Chapter Sixty-Fifth: The Diagram of Tai Bai's Camp

經曰：參七星，伐三星，連體十星，為十將軍，西方白虎宿也，主殺伐。此星出而天下秋，草木搖落，有若軍威，故兵出而法焉。

The *Bing Jing* says: The mansion of the Three Stars has seven stars, and the star of the Axe has three stars. When these two groups are connected, they form a total of ten stars, symbolizing ten generals. They belong to the White Tiger group of the seven western mansions, governing the affairs of strict punishment and military campaigns. When this group of stars appears, the world enters the season of autumn, with plants withering and falling, creating a scene very similar to the effect of military strength. Therefore, when an army sets out on a campaign and establishes its camp, it should take its model from this.

一將一千人，十將一萬人。幕千人，守地一萬六千尺，積尺得二千六百六十六步，餘四尺；積步得七里，餘一百四十六步四尺；以營四面乘之，一面得地一里，餘三百六步四尺，營內有地一十八頃七十畝，餘一百四十三步五尺三寸三分。

A general commands one thousand soldiers, and ten generals together command ten thousand soldiers. The tents are arranged in sections of one thousand soldiers each, occupying an area of sixteen thousand feet, which is equivalent to two thousand six hundred sixty-six steps and four feet, or seven li and one hundred forty-six steps and four feet. This area is evenly distributed among the four sides of the camp, so each side has an area of one li, three hundred six steps, and four feet. The total area within the camp is eighteen qing, seventy mu, one hundred forty-three steps, five chi, three cun, and three fen.

地主居坎為地主門。和德居艮為和德門。高叢居震為高叢門。大炅居巽為大炅門。天威居離為天威門。大武居坤為大武門。太簇居兌為太簇門。陰德居乾為陰德門。

The Earth Lord formation is stationed at the Kan position, and the gate facing this direction is called the Earth Lord gate; the Harmonious Virtue formation is stationed at the Gen position, and the gate is called the Harmonious Virtue gate. The High Thicket formation is stationed at the Zhen position, and the gate is called the High Thicket gate; the Great Splendor formation is stationed at the Xun position, and the gate is called the Great Splendor gate. The Heavenly Authority formation is stationed at the Li position, and the gate is called the Heavenly Authority gate; the Great Martial formation is stationed at the Kun position, and the gate is called the Great Martial gate. The Tai Zu formation is stationed at the Dui position, and the gate is called the Tai Zu gate; the Yin Virtue formation is stationed at the Qian position, and the gate is called the Yin Virtue gate.

四仲為開門。四維為闔門。外置牙旗遊隊，四維門置鋪，偏將軍居壘內，以禁出入、察奸邪。十將幡旗圖禽，以五色五行列之。

The four cardinal directions, Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, are set as Open Doors, allowing entry and exit. The four corner directions, Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun, are set as Closed Doors, which are sealed and not open. Outside the camp, banners and mobile patrols are arranged. The four corner gates have sentries stationed there. The deputy general is stationed inside the camp, responsible for controlling entry and exit and checking for any wrongdoing. The banners of the ten generals all depict animal figures, arranged in order according to the five colors corresponding to the Five Phases.

右一將，行得水，黑幡幟旗，圖熊額白腳青。右二將，行得火，赤幡幟旗，圖鶚額白腳黃。右三將，行得木，青幡幟旗，圖熊額白腳赤。〈○原作「青」，依左三將例改。〉右四將，行得金，白幡幟旗，圖狼額白腳黑。右五將，行得土，黃幡幟旗，圖虎額白腳白。

On the right side, the first general is associated with water, using a black banner and flag. The flag is painted with a bear. The bear has a white forehead and blue feet. The second general is associated with fire, using a red banner and flag. The flag is painted with an osprey. The osprey has a white forehead and yellow feet. The third general is associated with wood, using a green banner and flag. The flag is painted with a bear. The bear has a white forehead and red feet (the original text says 'blue', but it has been changed to follow the pattern of the left three generals). The fourth general is associated with metal, using a white banner and flag. The flag is painted with a wolf. The wolf has a white forehead and black feet. The fifth general is associated with earth, using a yellow banner and flag. The flag is painted with a tiger. The tiger has a white forehead and white feet.

左一將，行得水，黑幡幟旗，圖熊額白腳青。左二將，行得火，赤幡幟旗，圖鶚額白腳黃。左三將，行得木，青幡幟旗，圖熊額白腳赤。左四將，行得金，白幡幟旗，圖狼額白腳黑。左五將，行得土，黃幡幟旗，圖虎額白腳白。

The left wing's first general is associated with water, using a black banner with a bear painted on it, the bear's forehead white and feet blue. The left wing's second general is associated with fire, using a red banner with an osprey painted on it, the osprey's forehead white and feet yellow. The left wing's third general is associated with wood, using a green banner with a bear painted on it, the bear's forehead white and feet red. The left wing's fourth general is associated with metal, using a white banner with a wolf painted on it, the wolf's forehead white and feet black. The left wing's fifth general is associated with earth, using a yellow banner with a tiger painted on it, the tiger's forehead white and feet white. The banners of the ten generals on both wings correspond in pairs, and at a glance one can tell which general's unit they belong to.

