Huihuaji 灰畫集

Huihuaji 灰畫集 "Collection on draft maps" is a book on military geography written during the Qing period 清 (1644-1911) by Li Peixun 李培訓 xxx. The book has a length of 20 juan and was finished in 1726. The title of the book denotes the traditional custom of drafting maps during campaigns.

The downfall of the Ming dynasty 明 (1368-1644) was a reason to write a book about the importance of geography and topography in warfare. With many examples from history, Li Peixun explains the reasons for victory and defeat by analysing the factors of topography. He stresses the importance of the regions of Shaanxi and Shandong for the heartland in the Yellow River basin and the relation between the region of northern Anhui and Jiangsu with the Yangtze valley. A capital city had to be protected with several layers of garrisons stretching over vast distances. Garrisons in northern Shaanxi, Liaoning and Shandong were thus able to protect Beijing. Li Peixun was aware of the danger which the open flank to the west posed in Shanxi, and thus anticipated the western campaigns during the Kangxi 康熙 (1662-1722) and Qianlong 乾隆 (1736-1795) reign-periods. He also suggests planting a belt of forests in the northwest, in order to obstruct the cavalry armies of the nomad tribes. The author relied on a large amount of older treatises, especially the books Dushi fangyu jiyao 讀史方輿紀要, Wenwuku 文武庫, Juzhupian 居諸篇 and Qinbian jilüe 秦邊紀略.

There is an edition in ten volumes from the Republican period (1911-1949) of an unclear date, published by an institution called Xunlian Zongjian Bianju Ju 訓練總監編輯局.