国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

Sec. vi]   SERVICE AND CONDITIONS OF LIFE ON THE LIMES   755

meant to convey the meaning, recurs in a number of documents. It offers difficulties of interpreta- 'Delimitation, though its meaning word by word is clear. M. Chavannes, who has fully discussed it, tion of

celestial

hypothetically assumes it to refer to the clearing away of reed-beds and jungle." This would fields:

certainly have been needed almost in any locality within the areas of Tun-huang or Nan-hu before

it could have been brought under new cultivation by an agricultural colony ', and in a few records

the mention of ' celestial fields ' seems to me quite clearly to refer to such reclamation for agricultural purposes.14 Nevertheless the mention in the above-quoted document No. 265 of ' the delimitation of celestial fields ' in the midst of injunctions undoubtedly relating to the watching of the border-line looks decidedly strange if in reality here, too, the preparation of ground for cultivation is intended. In the vicinity of T. vi. c, where this record was found, cultivation was certainly impossible, while the clearing away of the abundant reeds, tamarisks, and other scrub would obviously have facilitated the look-out. The same applies, of course, also to T. vi. b, the find-place of Nos. 88-91, which all refer to ' the delimitation of celestial fields ' performed by certain men in the course of their ' fatigue ' duties. I must leave here the question as one which, anyhow by the non-Sinologist student of the Limes, cannot be definitely settled with the available evidence.

What the documents otherwise tell us about ' fatigues ' of the men is quite clear, and gives us interesting glimpses of the daily routine observed at the small watch-posts and the careful way in which a record was kept of it. We thus find statements of brick-making done, no doubt for towers or quarters, with exact details as to the number of men employed, the number of bricks made or carried by each per diem, etc.'5 Similarly there are statements as to plastering work done on walls and roofs, the exact surface covered by each man being indicated down to square feet and inches.'s We have careful records of the distances covered by small fatigue parties collecting and bringing materials or supplies, such as firewood, hemp for shoes, plaster or grain, the total distances and the number of days spent being usually indicated for the aggregate of the men as well as the performance in li and steps for each individual man.37 The object aimed at, no doubt, was an equitable allotment of duties. The lightest among them was obviously that of acting as cook for the rest, which we also find repeatedly noted.'$ There are records, too, of exemptions from service for

particular days granted to individual soldiers or of general suspension of work.1'

   13 Cf. Documents, p. 32, note on No. 88. The words   a look-out, to delimitate and arrange (hua chih   WI) the

   ' celestial fields ' are supposed by M. Chavannes to have been   celestial fields, the man's strength does not suffice.' In No. 290

   applied to the waste lands which the Government assigned to   ' celestial fields within the section (pu I)' are referred to, the

newly founded military colonies. To the term hua   ' ,   latter term denoting an administrative subdivision commanded

   which literally means ' to draw', ' mark off' (see Giles,   by a to-wei; see Documents, p. 13 r ; above, p. 745. In

   Chinese-English Dictionary, p. 622), he is led to assign the   No. 289 also ' celestial fields' are referred to in a context

   meaning ' to delimitate ' and inferentially ' to clear ', when   suggesting, perhaps, cultivation.

   used with reference to land which first needed clearing of   15 See Doc. Nos. 99—loo, 279-87, 673 ; also M. Cha-

   brushwood, etc., before it could be brought under cultivation.   vannes' remarks, p. xiv.

   Following up a suggestion thrown out by me (Desert Cathay,   18 Cf. Doc. Nos. 102-11. Two kinds of plastering seem

   ii. p. 15o), he seems inclined to believe that the ' clearing '   to be distinguished, with straw and with ma fu aij A. The

   spoken of in Doc. Nos. 88-9o, where the work done by   nature of the latter material, which, as No. 92 shows, must

   certain men is measured by distances only, in li and steps,   have been obtainable within 3 li of T. v1. b, might, perhaps,

   and not by square areas, refers merely to the clearing away   still be determined by a closer examination of the wall-plaster

   of reed-beds and other wild growth which might have inter-   in the ruined quarters of that watch-station.

fered with the safe watching of the ground near the Limes.   17 Cf. as regards collection of firewood Nos. 124, 555 ;

   " Particularly clear is this reference in No. 433, mentioned   No. 96, hemp collecting ; No. 92, transport of ma fu for

   above, p. 752 : ' The ramparts are in ruin and are not kept   plastering ; No. 95, fetching of grain (cf. also above, pp. 648

   in repair. The population and the soldiers of the garrison do   sq.); Nos. 93, 94 for fatigue journeys without indication of

   not live on good terms. The celestial fields are not ploughed   specific tasks. For the curious method of reckoning used in

(king   ), the delimitation (hua   ) is not clearly arranged.'   these records, cf. M. Chavannes' notes, pp. xv, 34.

   Similarly we are told in No. 495 : ' • . . a single man to keep   18 See Nos. 279-83.   13 Cf. Nos. 91, 158-6o.

5 D 2

Fatigue' statements for brick-making, etc.