中營二千人為左右決勝軍，大將衛五百為幕，二百五十人守地四千尺，積尺得六百六十六步，餘四尺；積步得一里，餘三百六步四尺；以營四面乘之，一面得地一百六十六步，餘四尺。其中營小，每面加四十三步一尺三寸三分，通成二百二十二步一尺三寸三分。每幕相去四尺五寸四分，營內有地二頃四畝，餘一百五十七步一尺五寸九分。

The central camp is organized with two thousand soldiers forming the left and right decisive units. The general's personal guards, numbering five hundred, are stationed separately in their own tents. Calculating by units of two hundred and fifty people per area, they occupy a ground area of four thousand feet, which converts to six hundred and sixty-six steps and four feet, further converting to one li, three hundred and six steps, and four feet. Dividing this area equally among the four sides of the camp, each side occupies one hundred and sixty-six steps and four feet. Because the central camp is relatively small, an additional forty-three steps, one foot, three inches, and three thirds of an inch is added to each side, resulting in a total of two hundred and twenty-two steps, one foot, three inches, and three thirds of an inch. The distance between two tents is four feet, five inches, and four thirds of an inch. The total area within the camp is two qing, four mu, one hundred and fifty-seven steps, one foot, five inches, and nine thirds of an inch.

休門主一居子。生門主八居艮。傷門主三居卯。杜門主四居巽。景門主九居午。死門主二居坤。驚門主七居酉。開門主六居乾。

The Xiu Men is paired with the number one and is located in the position of Zi; the Life Gate is paired with the number eight and is located in the position of Gen. The Shang Men is paired with the number three and is located in the position of Mao. The Du Men is paired with the number four and is located in the position of Xun. The Jing Gate is paired with the number nine and is located in the position of Wu. The Death Door is paired with the number two and is located in the position of Kun. The Jing Door is paired with the number seven and is located in the position of You. The Open Door is paired with the number six and is located in the position of Qian. The term "主" here means to govern or be associated with, indicating that each gate is associated with one number and occupies one direction.

右八門，四維，四仲。唯開景門，闔致大將，將軍旗纛、金鼓如握奇法。

The above eight gates are respectively located on the four cardinal directions and the four intermediate directions, making eight directions in total. Among them, only the Open Door and the Jing Gate are opened, while the rest are all closed. Soldiers and horses are gathered where the general is stationed. The setup of the general's flag and drums should be carried out according to the method of the Wuqi formation.

經曰：偃月營，形象偃月，背山岡，面陂澤，輪逐山勢，弦隨面直。〈○「弦」字依《御覽》三百三十五補。〉地窄山狹之所下營也。〈○原本「直下有「形」字，「山」作「小」，並依《御覽》刪。〉

The *Bing Jing* says: The shape of the Yanyue camp is like a crescent moon lying on its back, with its back against a hill ridge and its front facing a slope with water and marshland; the curved back follows the direction of the mountain, while the straight edge runs in a straight line along the front (the character "string" is added according to *Tai Ping Yu Lian* volume 335). This is a method of setting up camp in narrow areas where the mountain terrain is constricted (originally, there was a "shape" character below "straight," and "mountain" was written as "small," both of which are revised according to *Tai Ping Yu Lian*).

褗月外營，常以四六分幕一萬人，以六千人守地，九千六百尺，積尺得一千六百步；積步得四里，餘一百六十步為營輪。四千人守地六千四百尺，積尺得一千六十六步餘四尺；積步得二里，餘三百四十六步四尺為弦，弦置三門，每門相去三百五十五步一尺五寸五分。營內有地一十八頃八十畝，餘五十八步四尺，右置上弦門，中置偃月門，左置下弦門。

The "Yanyue Waiying" usually arranges ten thousand soldiers into four parts and six parts, setting up tents. Six thousand soldiers are stationed on an area of nine thousand six hundred feet, which is equivalent to one thousand six hundred steps, or four li and one hundred sixty steps. This section forms the arc of a crescent shape, called "ying lun." The remaining four thousand soldiers are stationed on an area of six thousand four hundred feet, which is equivalent to one thousand and six steps and four feet, or two li and three hundred forty-six steps and four feet. This section forms the straight side of the crescent. Three gates are opened on the straight side, with each gate separated by three hundred fifty-five steps, five inches, and five parts. The total area within the camp is eighteen qing, eighty mu, five十八 steps, and four feet. The upper crescent gate is opened on the right, the "Yanyue" gate is opened in the center, and the lower crescent gate is opened on the left.

偃月中營，以二千五百人守地四千尺，積尺得六百六十六步，餘四尺；積步得一里三百六步，餘四尺。每幕加地四尺五寸四分，每幕中兩廂置土馬一十二疋，大小如常馬，備直鞍，令士卒擐甲冑、櫜弓矢、佩刀劒、持矛盾，左右上下，以習騎射。

In the middle of the moon's decline, an army of 2,500 men is deployed to guard an area of 4,000 feet, which is equivalent to 666 steps and 4 feet, further converted to 1 li, 306 steps, and 4 feet. Additionally, each tent requires an extra area of 4 feet 5 inches and 4 parts. On both sides of each tent, twelve wooden "earth horses" are placed, each the same size as a real horse, properly equipped with saddles. Soldiers are instructed to wear armor, carry bow quivers, wear swords and daggers, and hold spears and shields, performing movements such as turning left and right and rising and falling on the horses, to practice the skills of mounted archery.

經曰：陽隊起一至九，陰隊起九至一。隊有五十人，五人為火長，一隊九人，〈○《御覽》二百九十九引此下有「五九」二字。〉不失四十五人之數。卒間容卒，相去二步；隊間容隊，相去一十八步。前後一十步，其隊相去，前後亦如之。黃帝曰：「陣門容陣，隊間容隊，曲間容曲。」是也。

The *Bing Jing* states: The Yang units are numbered from one to nine in sequence, while the Yin units are numbered from nine down to one. Each unit consists of fifty soldiers, with five serving as fire leaders. Each fire consists of nine soldiers (the text below this sentence in *Tai Ping Yu Lian* also mentions the words "five nines"). Five multiplied by nine equals forty-five, which is exactly the number required. Soldiers should be spaced so that one soldier's space is left between each, with a distance of two steps between them. Between units, there should be a space equivalent to one unit, with a distance of eighteen steps between them. The distance between the front and back of each unit should be ten steps, and the same distance should be maintained between the front and back of each unit. The Yellow Emperor said: "Between formations there should be space for another formation; between units, space for another unit; between bends, space for another bend." This explains precisely the same principle.

