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Taibaiyin jing 太白陰經 "Classic of the Bright White Yin [Star]" is a military treatise written by the Tang-period 唐 (618-907) military governor Li Quan 李筌 (mid-8th cent.). The full title of the book is Shenji zhidi taibaiyin jing 神機制敵太白陰經 "Classic of the Bright White Yin Star about checking the enemy by divine surprise". The book has a length of 10 juan.
Although the title suggests that supernatural forces are involved, the Taibaiyin jing says clearly that the outcome of a battle depends decisively on a good planning by the commander, and that the bravery of the troops depended on the right use of punishment and reward. Victory was also a result of good conduct of government. Only when a ruler was benevolent in the Confucian sense his state would be wealthy, and the troops be willing to fight for their lord. The general had to attract competent advisors and to make use of natural conditions during war. His army had to be an active player, while the enemy had to be forced to do what the advantage commanded.
The Taibaiyin jing provides a lot of information on military conduct, weapons and tools for a war of attack and for defence, military camps, battle arrays, official communication, the care for men and horses, the observation of the environment and the weather, and some mantic aspects correlated to cosmology. It is a summary of information already provided by earlier writers, but in some points, new details are described. The Taibaiyin jing is therefore often quoted in the encylopaedia Tongdian 通典.
The Taibaiyin jing is included in the series Mohai jinhu 墨海金壺, which reproduces a Song-period 宋 (960-1279) manuscript.
| 人謀上 Strategic planning for personnel | ||
|---|---|---|
| 陰經總序(原闕) | Preface to the Classic of the Yin [Star] | |
| 2 | 天無陰陽篇 | Heaven is not determined by Yin and Yang |
| 2 | 地無險阻篇 | The earth is not determined by passes and barrages |
| 3 | 人無勇怯篇 | Troops have not courage or cowardice |
| 4 | 主有道徳篇 | The sovereign exerts the Way and the power of virtue |
| 5 | 國有强富篇 | States have strength and wealthG |
| 6 | 賢有遇時篇 | Worthies know the right time |
| 7 | 將有智勇篇 | Generals have wisdom and courage |
| 8 | 術有陰謀篇 | Skills need secret planning |
| 9 | 數有探心篇 | As to numbers (wisdom?), explore the hearts |
| 10 | 政有誅强篇 | For the sake of the state, even the strong must be executed |
| 人謀下 | ||
| 11 | 善師篇 | Good leaders |
| 12 | 貴和篇 | Value peace |
| 13 | 廟勝篇 | [Advance calculations] for victory in the ancestral temple |
| 14 | 沉謀篇 | Deep planning |
| 15 | 子卒篇 | Children and soldiers |
| 16 | 選士篇 | The selection of troops |
| 17 | 勵士篇 | The exhortation of troops |
| 18 | 刑賞篇 | Punishment and reward |
| 19 | 地勢篇 | Topography |
| 20 | 兵形篇 | Military formations |
| 21 | 作戰篇 | Making battles |
| 22 | 攻守篇 | Attack and defence |
| 23 | 行人篇 | March |
| 24 | 鑒才篇 | The mirror of talent |
| [雜儀 Various ceremonies and rules] | ||
| 25 | 授鉞篇 | Handing over the ceremonial axe |
| 26 | 部署篇 | Dispositions of battalions |
| 27 | 將軍篇 | The general |
| 28 | 陣將篇 | Commanders in battle |
| 29 | 隊將篇 | Commanders of infantry battalions |
| 30 | 馬將篇 | Commanders of cavalry |
| 31 | 鑒人篇 | The inspection of troops |
| 32 | 相馬篇 | The inspection of horses |
| 33 | 誓衆軍令篇 | Swearing in the troops and giving commands |
| 34 | 關塞四夷篇 | Passes and the four barbarians |
| 戰具類 Battle tools | ||
| 35 | 攻城具篇 | Tools for attacking a city |
| 36 | 守城具篇 | Tools for defending a city |
| 37 | 水攻具篇 | Tools for water attack |
| 38 | 火攻具篇 | Tools for fire attack |
| 39 | 濟水篇 | Tools for crossing rivers |
| 40 | 水戰具篇 | Tools for naval battles |
| 41 | 器械篇 | Banners and weapons |
| 42 | 軍裝篇 | Various equipment |
