Layout the World: The Grand Strategy of Ancient Chinese Military Geography

Author: Rao Shengwen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: The book presented to the readers, Strategic Layout of the World—The Grand Scheme of Ancient Chinese Military Geography, is a historical military geography work. What is historical military geography? Renowned historical geographer Mr. Tan Qixiang believed: "Military geography studies the relationship between military and geographical conditions, serving as a branch of human geography and a component of military science. Its research findings hold significant importance for guiding military actions. Understanding ancient military geography is a crucial condition for better comprehending contemporary military geography. Therefore, historical military geography is an indispensable part of both historical geography and military geography." (Shi Nianhai, River and Mountain Collection·Volume Four·Preface for Professor Tan Qixiang) The book by Comrade Rao Shengwen discusses the grand scheme of ancient Chinese military geography. Although it does not conduct a detailed examination of ancient military geography, its nature undeniably qualifies it as a historical military geography work. This book is a historical military geography work. The rise and fall of politics are often intertwined with military success or failure, and geography is closely related to military matters. Thus, exploring the grand scheme of ancient Chinese military geography is a key to deeply understanding the rise and fall of dynasties in Chinese history. One prominent feature of this book is its vividly summarized "chessboard-like pattern" of ancient Chinese military geography. The entire content is organized around this framework. Due to the "chessboard-like pattern," there is an analysis of the "four corners"—Guanzhong, Hebei, Southeast, and Sichuan; there is an elaboration on the "four borders"—Shanxi, Shandong, Hubei, and Hanzhong; and there is an understanding of the Central Plains as the "unified grand scheme of the world." The book starts from geographical conditions and military successes or failures, ultimately concluding with changes in political landscapes—the causes and types of historical unification and division. In summary, the book discusses military geography from the perspective of geography, and political gains and losses from the perspective of military geography.