一隊布地三十六步，一陣二十二隊，布地七百九十二步。方、圓、斜、曲、長、短皆如之。火長不預教習，其支器仗亦在分數之內。甲三十領六分，戰袍二十領四分，槍五十根十分，牌十面二分，弩十張二分，陌刀十張二分，箭四十副八分，佩刀四十口八分，棓十具六分。

A unit occupies an area of thirty-six steps. A formation consists of twenty-two units, occupying an area of seven hundred ninety-two steps. Whether arranged in a square formation, circular formation, slanted formation, or curved formation, and whether stretched out or shortened, the calculation is based on this number. The fire leader does not participate in training or drills, but the weapons they use are still counted within the unit's quota. Based on a unit of fifty men, the ratio of equipment is as follows: thirty sets of armor, accounting for six tenths; twenty sets of battle robes, accounting for four tenths; fifty spears, accounting for ten tenths, meaning one per person; ten shields, accounting for two tenths; ten crossbows, accounting for two tenths; ten halberds, accounting for two tenths; forty sets of arrows, accounting for eight tenths; forty swords, accounting for eight tenths; and ten clubs, accounting for six tenths. Here, the term "分" refers to the proportion of the total number of men in the unit.

右守用陰隊，左攻用陽隊。矛、盾、弓，佈置各有行列，前後陰陽不同。

The right side is for defense, using the Yin team; the left side is for attack, using the Yang team. The placement of spear, shield, and bow has fixed formations. The front and back positions differ in arrangement due to their differing yin and yang attributes.

經曰：春秋末，並為戰國，增講武之禮，以為戲樂，用相誇競，而秦更名為角抵。故國雖大，好戰必亡；天下雖安，忘戰必危。天下旣平，〈○此句原本脫去，又衍一「故」字，依《御覽》二百九十七改。此用《司馬法‧仁本篇》文。〉春蒐、夏苗、秋獼、冬狩，振旅理兵，所以不忘戰也。宣尼曰：「以不教民戰，是謂棄之。」今邊軍更名曰教旗。使士卒識金鼓、別旗幟、知行列、諳部分，乃一軍之節制也。

The *Bing Jing* says: In the late Spring and Autumn period, when the states were merging into the Warring States era, the countries expanded the rituals for military training into games and entertainment, competing with each other to show off and test their skills. By the Qin dynasty, this was renamed "jue di." Therefore, even if a country is large, loving war will surely lead to its downfall; even if the world is peaceful, forgetting military preparedness will bring danger. Even when the world is already at peace (this sentence was originally missing and had an extra "gu" character; it has been corrected according to *Tai Ping Yu Lian* volume 297; here we use the words from *Si Ma Fa · Ren Ben*), one should still conduct the "sou" ritual in spring, the "miao" ritual in summer, the "xian" ritual in autumn, and the "shou" ritual in winter. Through these seasonal hunting exercises, the army is organized and soldiers are trained, to ensure that military preparedness is never forgotten. Confucius said: "To send untrained civilians to fight is like abandoning them." Now, the border troops have renamed such drills as "jiao qi." Its purpose is to enable soldiers to recognize the signals of gongs and drums, distinguish the types of banners, understand the formations, and be familiar with their units. This is the way to discipline an army.

凡教旗於平原高山，大將軍居其上，南向；左右各置鼓一十二面、角一十二具，各樹五色旗，六纛居前，旌節次之，監軍、御史、裨副、左右、衙官、騎隊如偃月形為候騎，下臨平野，使士卒目見旌旗、耳聞鼓角、心存號令。乃命十將左右決勝，將總一十二將一萬二千人，兵刃精新，甲馬旗幟分為左右廂，各以兵馬，使為長班布其次。

Whenever a military standard is raised, it is always done on a high plain. The general sits on the high ground facing south; on both sides, twelve war drums and twelve horns are set up. Five-colored flags are erected. Six large banners are placed in front, followed by banners and standards. The military inspector, the censor, the deputy generals, the left and right officers, the officials, and the cavalry are arranged in a crescent formation to act as scouts, looking down from above to oversee the flat terrain, so that the soldiers can see the banners, hear the drums and horns, and remember the commands. Then ten generals are assigned to command the left and right decisive forces, making a total of twelve generals and 12,000 soldiers. The weapons must be well-made and new. Armor, horses, and banners are divided into left and right sections, each section organized according to the troops they command, with the military commander leading the line, arranged in order.

陣間容陣，隊間容隊，曲間容曲。以長參短，以短參長。回軍轉陣，以前為後，以後為前。進無速奔，退無趨走。紛紛紜紜，鬬亂而不可亂；渾渾沌沌，形員而不可敗者，奇正是也。〈○《通典》百四十九以此五句為註文，首有「孫子所謂」四字。〉進止有度，徐疾有節，以正合，以奇勝，聽音、望麾，乍合乍離，於是三令五申。

Between formations there is space for another formation, between squadrons space for another squadron, and between units space for another unit. Long weapons and short weapons are arranged alternately, and short weapons and long weapons support each other. When turning back and changing formations, the original front squadron becomes the rear, and the original rear becomes the front. Advancing should not be reckless, and retreating should not be hasty. Though the troops are numerous and confused, the formations remain orderly; though the situation is chaotic, the formation remains complete and unbroken. This is due to the mutual coordination between the regular and the irregular forces (The "Tong Dian" Volume 149 treats these five sentences as annotations, with the words "Sun Wu said" at the beginning). Advancing and retreating follow a set order, speed and slowness have a rhythm; regular forces are used for direct combat, and irregular forces for achieving victory. Soldiers listen to the drums and horns, and watch the banners of command, suddenly gathering and suddenly dispersing. All these must be repeatedly explained and clearly instructed.

