On Military Affairs
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in classical Chinese learning and ancient military discourse
- Researchers seeking to expand their reading of Liu Xiang's related works
- Enthusiasts with some grounding in classical Chinese who wish to understand traditional views on military affairs
Not a good fit for
- Readers looking for modern military theory or practical tactical guides
- Complete beginners with no classical Chinese reading ability who are unwilling to use annotations
- Readers expecting a systematic textbook-style exposition of the art of war
Reading tips
- Read through the whole text first, marking passages on the use of arms, military preparedness, and governance, then summarize its main arguments.
- Read it alongside Liu Xiang's other works or similar classics, noting its place and format within traditional literature.
- Look up institutions and allusions in reference works as they arise, and avoid directly applying modern military concepts.
- Keep brief reading notes recording recurring key terms and modes of argument.
About the publisher
Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 卷十五 指武
FAQ
Who is the author of Zhi Wu, and what kind of text is it?
Is this book suitable for studying ancient military thought?
Can someone without a foundation in classical Chinese read this book?
Comments
Find this book
This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
Liu Xiang (77 BCE–6 BCE), courtesy name Zizheng and originally named Gengsheng, was a member of the Western Han imperial clan and a scholar of the classics, a bibliographer, and a literary figure. Publicly available details of his life are limited, and even his birth and death years are disputed, yet his place in the history of Chinese bibliography and literature is clear. Under Emperor Cheng he led the collation of the imperial library and compiled the Bielu, a systematic catalogue and edition of court texts, and later generations honored him as the founder of Chinese bibliography. He edited and compiled the Intrigues of the Warring States and the Songs of Chu, helping to preserve both works, and wrote such books as the Xinxu, Shuoyuan, and Lienü Zhuan, which often use historical anecdotes and the words and deeds of figures to expound political and ethical teachings, combining historical value with literary interest. His editorial and compilation work spans literary appreciation, folk literature, Eastern philosophy, and documentary prose, and has greatly aided later understanding of thought and writing from the pre-Qin through the Han period.
