The Armament of the Sòng Dynasty Soldier

The following are, in BRP terms, the typical weapons and armour of Sòng dynasty soldiers. It must be noted that, on top of the types below, the Sòng made extensive use of mercenaries: Mongol defectors as irregular infantrymen, and northern and western nomads as tribal horse archers.

Cavalrymen were less numerous than under the Táng because of limited access to horse breeding countries as a result of territorial losses in the north-west.

CAVALRYMAN
Lance 1D12+db (impaling)
Sword 1D8+db (bleeding)
Scale armour 6 AP
Heavy helmet 3 AP

INFANTRYMAN
Sword 1D8+db (bleeding), or Spear 1D8+1+db (impaling)
Crossbow 2D6 (impaling)
Papier-mâché hauberk 2 AP (4 AP vs missiles)
Light helmet 2 AP

MILITIAMAN
Knife 1D3+db (impaling)
Bow 1D6+2+½db (impaling)
Heavy clothing 1 AP

Sòng regular soldiers (cavalrymen and infantrymen) were intensively drilled; as a result, their weapon skills should be in the 50~60% range.

Militiamen were given vacant fields close to enemy territory, tax free on whatever they could grow, and a free horse.

The practice of recruiting soldiers from among the lower orders of society (petty criminals, vagabonds, and amnestied bandits) was really started under the Sòng.

The Armament of the Táng Dynasty Soldier

The following are, in BRP terms, the typical weapons and armour of Táng dynasty soldiers. It is to be noted that Táng armament is much heavier compared with later dynasties. The following are typical Imperial troops.

CAVALRYMAN
Lance 1D12+db (impaling)
Sword 1D8+db (bleeding)
Scale armour 6 AP
Heavy helmet 3 AP

HORSE ARCHER
Sword 1D8+db (bleeding)
Bow 1D6+2+½db (impaling)
Heavy clothes 1 AP

INFANTRYMAN
Sword 1D8+db (bleeding), or Spear 1D8+1+db (impaling)
Bow 1D6+2+½db (impaling)
Chain mail 7 AP
Heavy helmet 9 AP

Táng imperial armies were intensively drilled; as a result, their weapon skills should be in the 50~60% range.

Feudal armies were still existing under the Táng (they completely disappeared afterwards). As a result, some troops directly placed under the command of a noble may have different equipment.

Crossbowmen became more common under the Sòng, however the GM may introduce them in a late Táng game.

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Capital Cities of Imperial China

Suppose you are GMing a Celestial Empire game. The players want to know what city is the capital city of the Empire. I believe most of you would automatically think "Běijīng". Well, depending on the dynasty in which your campaign is set, you may or may not be right. Here's a brief primer:

Under the Táng
Cháng'ān (長安) [present-day Xī'ān], from 618 to 904
Luòyáng (洛陽), from 904 to 907

Under the Sòng
Dōngjīng (東京) [present-day Kāifēng], from 960 to 1127
Lín'ān (臨安) [present-day Hángzhōu], from 1127 to 1279

Under the Yuán
Dàdū (大都) [present-day Běijīng]

Under the Míng
Nánjīng (南京), from 1368 to 1421
Běijīng (北京), from 1421 to 1644

Under the Qīng
Běijīng (北京)

Saṃsāra

Saṃsāra, the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth, is a fundamental Buddhist concept originating from the Vedic religion, which is an ancient Indian religion. Obviously, after having been adopted by the Chinese, Buddhism underwent some adaptations to the Chinese mindset.

The following is the orthodox Chinese Buddhist view of saṃsāra, as presented by Chán Master Shèngyán in his book Orthodox Chinese Buddhism:

According to Buddhism, except for those who are liberated from birth and death (such as arhats) and those noble ones who can control their own birth and death (such as bodhisattvas), every sentient being is subject to the cycle of birth and death, or saṃsāra.

The round of birth and death actually involves upward or downward rebirth in different destinies, not rebirth along a circular path as around a wheel. Sentient beings transmigrate through a total of six modes of existence, called the "six destinies" (liùqù 六趣) or "six paths" (liùdào 六道). From highest to lowest, these are destinies as deity, human, asura, animal, hungry ghost, or hell-dweller. Rebirth into any of these destinies is based on one's adherence or non-adherence to the five precepts and the ten good deeds, and on one's commission on non-commission of the ten evil deeds (the opposites of the ten good deeds) and the five heinous crimes (killing one's father, mother, or an arhat; destroying the harmonious unity of the Sangha; and shedding a Buddha's blood). Results from practising the five precepts and the ten good deeds are classed into three levels – upper, middle, and lower – leading to rebirth as a deity, human, or asura, respectively. The ten evil deeds and the five heinous crimes are similarly classified into three levels of offence, and lead to rebirth as an animal, hungry ghost, or hell-dweller, respectively. Good deeds lead to birth in the three higher destinies, while evil deeds result in birth in the three lower destinies. After one has exhausted the good and/or bad retributions in one particular life, that lifetime will end, and another cycle of birth and death will commence. This transmigration within the six destinies, being born then dying, dying then being born again, is called the cycle of birth and death, or saṃsāra.

In Chinese: lúnhuí 輪廻 or shēngsǐ 生死