China's Ancient Military Thought
Strategists and military critics' rational understanding of war and military issues. It deepens with the progress of society and the development of war.
In the 2nd/kloc-0th century BC (22nd century BC), China established the Xia Dynasty of slavery, from which war became the highest form of class struggle. At this time, although people's understanding of war is at a low stage, a military thought centered on the concept of destiny guiding war has emerged. Slave owners launched predatory wars against foreigners or suppressed their slaves' resistance by force, all with the call of conquering "disobedient people", "hanging people to punish crimes" and "respecting heaven and protecting the people", and used divination to drive their soldiers to fight under the guise of providence and heavy punishment and reward. The operation mode is group array frontal killing.
After the Shang Dynasty, the battle was gradually dominated by chariots. Military command needs unified action and strict management. This thought guided the military struggle in Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties. Through the war practice in this period, people have initially realized that the masses can defeat widows, and the strong can defeat the weak, which embodies the simple materialistic concept. During the Western Zhou Dynasty, military works such as military records and military affairs appeared. Although it has long been lost, there are still some quotations in later books such as Zuo Zhuan and Sun Tzu's Art of War.