白旗點、鼓音動，則左右廂齊合；朱旗點、角音動，則左右廂齊離。離之與合，皆不離子午之地。〈○《通典》「子午」作「中央」。〉左廂陽向而旋，〈○《通典》有「右」字。〉右廂陰向而旋，〈○《通典》有「左」字。〉左右各復本位。白旗掉、鼓音動，左右雲蒸鳥散，彌川絡野，然而不失隊伍之疏密；朱旗掉、角音動，左右各復本位。前後左右無差尺寸。

A white flag is raised and a drum is sounded, and the left and right flanks immediately close in together; a red flag is raised and a horn is sounded, and the left and right flanks immediately disperse. Whether dispersing or closing in, they never deviate from the central north-south axis known as "zi-wu" (in the "Tong Dian" it is written as "central"). The left flank rotates on its side facing the sun, while the right flank rotates on its side facing the shade (in the "Tong Dian" an extra "right" is added here for the left flank and an extra "left" is added here for the right flank). After completing the rotation, each returns to its original position. When the white flag is raised and the drum is sounded, the left and right troops spread out like clouds rising or birds scattering, covering the entire landscape, yet the density of the ranks remains orderly. When the red flag is raised and the horn is sounded, the left and right flanks each return to their original positions, with the front, back, left, and right positions perfectly accurate.

經曰：〈○張刻本無此二字，《通典》引同。〉散則法天，聚則法地。如此三合而三離，三聚而三散。不如法者，吏士之罪，可從軍令。〈○張刻本云「可以軍法從事」。〉於是大將軍出五彩旗一十二面，各樹於左右陣前，每旗選壯勇士五十人守旗，選壯勇士五十人奪旗；右廂奪左廂旗，左廂奪右廂旗。鼓音動而奪，角音動而止。得旗者勝，失旗者負，勝賞、負罰。離合之勢，聚散之形，勝負之理，賞罸之信，因是以教之。

The Book of Military Classics states (the Zhang edition does not include the words "Jing Yu," and the citation from the Tongdian is the same): when dispersing, take the pattern of Heaven's widespread distribution; when gathering, take the pattern of Earth's firm consolidation. Thus, repeatedly practicing three harmonies and three separations, three gatherings and three dispersals. Those who do not follow the proper procedures are considered to have committed offenses by officers and soldiers, and can be dealt with according to military law (the Zhang edition says "can be dealt with by military law"). Then the grand general took out twelve flags of five colors and set them up on both sides of the array. For each flag, fifty strong and brave soldiers were assigned to guard it, and another fifty were selected to seize the flag: the right wing would seize the flag of the left wing, and the left wing would seize the flag of the right wing. When the drum sounded, the seizing began; when the horn sounded, they stopped. Those who seized the flag were considered victorious, and those who lost the flag were considered defeated. The victorious were rewarded, and the defeated were punished. The patterns of division and union, the formations of gathering and dispersing, the principles of victory and defeat, and the reliability of rewards and punishments were all taught to the soldiers through this exercise.

經曰：古之諸侯畋獵者，為田除害，上以供祭祀，下以習武事。〈○《御覽》二百九十七引此二句，云「上所以共承宗廟，下所以閑習武事」。〉太古之時，人食鳥獸之肉，衣鳥獸之皮；後代人民眾多，鳥獸寡少，衣食不足。於是神農教其種植，導其紡績，以代鳥獸之命。

The Book of Military Classics says: In ancient times, the feudal lords held hunting expeditions to eliminate wild animals that harmed farmland. This was beneficial both for providing sacrifices for ancestral worship and for practicing military skills (These two sentences, as quoted in the Complete Mirror to Aid in Government, Volume 297, read: "Above, it was to supply the needs of ancestral worship; below, it was to practice military exercises"). In the distant past, people ate the flesh of birds and beasts and wore their skins. However, as the population grew and the number of birds and beasts decreased, clothing and food became insufficient. Therefore, Shen Nong taught people to cultivate five grains and to spin and weave cloth, using agriculture and sericulture to replace the killing of birds and beasts for clothing and food.

自是以後，禽獸復盈山林，下平土〈○此句依《御覽》補。〉害禾稼，人民苦之。於是王公秋冬無事，教習畋獵，簡練兵革，奮揚威武，以戒非常。季冬之月，臘日太陰用事，萬物畢成，蟄蟲以伏，乃具卒乘，從禽於山澤以教之，令知部分進退之儀也。

From then on, wild animals multiplied and filled the mountains and forests, and descended to the plains to destroy crops (this sentence is added according to the "Taiping Yulian"). The people suffered greatly. Therefore, the princes took advantage of the autumn and winter when agricultural work was completed, to practice hunting, inspect and train weapons and armor, display their strength, in order to guard against unexpected events. By the last month of winter, the day of the Laba Festival, when the yin energy was at its peak, and all things had matured and been stored away, and the hibernating creatures had retreated, they gathered infantry and chariots, and went into the mountains and waters to pursue wild animals, using this opportunity to train their troops, making them familiar with the formations, the division of units, and the rules of advancing and retreating.

