Taibaiyin jing 太白陰經 (www.chinaknowledge.de)

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Nov 19, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald

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 xxx. 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 resummé 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.

Table 1. Contents of the *Taibaiyin jing* 太白陰經
人謀上 Strategic planning for personnel
1	陰經總序(原闕)/td>	Prefeace xxx
2	天地無陰陽篇(原闕)	Heaven and Earth are not determined by Yin and Yang
3	人無勇怯篇/td>
4	主有道徳篇/td>	The sovereign exerts the Way and the power of virtue
5	國有强富篇/td>	States have strength and wealthG
6	賢有遇時篇/td>
7	將有智勇篇/td>	Generals have wisdom and courage
8	實有陰經篇/td>
9	數有探心篇/td>
10	政有誅强篇/td>
人謀下
11	善師篇
12	貴和篇
13	廟勝篇
14	沈謀篇
15	子卒篇
16	選士篇
17	勵士篇
18	刑賞篇
19	地勢篇
20	兵形篇
21	作戰篇
22	攻守篇
23	行人篇
24	鑒才篇
[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 nightwatch
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
	推五星所在法篇
	推恩建黃道法篇
	推亭亭白奸法篇
	出師安營篇
	閉六戊法篇
	玉女閉局法篇
	察情勝敗篇
	主客向背篇
	推神煞門户篇
	龜卜篇	Divination by tortoise shells
	山岡營壘篇

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