| [預備 Dispositions and preliminary arrangements] | ||
| 預備總序 | Preface to dispositions and preliminary arrangements | |
| 43 | 築城篇 | The construction of city walls |
| 44 | 鑿濠篇 | The construction of moats |
| 45 | 弩臺篇 | Crossbow platforms |
| 46 | 烽燧臺篇 | Signal towers with fire beacons |
| 47 | 馬鋪土河篇 | Horse stations and guard posts |
| 48 | 遊奕地聼篇 | Reconnoitering |
| 49 | 報平安篇 | Hourly reports of the watch |
| 50 | 嚴警皷角篇 | Strict observance of drums and cornets |
| 51 | 定舖篇 | The erection of posts outside the camp |
| 52 | 夜號更刻篇 | Signals for the night and the night watch |
| 53 | 鄉導篇 | Scouts |
| 54 | 井泉篇 | Wells |
| 55 | 迷途篇 | Gone astray |
| 56 | 搜山燒草篇 | Scanning mountains and burning grass |
| 57 | 前茅後殿篇 | Cane in the front and protection from the back |
| 58 | 釁皷篇 | Smearing blood on the drums |
| 59 | 屯田篇 | Agro-colonies |
| 60 | 人糧馬料篇 | Food and fodder |
| 61 | 軍資篇 | Funds for rewards |
| 62 | 宴設音樂篇 | Banquets and music |
| [陣圖 Charts of battle arrays] | ||
| 63 | 陣圖總序 | Preface to charts of battle arrays |
| 64 | 風后握奇壘圖篇 | The Lord of the Wind's control by the wall of unexpected [movements] |
| 65 | 太白營圖篇 | The arrangement of the White Star |
| 66 | 偃月營圖篇 | The arrangement of the halfmoon |
| 67 | 陰陽隊圖篇 | The Yin-Yang divisions |
| 68 | 教旗圖篇 | Instruction on banners |
| 69 | 草教圖篇 | Instruction on hunting |
| 70 | 教弩篇圖 | Instruction on the crossbow |
| 71 | 合而為一陣篇 | The contracted and unified battle array |
| 72 | 離而為八陣圖篇 | The dispersed and eightfold battle array |
| [祭文、捷書、藥方 Sacrificial texts, marching orders, medical formulas] | ||
| 祭文書藥方總序 | Preface to sacrificial texts and formulas for medical treatment | |
| 73 | 禡牙文篇 | Sacrificial text to hallow the lead banner before starting a campaign |
| 74 | 禡馬文篇 | Text for the sacrifice of a horse before starting a campaign |
| 75 | 祭蚩尤文篇 | Text for the sacrifice to Chi You, the God of War |
| 76 | 祭名山大川文篇 | Text for sacrifices to the great mountains and rivers |
| 77 | 祭風伯雨師文篇 | Text for sacrifices to the Earl of the Wind and the Master of Rain |
| 78 | 祭毗沙門天王文 | Text for the sacrifice to Vaiśravaṇa the Heavenly King |
| 79 | 捷書露布篇 | Marching orders |
| 80 | 治人藥方篇 | Formulas for the medical treatment of troops |
| 81 | 治馬藥方篇 | Formulas for the medical treatment of horses |
| [雜占] Various divination methods | ||
| 81 | 雜占總叙 | Preface on various divination methods |
| 82 | 占日篇 | Divination by the sun |
| 83 | 占月氣色篇 | Divination by the moon and colours of qi |
| 84 | 有占五星篇 | Divination by the five planets |
| 85 | 占流星篇 | Divination by comets |
| 86 | 占客星篇 | Divination by "guest stars" |
| 87 | 占妖星篇 | Divination by demonic stars |
| 88 | 占雲氣篇 | Divination by cloudy qi |
| 分野占篇 | Divination by congruence of geography and stars | |
| 風角篇 | Divination by the sound of the wind | |
| 五音占風篇 | Divination by determining the wind by sounds | |
| 鳥情占篇 | Divination by birds | |
| 遁甲 Dunjia divination | ||
| 〔遁甲總序〕 | Preface on dunjia divination | |
| 向背擇日篇 | Selection of days of turning towards oneself or turning away | |
| 推五星所在法篇 | Methods of calculating the position of the five planets | |
| 推恩建黃道法篇 | Methods of calculating favourite positions on the ecliptic | |
| 推亭亭白奸法篇 | Calculation of the stops of the White Malefactor | |
| 出師安營篇 | Bringing the army into the field and pacifying the camps | |
| 閉六戊法篇 | The method of closing the six wu days | |
| 玉女閉局法篇 | The method of the Jaden Maid's closing the offices | |
| 察情勝敗篇 | Investigation of the situation for victory or defeat | |
| 主客向背篇 | Host and guest turn towards or away from each other | |
| 推神煞門户篇 | Calculation of maleficient spirits in relation to gates and doors of space | |
| 龜卜篇 | Divination by tortoise shells | |
| 山岡營壘篇 | Mountains, hills, camps and fortifications | |