一人守圍地三尺，一十二將守地三萬六千尺，積尺得六千步，〈○原作「得步六千」，依《御覽》乙轉。〉積步得一十五里，餘六十步。圍中徑闊得地五里，餘二十步，以左右決勝將為校頭，其次左右將各主士伍為行列，皆以金鼓、旌旗為節制。其初，起圍張翼，隨山林地勢，無遠近部分。其合圍地，虞候先擇，定訖，以善弧矢者為圍中騎。其步卒槍幡守圍，有漏禽獸者，坐守圍吏。大獸公之，小獸私之，以觀進止。

When the encirclement is formed, each person is assigned to guard a three-foot section of the encircling line. The twelve generals and their troops together guard a total of thirty-six thousand feet of the encircling line, which equals six thousand steps (the original text says "get six thousand steps," corrected according to the order in the "Taiping Yulian"), and further converted to fifteen li and sixty steps. The diameter of the encircling area is five li and twenty steps. The commanders of the left and right decisive forces serve as the heads of the units. Below them, the left and right generals respectively lead their own troops to form lines, all controlled by gongs and drums as well as banners. Initially, the two wings are spread out and then gradually close in to form the encirclement, advancing along the mountainous terrain without strictly dividing the area by distance. The location for the encirclement is previously surveyed and selected by the Yuhou. Once decided, archers skilled in shooting are chosen to serve as mounted riders within the encirclement. Foot soldiers hold long spears and banners to guard the encircling line. If any wild animals escape, the officers responsible for guarding the line will be held accountable. Large animals caught in the hunt are assigned to the state, while smaller ones belong to the hunters themselves. The commander uses this hunting exercise to observe whether the entire army moves and retreats in a coordinated manner.

經曰：弩者，怒也。言其聲勢威響如怒，故以名其弓也。〈○《御覽》三百四十八，「弓」作「弩」。〉穿剛洞堅，自近及遠。古有黃連、百竹、八擔、雙弩之名。〈○《通典》百四十九引作「雙弓之號」。〉今有絞車弩，射七百步，攻城拔壘用之；臂張弩，射三百步，步戰用之；馬弩，射二百步，馬戰用之。

The "Bing Jing" says: "The 'nu' (crossbow) takes its meaning from 'nu' (anger), indicating its powerful and fierce discharge, like a furious roar, hence the name 'nu' for this type of bow (The "Tai Ping Yu Lian" volume 348, section "Bow," also writes 'nu'). It can pierce through strong armor and shields, and can shoot both near and far. In ancient times, there were names such as Huang Lian Nu, Bai Zhu Nu, Ba Dan Nu, and Shuang Nu (The "Tong Dian" volume 149 cites it as 'Shuang Gong' [double bow]). Now there are Jiao Che Nu, which can shoot seven hundred steps, used for attacking fortifications; Bi Zhang Nu, which can shoot three hundred steps, used in foot combat; and Ma Nu, which can shoot two hundred steps, used in mounted combat.

弩張遲，臨敵不過三發，所以戰陣不便於弩，非弩不利於戰，而將不明於用弩也。夫弩不離於短兵，〈○《通典》「離」作「雜」。〉當別為隊，攢箭注射，則前無立兵，對無橫陣；復以陣中張陣外射，番次輪回，張而復出，射而復入，則弩無絶聲，敵無薄我。置弩必處於高，爭山奪水，守隘塞口，破驍陷陣，果非弩不利也。〈○此四句，張刻本云「爭山奪川隘塞之日，摧堅破銳，果非弩不克也」。〉

The bowstring on a crossbow is slow to draw, and in battle it can only be fired three times at most, so people think it is inconvenient to use crossbows in formation. In reality, it is not the crossbow that is unsuitable for warfare, but rather that generals do not know how to use it properly. Crossbows must be supported by short weapons (In the "Tong Dian," "Li" is written as "za"), and the crossbowmen should be organized into separate units, firing arrows all at once. In this way, there will be no enemy soldiers standing firm on the front line, and the enemy will not be able to form a proper line of battle. Then, the crossbowmen should draw their bows inside the formation and fire from outside, rotating in groups. When they have drawn their bows, they go out to fire, and after firing, they retreat back. Thus, the sound of the crossbows continues without interruption, and the enemy cannot approach our troops. The position for placing crossbows must be chosen on high ground. When fighting for mountain passes, controlling rivers and water sources, blocking narrow passes, breaking through the enemy's elite forces, and breaking the enemy's formation, it is indeed only with crossbows that these can be achieved (these four lines, in the Zhang edition, read "When fighting for mountains, rivers, narrow passes, and fortifications, breaking through the enemy's elite forces and breaking their formation, it is indeed only with crossbows that these can be achieved").

張弩後，左廂丁字立，當弩八字立，高揎手垂衫襟，左手承撞，右手迎上，當心開張。張有闊狹，左䏶右轉，〈○《通典》「轉」作「膊」。〉還復當心，安箭高舉。射賊若遠，高擡弩頭；賊若近，平身放；左右有賊，回身放；賊在高處，挈腳放。放箭訖，喝殺，𨚫掣拗蠍尾，覆弩還著地。

The posture for drawing the bow is: when standing to the left of the crossbow, the feet are in a T-shape; when facing the crossbow, the feet are in an eight-character shape. Raise the sleeves high so that the robe hangs naturally. The left hand supports the crossbow, while the right hand raises upward to catch the bowstring, pulling it open toward the center of the chest. The amount of draw varies, with the left hip rotating to the right (the "turn" in the "Comprehensive典" is actually "shoulder"), then returning to face the center of the chest again. Insert the arrow, lift the crossbow high. When shooting at distant enemies, raise the crossbow higher; when enemies are nearby, shoot while keeping the body level; when enemies are on the left or right, turn the body to shoot; when enemies are above, lift the foot to shoot. After the arrow is used up, shout "kill" loudly, then quickly pull back the scorpion-tail trigger at the back of the crossbow and flip it over to place it back on the ground.

