连接天然河道,构建快速的后勤补给线为中国历代军事家和战略家所重视,成为中华帝国进行大规模战争的重要保障。

Logistics has always been one of the key factors affecting the outcome of wars,among which food supply is of particular importance.During the Spring and Autumn Imperial Wars,China’s earliest canals came into being,whose main purpose was to facilitate the transfer of grain and other logistic supplies.During the Qin and Han Dynasties,Lingqu Canal was built for the conquest of Nanyue in the South,and Cao and Wei excavated a series of canals in order to pacify the northern area.After the Sui and Tang Dynasties,the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal not only served as an important military logistics supply line,but was also related to the nation’s political,economic and other aspects.It became the main artery that kept the empire going.Land transportation traditionally relied mainly on human and animal power,resulting in low efficiency of long-distance grain transportation.The advantages of water transportation was obvious;therefore,Chinese military strategists in different dynasties attached importance to excavating canals,connecting natural rivers and constructing fast logistic supply lines,enabling Imperial China to engage in large-scale wars.