According to the research of military historians, the power of the eight-array map mainly comes from its excellent laying, which can be divided and changed. Eight arrays should be deployed according to the gossip principle. There are eight doors in the Eight Arrays, namely, repairing doors, opening doors, injuring doors, all doors, Jingmen, dead doors, shocking doors and opening doors. Among them, Shengmen, Jingmen and Kaimen are auspicious doors, while repairing doors, coming to doors, closing doors, dying and being shocked are fierce doors. The whole array * * * has 14000 Ma Jun, with 50 people as a team; ***280 teams, 100000 foot soldiers, are listed as 200 teams, each infantry covers two steps, one cavalry covers four steps, 10 people form a line, face to face, back to back, and the cavalry and foot soldiers cooperate with each other and exchange. This is conducive to rest during the battle and save physical strength. Eight arrays can also change the lineup and confuse the enemy.
Ruan Yi of Song Dynasty explained the method of eight-array diagram in detail in the book Li Jing Wen You. According to the records in the book, the eight-array diagram was originally composed of five teams, and its arrangement method was to divide the square into nine squares, one in the middle and one in the four corners. The middle team stays in the middle, and the other four teams can change places in their eight squares. The formation changes at any time, and the forces are flexible, echoing back and forth, thus having an irregular force. Zheng Xuan, a scholar in the Eastern Han Dynasty, mentioned in Zhou Li's Note that Sun Wu, an outstanding strategist in the Spring and Autumn Period, had described the Eight Arrays in Sun Tzu's Art of War. Sui Shu Jing Ji Zhi also recorded a section of Sun Tzu's Eight Arrays, but the content has been lost. However, it also indicates that the array mapping already exists. 1972, there is an eight-array picture in the bamboo slips of Sun Tzu's Art of War unearthed in Zhangzishan, Linyi County, Shandong Province. In the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, the army also implemented the Eight Arrays Method. For example, it is recorded in the "History of the Three Kingdoms and Emperor Wudi" that "the horse was tested in October, but fortunately it was able to advance and retreat for the South Gate of Changshui". However, Zhuge Liang is the most successful. He absorbed and carried forward the essence of military strategists of past dynasties and developed it creatively, so later generations said that his rhyme eight array method originated from Sun Wu, even better than Sun Wu. Mao of Amin Dynasty studied Zhuge Liang's eight arrays, and said in his revised "Fish in Zhuge Liang River" that "sixty-four small arrays are arranged vertically and horizontally to form eight arrays of heaven, earth, wind, cloud, dragon, tiger, bird, snake and one army, which are combined into one big array. There are 24 teams behind the array, which is the mobile force of the large array. "
However, we still know a little about the application and changing power of the eight-array method in war. With the continuous discovery of archaeological excavations, there will be more and more materials that can provide the ancient eight arrays. Does the Eight-Diagram apply the gossip principle to the military? What is its layout and operation mechanism? This will be a precious military historical legacy, and it is worth our efforts to solve this mystery.