經曰：從一陣之中，離為八陣，從八陣復合而為一；〈○此句張刻本補。〉聽音望麾，以出四奇，飛龍、虎翼、鳥翔、蛇蟠為四奇陣，天、地、風、雲為四正陣。夫善戰者，以正合，以奇勝，奇正相生，〈○「奇正」二字，依張刻本補。此用《孫子‧兵勢篇》文。〉如循環之無端，孰能窮之？奇為陽，正為陰，陰陽相薄，而四時行焉；奇為剛，正為柔，剛柔相得，而萬物成焉。奇正之用，萬物無所不勝焉。所謂合者，即合奇正八陣而為一也。〈○此二句，依張刻本補。〉

The *Bing Jing* says: From one great formation, eight formations can be separated, and these eight formations can again be combined into one great formation (this sentence is added according to the Zhang edition). Soldiers listen to the sound of drums and horns and watch the banners of command, sending out four strange formations—Flying Dragon, Tiger Wings, Bird Soaring, and Snake Coiling—are four strange formations, while Heaven, Earth, Wind, and Cloud are four regular formations. A skilled general uses regular troops to fight the enemy and uses strange troops to achieve victory. Strange and regular formations mutually generate each other (the words "strange and regular" are added according to the Zhang edition; this is a quote from the *Sunzi Bingshi* chapter). Like a rotating circle with no beginning or end, who can exhaust its changes? Strange belongs to yang, regular belongs to yin, and the interaction of yin and yang causes the four seasons to never cease. Strange is strong, regular is gentle, and the combination of strength and gentleness leads to the continuous generation of all things. By combining strange and regular formations, one can achieve victory against any opponent.the so-called "he" means combining the eight strange and regular formations back into one great formation (these two sentences are added according to the Zhang edition).

經曰：風后演《握奇圖》，自一陣之中，分為八陣。

The "Book of Military Classics" says: Fenghou devised the "Diagram of the Unparalleled Strategy," which involves dividing one large formation into eight smaller formations.

天有衝，或圓布。黃帝曰：天陣圓，〈○《御覽》三百一引作「少則為圓」，張刻本無「為」字。〉利為主，色尚元，為乾。

The heavenly array has a "Chong" position for sudden attack, sometimes arranged in a circular shape. The Yellow Emperor said: "The heavenly array takes a circular form" (as cited in "Taiping Yu Lian" volume 31, and in Zhang's edition, the word "wei" is omitted). This is advantageous for the defending side to wait and confront the enemy. The color of the flag should be dark black, and it should be paired with the Qian trigram of the Eight Trigrams. Here, "Zhu" refers to the side occupying the ground and waiting for the enemy, while "Ke" refers to the side coming from afar to attack.

地陣方，〈○《御覽》「壯則為方」上有「黃帝雲」三字。〉利為客，色尚黃，為坤。風附於天，〈○《御覽》此下有「峰」字。〉風象，其形銳首，利為客，色尚赤，為㢲。

The earth formation takes a square shape (The Taiping Yulian mentions "Yellow Emperor said" above "zhuang ze wei fang"). It is advantageous for the attacking party, with yellow as the preferred color of the flag, and paired with the position of Kun. The wind formation is subordinate to the heavenly formation (The Taiping Yulian has the character "feng" below this), taking the form of wind, with a sharp front, advantageous for the attacking party, with red as the preferred color of the flag, and paired with the position of Xun.

雲附於地。太公曰：左右相向是也，其形銳首，利為客，色尚白，為坎。飛龍，其形屈曲，似龍，〈○張刻本云「龍形屈曲，變化莫測，其陣象之，敵亦莫得而測」也。〉利為主，色上元下赤，為震。

Cloud formation array is subordinate to the earth formation. Jiang Taigong said: the two wings of the array facing each other form the cloud formation array, its head is pointed, suitable for the attacking side, the flag color is white, and it is paired with the Kan position. The flying dragon formation has a winding shape, like a dragon (the Zhang edition says "dragon shape winding and twisting, unpredictable changes, this formation takes the image of a dragon, so the enemy cannot measure it"), it is suitable for the defending side, the flag color is upper blue and lower red, and it is paired with the Zhen position.

虎翼，居中，法翼而進，其形空，〈○《御覽》「法」作「張」，「空」作「踞」。〉利為主，色上黃下青，為兌。鳥翔。太公曰：鳥翔者，突擊之義也，其形迅急，利為客，色上元下白，為離。〈○此下二圖，舊抄本傳寫錯亂，姑從張刻本。〉

The Tiger Wings formation is located in the center, imitating the way a tiger spreads its wings to advance forward, with the center of the formation left open (In the "Methods" section of the Taiping Yulian, "spread" is written as "zhang" and "open" as "ju"). It is favorable for the main force to engage in a defensive battle. The flag color is upper yellow and lower green, paired with the Dui position. The Bird Flying formation, as mentioned by Jiang Taigong, refers to a sudden attack, with the formation moving swiftly and urgently, suitable for the attacking force. The flag color is upper black and lower white, paired with the Li position. (The following two diagrams, due to errors in the old copied manuscript, are taken from Zhang's edition.)

蛇蟠。太公曰：蛇蟠者，圍繞之義也，〈○「繞」字依《御覽》補。〉其形宛轉，利為主，色上黃下赤，為艮。

The Snake Coiled Array, as explained by Jiang Taigong, refers to an array formation that involves winding and enclosing. The term 'around' is added according to the "Taiping Yulian." The formation is circular and winding, advantageous for the main force to engage in battle. The flag color is upper yellow and lower red, matching the position of Gen.

