傳統上大都把「兵死」者界定為死於戰場者。實際上，「兵死」者在先秦文獻中往往僅指死於兵器之非命者，到了東漢，兵死者已包括了死於戰場上的人。鄭玄認為兵死不歸葬兆域乃「戰敗無勇」，不過此說與當時的實際情況並不符合。雖然，先秦時代，死於戰場的人在很多因素下確實難以歸葬，但皆無關「戰敗無勇」。真正無法入葬兆域的是那些有罪而死於非命之兵死者。這些人死後不但不能入葬兆域，其葬禮往往也遭到減損。春秋至兩漢時代，對於死於國事的人，往往採取相關的撫恤措施，尤其是漢代，有關的政策更完備，其目的是為了獎勵那些為國犧牲的將士。至於死於非命的兵死者，在特殊情況下，其後代亦可獲得立嗣，甚至兵死者以王禮下葬。

Traditionally, the term “bingsizhe” (兵死者 dead soldiers) is chiefly defined as all those who die on the battlefield. In pre-Qin literature, bingsizhi frequently refers only to soldiers killed with a weapon. By the Eastern Han, this came to include all those who had died in battle. Zheng Xuan 鄭玄 believed that a dead soldier who had not been buried in his hometown cemetery was one who had been “defeated without courage.” However, this does not tally with the real circumstances at that time. Although in pre-Qin times for many reasons it was difficult to return those who had died in battle to their hometowns for burial, this had nothing to do with being “defeated without courage.” Those who truly could not be buried in their home cemeteries were soldiers who had committed a crime and been killed. Not only were these men not allowed a cemetery burial, they were often also denied a full funeral. From the Spring and Autumn period to the Han dynasty, pension measures were frequently created to benefit the families of those who had died in the nation’s wars. During the Han Dynasty in particular, these policies were much more comprehensive, in order to encourage and reward those who were willing to sacrifice their lives for their country. In special circumstances, the descendants of these soldiers who had died in battle could also adopt heirs, and even be buried in accordance with royal custom.