General Theory of Military Strategy Thought

Author: Zhang Shaoyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: Ancient Chinese military strategists possess rich legal thoughts. They examine legal issues from the perspective of building and managing armies, forming unique insights that are neither overly theoretical nor biased, highly suitable for practical application, and have significantly influenced the development of pre-Qin legal theory and general military law principles. However, for a long time, the fields of military thought history and legal thought history in China have not given due attention to the legal ideas of military strategists. This book conducts an in-depth study of the legal thoughts of military strategists. Military texts are the primary objects of examination, supplemented by necessary artifacts and documentary materials. The book examines dozens of military texts, most of which have been overlooked by the academic field of legal history in China, with even broader coverage of the types of texts involved. Statements and deeds of military strategists found in other documents and artifacts are also important references for this book. The book examines and analyzes key military strategists and classic works separately and comprehensively, revealing the nature and characteristics of the legal thoughts of the military strategist school, their internal evolutionary relationships, their military and social foundations, and more. It also analyzes the mutual influence of the legal thoughts of military strategists and other schools such as Confucianism and Legalism, as well as their contributions to the history of Chinese law. The book offers particularly insightful research on issues such as military etiquette and military law, restraint and collective punishment, and "going into battle according to law."