經曰：古者，天子望于山川，徧於群神；諸侯祭其封內興雲出雨之山川神祗。出師皆祭，〈○「出師」二字，依張刻本補。〉並所過名山大川，福及生人神祗。《爾雅》云：「是類是禡，〈○兩「是」字，　閣本並作「旣」，依張刻本改，與《爾雅》合。〉師祭也；旣伯旣禱，馬祭也。」師初出，則禡軍之牙門，禱馬群廐。蚩尤氏造五兵，制旗鼓，師出亦祭之。其名山大川風伯雨師並所過則祭，不過則否。

The Book of Military Classics states: In ancient times, the Son of Heaven would remotely worship the mountains and rivers throughout the land and offer sacrifices to all the spirits of the various regions. The feudal lords would only worship the mountains and rivers within their own fiefs that could summon clouds and bring rain. When going to war, sacrifices were always held (the words "出师" are added according to the Zhang edition). All famous mountains and rivers along the route, as well as deities who bring blessings to the people, were also worshipped. The Er Ya · Interpretation of Heaven says: "『Is class is cǎ』 refers to the sacrifice before going to war; "『Ji bo ji dao』 refers to the horse sacrifice." When the army first set out, a cǎ sacrifice was performed at the military gate, and then prayers were offered for the horses at the stable. Chi You invented five types of weapons and established the methods of flags and drums, and also sacrificed to him when going to war. As for famous mountains and rivers, the wind deity and the rain deity, if the army passed through them, they were worshipped; if not, they were not.

毘沙門神，本西胡法，佛說四天王，則北方天王也，於闐城有廟。身被金甲，右手持㦸，左手擎塔，祗從群神，殊形異狀，胡人事之。

The Vaisravana deity originally comes from the beliefs of the Western Regions' Hu people. In Buddhist scriptures, he is referred to as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, specifically the Northern Heavenly King. There is a temple dedicated to him in the city of Khotan. The deity is depicted wearing golden armor, holding a spear in his right hand and a pagoda in his left. The attendant deities around him have various forms and unusual postures. The Hu people have worshipped him generation after generation.

往年吐蕃圍於闐，〈○此下原有「吐蕃人」三字，今依張本。〉夜見金人被髮持㦸行於城上，吐蕃眾數十萬悉患瘡疾，莫能勝，兵又化黑鼠，咬弓弦，無不斷絶，吐蕃扶病而遁。國家知其神，乃詔於邊方立廟，元帥亦圖其形於旗上，號曰神旗。出居旗節之前。故軍出而祭之，至今府州縣多立天王廟焉。

In his early years, the Tibetan forces surrounded Yutian. One night, someone saw a golden-armored deity with disheveled hair and a long spear walking on the city wall. The Tibetan army of hundreds of thousands suddenly all contracted sores and could no longer continue fighting. The divine soldiers then transformed into black mice, which gnawed on the bowstrings. Any bowstring bitten by them would break, so the Tibetans had to carry the sick and retreat. The court learned of this deity's effectiveness and issued an edict to build a temple in the border regions. The commanding general also painted the deity's image on his flag, calling it the "Divine Flag," placing it at the front of the military standards. Therefore, whenever the army went to war, they would worship this deity. Until today, most prefectures, states, and counties have built temples dedicated to the Heavenly King.

一本云：昔吐蕃圍安西，北庭表奏求救，唐元宗曰：「安西去京師一萬二千里，須八月方到，到則無及矣。」左右請召不空三藏，令請毘沙門天王。師至，請帝執香爐，師誦眞言，帝忽見甲士立前。帝問不空，不空曰：「天王遣二子獨揵將兵〈○張刻本作「獨領徤兵」。〉救安西，來辭陛下。」後安西奏云：「城東北三十里雲霧中，見兵人各長一丈，約五六里，至酉時鳴鼓角，震三百里，停二日。康居等五國抽兵彼營中，有金鼠咬弓弩絃器械並損。須臾，北樓天王現身。」

Another version records that in the past, when the Tibetan forces besieged Anxi, the governor of Beiting submitted a memorial requesting military assistance. Emperor Xuanzong said, "Anxi is twelve thousand li away from the capital, and it would take eight months for the relief troops to arrive. Even if they did arrive, it would be too late." Advisors on the emperor's side suggested summoning the monk Fakyou to perform a ritual invocation of the Bodhisattva Vaisravana. After Fakyou arrived, he asked the emperor to personally hold the incense burner, and then recited the true words. Suddenly, the emperor saw a group of soldiers standing before him. The emperor asked Fakyou what had happened, and Fakyou replied, "The Bodhisattva Vaisravana has sent his second son, Dukhan, to rescue Anxi, and he has come to bid the emperor farewell." Later, Anxi reported that thirty li to the northeast of the city, many soldiers appeared in the clouds and mists, each over ten chi tall, stretching for about five or six li. At dusk, they sounded drums and horns, their sound shaking the area for three hundred li, continuing for two days. The five states of Kangju withdrew their troops from the siege camp, where golden rats had bitten through the bows and arrows, and the weapons were also damaged. Soon after, the Bodhisattva Vaisravana appeared on the city's northern tower.

