Treatise on Armament Technology, Volume 3

The Wubei Zhi is a massive Ming Dynasty military encyclopedia compiled by Mao Yuanyi. This volume marks the beginning of his commentaries on classical military texts.

Mao Yuanyi (1594–1640) used the courtesy name "Fangfeng." He was a scholar-official who dedicated his life to documenting Chinese military knowledge.

Commentary on Military Secrets

Commentary on Military Secrets The Methods of the Sima

The "Methods of the Sima" (Sima Fa) is one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China. It is highly regarded for its philosophical approach to war, emphasizing that military force should only be used for righteous purposes.

King Wei of Qi retrospectively discussed the laws of the Grand Marshal of the Zhou Dynasty, including the writings of Sima Rangju.
King Wei (reigned 356–320 BC) of the State of Qi ordered his ministers to compile the ancient military regulations of the "Sima" (the title for the Grand Marshal/Minister of War). They incorporated the successful strategies of the general Sima Rangju into this text.

Chapter 1: Benevolence as the Foundation

Original title: Ren Ben. This chapter argues that the root of all military action must be benevolence—using war only to stop violence and protect the people.

Chapter 2: The Duty of the Son of Heaven

Original title: Tianzi zhi Yi. The "Son of Heaven" refers to the Emperor. This section discusses the moral authority and the specific responsibilities a ruler holds when commanding an army.

Chapter 3: Establishing Noble Ranks

Chapter 4: Strictness of Positions

This chapter likely deals with the rigorous discipline required for military formations and the specific "placing" or "positioning" of troops on the battlefield.