Why were soldiers in feudal times not allowed to eat their fill on the battlefield?

Many historical dramas will feature large-scale war scenes, both to enhance the film's plot and to help viewers understand the scale of warfare during the feudal era.

In ancient feudal times, to expand territory, compete for power, and prevent foreign invasion, ancient emperors did not hesitate to wage war; sending large numbers of soldiers to the battlefield was absolutely necessary.

On the battlefield, soldiers and food are the most important issues. The ancients had a saying, "You can't uphold morality without sustenance," emphasizing the importance of food and drink. Adequate nutrition is essential for health, and only then can one pursue knowledge and learning. However, few people know that ancient armies had an unwritten rule: soldiers were not allowed to eat until they were full during battle. There were many practical reasons behind this rule.

If all the soldiers were well-fed, it would very likely lead to food shortages later on. (Illustrative image: Internet).

According to Sohu.com, the main reason soldiers were not provided with food during marches and wars in ancient times was the low productivity of food production, with limited annual grain yields. If the goal was to feed all the soldiers, the food supply would likely be insufficient before the war even began.

Each time an army goes into battle, it sends a large number of soldiers, and wars often last for several months. Therefore, food rations are always a top priority. If all soldiers are fed enough, it is very likely that food shortages will occur later , and soldiers will not only have nothing to eat but may even experience panic. Food shortages also affect the morale of soldiers, causing them to decline and even become anxious due to lack of food.

The second reason is that during combat we must always be vigilant. When soldiers are full, they often feel sleepy, and if they eat too much, they are more likely to become complacent and lazy. Furthermore, overeating can also cause inconvenience during movement.

Regarding the eating habits of soldiers during feudal warfare, there is also the story of a general who forbade his soldiers from eating goat meat. The reason behind this is also a subject of much debate.

The story tells of Bai Qi, one of the four famous generals of the Warring States period, who served the State of Qin and achieved great feats. He never lost in over seventy battles and helped the Qin king conquer half the country. Most famously, he led the army to the Battle of Changping. Because the State of Qin was located in the Northwest, soldiers often preferred to eat beef and goat meat to satisfy their hunger, especially in the cold northern weather, as this would give them more strength to fight. However, Bai Qi ordered his army to forbid the consumption of goat meat, much to the soldiers' astonishment.

Eating too much often makes soldiers feel sleepy, and they can easily become complacent. (Illustrative image: Internet).

In the later stages of the Battle of Changping, Bai Qi devised several surprise attack plans. Besides forbidding soldiers from eating goat meat, he also prohibited them from lighting fires for cooking, allowing them to eat only cold food. Despite their dissatisfaction and anger, the soldiers dared not speak out and simply obeyed. However, some soldiers decided to disobey, lighting fires at night and cooking goat meat. The delicious aroma and loud noise woke many other soldiers, who immediately rushed to grab the meat.

Just as everyone was enjoying their meal, Bai Qi emerged from the tent and shouted angrily, " How dare you disobey military orders? Drag them outside and give each of them 30 lashes !" While the soldiers were still bewildered, Bai Qi bluntly stated, "The goat meat smells wonderful. It's nighttime and windless; you can smell the grilled goat meat from 50 paces away. If there were wind, the smell would travel even further. If all the soldiers ate goat meat, it would be like telling the enemy where we are. How can we fight in an ambush like this?"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers suddenly realized their mistake and hastily threw away all the goat meat. After this incident, the entire army strictly enforced the 'ban on goat meat' . Thanks to this, Bai Qi ultimately led the Qin army to victory in the Battle of Changping.

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