維某年，歲次某甲，某月朔，某日，某將軍某，敢以牲牢之奠，告於牙軍之神。〈○此「軍」字，張刻本作「旗」。〉曰：在昔三皇無師，五帝有師，所以伐姦凶、禦桀驁。封豕逞兇，〈○張刻本作「薦食」。〉長蛇流毒，寇掠我生聚，殘害我邊陲。我君恥不祥之器，以伐謀為兵，愛不戰而屈人，借前箸為籌策，〈○「籌」字依張刻本補。〉遂得東夷貢矢，西旅獻獒，川明海澄，〈○張刻本作「宴」。〉歷有年矣。

In a certain year, with the stem and branch of the year being something, on the first day of a certain month, on a certain day, General Someone respectfully offered cattle and sheep as sacrifices to the god of the banner troops (the character 'military' in the Zhang edition is 'banner'), and recited the following prayer: In the time of the Three Emperors, there were no armies, but in the time of the Five Emperors, armies were established to suppress villains and resist the strong. Now, fierce bandits, like wild boars, display their brutality, and evil enemies, like long snakes, spread their poison everywhere, plundering the people who live in our communities and harming our border areas. Our sovereign considers the use of weapons an ill omen, and values victory through strategy as the true way of warfare. He values subduing the enemy without battle, as Zhang Liang did when he planned strategies for Han Gaozu, using a chopstick as a symbol. Thus, the Eastern夷 have presented fine arrows, the Western tribes have offered fierce dogs, the rivers are clear, and the sea is calm, and such peace has lasted for many years.

今戎狄遺噍，虺蠍遠出，〈○原作「起蜥遠山」，今依張刻本。〉紂犬吠堯，獍集狼顧。〈○「集」字依張刻本補。〉天子授我斧鉞，錫我彤弓，鑿門分閫，使專征伐。惟爾乃神，翼茲威武，左霹靂，右雷公，天乙在前，太乙在後，風雹雨霰，克勝群醜，枹鼓未揮，元兇授首。惟爾英靈，來歆旨酒。

Now the Rong and Di still have surviving captives, and venomous snakes and scorpions have emerged from afar, like the evil dogs kept by Jie and Zhou, barking at Tang Yao, and like the vicious beast Jingtou gathered together, looking back with wolves eyeing their prey. The Son of Heaven has handed me his axe and钺, given me a red bow, opened the city gate to see me off, and set the boundaries for my military command, allowing me full authority over military campaigns. May the gods protect this mighty expedition: on my left, thunder; on my right, Lei Gong; the Tian Yi star leading the way, the Tai Yi star following behind, with fierce winds, hail, rain, and snow all descending together, to defeat these villains in one fell swoop. Before the drum is even struck, the chief villain will be captured. May the spirits of the gods come to partake in this cup of fine wine.

維某年，歲次某甲，某月朔，某日，某將軍某，謹以清酌少牢之奠，祭爾群牧馬之神。曰：古者，庖犧氏作服牛乘馬，引重致遠，以代人勞。爾能節齊和鸞，舉應鼙鼓，〈○「應」字依張刻本補。〉陷矢石殪，奔禽聲嘶而涼風立至，影滅而浮雲猶見。

In a certain year, with the stem-branch cycle of a certain year, on the first day of a certain month, on a certain day, General So-and-so, respectfully offering clear wine and a small sacrifice of animals, paid homage to you, the deities of the stables and horses. His prayer was as follows: In ancient times, Fu Xi devised the method of driving oxen and riding horses, using animals to carry heavy loads and travel long distances, thus relieving human labor. You respond to the rhythm of the chariot bells, moving in unison; upon hearing the war drum, you rush forward, willingly facing arrows and falling stones. When you gallop, you can catch up with birds; with a long neigh, a cool wind follows, and your shadow disappears, while the clouds you have raised remain behind.

穆滿八駿，足跡接於瑤池；王良駟馬，人事標於天漢，國家恩覃八埏，光宅九土，〈○原本「八」作「無」，「九」作「有」，並依張刻本改。〉王化潛謐，〈○張刻本「皇仁四隘」。〉白旗來庭，浮鐵沈毛，貢金納帛。〈○張刻本作「罽」。〉而豺狼難厭，反首逆鱗，學三苗之不恭，慕九黎之亂德。叛而不討，何以示威？

King Zhoushu's son Muwang rode eight swift horses, his journey reaching the jade pool of the Queen Mother of the West. The skilled charioteer Wangliang, driving his four horses, had his deeds recorded among the star mansions in the Milky Way. The state's grace extended to the eight remote regions, its radiance covering the nine provinces. The king's virtue quietly brought peace to all corners. Distant tribes came to pay homage with white flags, even those strange lands where iron floats on water and hair sinks, submitting and offering gold and silver, paying silk and cloth. Yet the wolves-like enemies, greedy and insatiable, turned against the king, offending the Son of Heaven, imitating the disrespect of Sanmiao and the corruption of Jiuli. If they rebelled and we did not punish them, by what could we show the state's might?

天子齋壇場，拜飛將。將軍身衛琱戈，〈○原作「彫城」，依張刻本改。〉手提金鼓，揮陣雲〈○張刻本作「清風」。〉以出塞，乘明月而渡河，誓將揮種埋落，擒魑摘魅，火烈具舉，我武維揚。〈○張刻本「疾如飄風」。〉惟爾馬神，使我馬肥，風馳電轉，龍驤虎奔，〈○原作「龍驟魚奔」，今依張刻本。〉晶甲霜明，草木皆偃，飛矢星落，江河斡旋，一舉成功，投戈脫甲，示不復用，休爾於華山之陽而已矣。〈○張刻本無此三字。〉

The heavenly sovereign performed a ritual on the sacred altar, appointing the general. The general was escorted by ornate spears, holding golden drums, and dispelling the battlefield clouds to cross the frontier. Seizing the bright moon, they crossed the river, vowing to exterminate the enemy's race, bury their tribes, and capture all ghosts and spirits. The flames rose together, spreading the military might. May the horse gods make our horses strong and swift, galloping like dragons and tigers, their armor shining like frost, causing grass and trees to bow before them, arrows falling like meteors, making rivers whirl. After a single successful campaign, they would lay down their weapons and armor, signifying an end to warfare, and rest peacefully south of Mount Hua.