The Six Strategies of Taigong
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Summary
The Six Strategies of Taigong, commonly known as the Liutao, is also called the Art of War of Taigong. According to the Shiji, when Zhang Liang was hunted by the Qin, he went into seclusion at Xiapi and received a military text from the Yellow Stone Elder, said to be a strategist of the late Warring States period as famous as Guiguzi. In seclusion on Gucheng Mountain in Jibei, the Elder wrote such works as the Taigong Art of War and Huangshigong's Strategy, known to later ages as the Liutao and the Sanlue. Yet the Liutao consists entirely of dialogues between Jiang Taigong (Jiang Ziya) and Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou, so later scholars often attribute it to Taigong himself. Whatever its authorship, it remains an immortal masterpiece of military thought: its Civil Strategy discusses the art of governing, its Military Strategy the defeat of enemies, its Dragon Strategy army organization, its Tiger Strategy equipment and tactics, its Leopard Strategy adapting to terrain, and its Dog Strategy the coordination of different arms. Covering nearly every aspect of warfare, it has been honored by dynasty after dynasty as a classic of martial learning, essential reading for strategists.
Editor's review
The Taigong Liutao unfolds in dialogue between Jiang Taigong and Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou, and is divided into six sections—Wen, Wu, Long, Hu, Bao, and Quan—covering the way of governing a state, strategies for destroying the enemy, and military organization, equipment, tactics, and coordination among arms, forming a complete system. Its value lies in being more than a military treatise: it offers an integrated framework of thought running from political foundations to battlefield execution. The Wen tao discusses winning people's hearts and governing order; the Wu tao addresses strategic judgment and undermining opponents; from the Long tao onward it descends level by level to organization, equipment, terrain, and coordination. For readers seeking to understand how classical Chinese military thought connects "governing the state" with "employing troops," this layered structure is highly illuminating. It should be read not as an operational manual but as a classical reference for strategic thinking: read the Wen tao and Wu tao first to grasp overall principles, then the Long tao through the Quan tao to appreciate concrete divisions of function. The dialogue form also lowers the barrier to understanding, making the book suitable for slow reading, annotation, and repeated reflection against real-world scenarios such as management and organizational collaboration.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- General readers interested in classical Chinese military thought and strategic thinking
- Those seeking inspiration for organizational management and decision-making from traditional texts
- Beginning readers of classical Chinese who enjoy dialogue form and clear chapter structure
- Students of military history and intellectual history who need to trace the development of military thought
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking modern military operational guides or concrete tactical manuals
- Readers who prefer light, story-driven reading and lack patience for classical dialogue
- Readers focused only on business competition techniques and expecting directly applicable cases
Reading tips
- Read the Wen tao and Wu tao first to grasp the general principles of governance and strategy, then move on to the Long tao through the Quan tao for specific institutions and tactics.
- After each section, summarize one principle in your own words and compare it with real-world organizational collaboration.
- Look up annotations whenever personal names, official titles, or ancient military terms appear, so details do not block overall understanding.
- Read alongside similar military works such as the Sanlüe and compare their emphases on the relationship between governance and military affairs.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 文韬
- 文师
- 盈虚
- 国务
- 大礼
- 明传
- 六守
- 守土
- 守国
- 上贤
- 举贤
- 赏罚
- 兵道
- 武韬
- 发启
- 文启
- 文伐
- 顺启
- 三疑
- 龙韬
- 王翼
- 论将
- 选将
- 立将
- 将威
- 励军
- 阴符
- 阴书
- 军势
- 奇兵
- 五音
- 兵征
- 农器
- 虎韬
- 军用
- 三陈
- 疾战
- 必出
- 军略
- 临境
- 动静
- 金鼓
- 绝道
- 略地
- 火战
- 垒虚
- 豹韬
- 林战
- 突战
- 敌强
- 敌武
- 鸟云山兵
- 鸟云泽兵
- 少众
- 分险
- 犬韬
- 分合
- 武锋
- 练士
- 教战
- 均兵
- 武车士
- 武骑士
- 战车
- 战骑
- 战步
FAQ
Is the author of the Taigong Liutao Jiang Taigong?
The book consists throughout of dialogue between Jiang Taigong and Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou, so later ages often attributed it to Jiang Taigong. According to the source material, however, there is also a legend that Huang Shigong transmitted the art of war, and Huang Shigong is described as a military thinker of the late Warring States period. Authorship is disputed; readers may treat the work as traditional military literature without insisting on a single author.
What are the six sections of the Liutao?
They are the Wen tao, Wu tao, Long tao, Hu tao, Bao tao, and Quan tao. The Wen tao discusses the way of governing the state; the Wu tao, strategies for destroying the enemy; the Long tao, military institutions; the Hu tao, equipment and tactics; the Bao tao, adapting to local conditions; and the Quan tao, coordinated operations among the various arms. Overall, the work descends from political principles to battlefield execution.
Can I read this book without a foundation in classical Chinese?
You can try, but you will need annotations and translations. The book is in dialogue form with clear section themes and a clearer structure than many pre-Qin texts. It is advisable to read the opening questions and answers of each section first to grasp the main idea, then examine the terms and institutional explanations in the annotations, and proceed gradually.
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About the author
郭超
Author
Guo Chao's publicly available information is currently limited, and his signed works span such varied fields as traditional culture, social policy, and information technology. In the area of literary appreciation, he took part in compiling Tai Gong Liu Tao, indicating an interest in ancient military classics and strategic culture. In the social sciences, his work Research on China's Disability Reporting System addresses data statistics and institutional development in the field of disability affairs. He also compiled A Project-Based Tutorial on College Information Technology, a textbook for university IT teaching that reflects a project-based learning approach. These works show Guo Chao moving across classical-text interpretation, social research, and textbook writing, with an emphasis on organizing knowledge and practical application; his style is pragmatic and his readership varied. Owing to the lack of biographical information, his personal history and academic background cannot yet be further introduced.
