Garden of Generals

Zhuge LiangBashu Publishing House · ChinaMay 2020

3.6

Word count: 6.2K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

"Jiang Yuan" is an ancient Chinese military work devoted specifically to the way of being a general. "Jiang Yuan" is also called "Xin Shu"; it was called Jiang Yuan in the Song dynasty and only from the Ming dynasty was it called "Xin Shu." But whether "Jiang Yuan" or "Xin Shu," it appears neither in Chen Shou's catalog nor in the bibliographies of the Sui and Tang histories, first appearing in the Song "Suichutang Bibliography," titled "Zhuge Liang's Jiang Yuan." It was only included when Ming scholars compiled Zhuge Liang's collected works. Therefore Yao Jiheng's "Examination of Ancient and Modern Forged Books" and the "General Catalog of the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries" both judged it a forged work. Gu Shi in "A Reexamination of Ancient and Modern Forged Books" further stated: "The 'Record of Zhuge Liang' in the 'History of Shu' lists his works in detail afterward, and originally there is no name of this book; the various bibliographies of Sui and Tang and the Song bibliographies likewise do not record it, so this book appeared latest. From 'Military Authority' to 'Northern Di,' fifty chapters in all, none of them very long, from which one can know his limited talent."

Editor's review

"Jiang Yuan" is an ancient military book that focuses on "the way of being a general," unfolding around the cultivation of generals, recognizing people, employing people, managing troops, and making decisions in battle; its chapters are short and clearly organized, suitable as an introductory reader on ancient military thought and leadership issues. What is special about this book is the controversy over its authorship: the book is not recorded by Chen Shou in the "Records of the Three Kingdoms," nor in the Sui and Tang bibliographies, first appearing in Song bibliographies, and was only included when Zhuge Liang's collected works were compiled in the Ming dynasty; hence the "General Catalog of the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries" and others judged it a forged work. This case itself is an important clue for reading, allowing readers to observe both the content of the text and its textual transmission. The 2020 Bashu Publishing House edition makes it easy for readers to access the original text and related notes. When reading, one may treat it as a military text "attributed to Zhuge Liang": look at its plain summary of issues such as a general's character, rewards and punishments, and assessing people, and also at how later ages borrowed Zhuge Liang's name to disseminate the ideas of troop management. Suitable for casual reading by readers interested in Three Kingdoms culture, ancient military books, and metaphors of organizational management.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Introductory readers interested in ancient military books and Three Kingdoms culture
Readers who need short classical Chinese materials for daily reading
Management readers concerned with leadership and the recognition and employment of people
Literature and history enthusiasts wanting to understand cases of textual authentication of ancient books

Not a good fit for

Rigorous textual scholars hoping for writings unquestionably by Zhuge Liang himself
Readers expecting systematic military history or detailed battle-case analysis
Readers uncomfortable with short classical Chinese pieces who need line-by-line modern vernacular explanation

Reading tips

First read through all fifty chapters, marking those concerning recognizing people, rewards and punishments, and generals' virtue, then return to read them closely.
Read alongside the relevant entries in the "General Catalog of the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries" to understand the basis for its judgment as a forged work.
After every three to five chapters, write a short note comparing ancient generalship with contemporary team management.
Do not rush to judge authenticity; first sort out the core claims that recur within the text.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
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FAQ

Was "Jiang Yuan" really written by Zhuge Liang?

The materials show that this book is not recorded by Chen Shou in the "Records of the Three Kingdoms," nor in the Sui and Tang bibliographies, first appearing in the Song "Suichutang Bibliography," and was only included when Zhuge Liang's collected works were compiled in the Ming dynasty. Yao Jiheng's "Examination of Ancient and Modern Forged Books" and the "General Catalog of the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries" both judged it a forged work, and Gu Shi further pointed out its late appearance. Therefore when reading, it should be regarded as an attributed work rather than confirmed as personally composed by Zhuge Liang.

What is the relationship between this book and "Xin Shu"?

According to the materials, "Jiang Yuan" is also called "Xin Shu"; it was called "Jiang Yuan" in the Song dynasty and only from the Ming dynasty was it called "Xin Shu." The two titles point to the same text discussing the way of being a general, only called differently in different eras; readers need not treat them as two different books.

Can someone without a foundation in classical Chinese read it?

The whole book has fifty chapters, none very long, suitable for short-piece reading, but it is still a classical Chinese text. Readers with no foundation in classical Chinese at all may need annotations or vernacular translations; those with some experience in reading classical Chinese can read chapter by chapter slowly, first grasping the general meaning and then weighing the wording.

Can one learn practical management methods from this book?

It discusses the cultivation, recognition of people, employment of people, rewards and punishments, and troop-management principles of ancient generals; these are principled, aphoristic summaries, not a modern management operations manual. Readers can extract ideas about assessing people, establishing trust, and clear rewards and punishments, but they need to adapt them to their own situations and should not copy them directly.

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About the author

Zhuge Liang Author · Chinese

Zhuge Liang (181–234), styled Kongming and known as Wolong, was a native of Yangdu in Langya (present-day Yinan, Shandong). He served as Chancellor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period and was an outstanding statesman, military strategist, inventor, and man of letters. In his early years he farmed in Nanyang; at Liu Bei's earnest invitation he entered public life and set out the Longzhong Strategy, helping Liu Bei establish Shu Han. After Liu Bei's death he followed the imperial edict to assist Liu Shan and led several northern expeditions, eventually dying of illness at Wuzhang Plains from prolonged exhaustion. His representative works include the Memorial on Dispatching the Army and the Admonition to His Son; the phrase "bending every effort until death" became a lasting expression of his spirit. This library holds 12 of his works, including collected writings, family instructions, military texts, and annotated translations of famous works across the ages, spanning literary appreciation, Eastern philosophy, military affairs, and history and culture—evidence of the breadth and lasting influence of his writings.