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Diagram of the "Round Heaven and Square Earth" Formation of the Miscellaneous Military Schools

Miscellaneous Military Schools original: 雜兵家 — Za Bingjia; a classification of military theorists who synthesized various strategic traditions, often blending Daoist philosophy with practical combat tactics.

Round Heaven and Square Earth original: 天圓地方 — Tianyuan Difang; a fundamental Chinese cosmological concept. In a military context, the "round" represents the dynamic, fluid movement of the heavens (the inner circle), while the "square" represents the stable, grounded positions of the earth (the outer perimeter).

Formation Diagram original: 陣圖 — Zhentu; a tactical blueprint used for training soldiers to maintain specific shapes and functions during combat.

The illustration on this page depicts a sophisticated arrangement of banners. An inner circle consists of twelve flags, likely corresponding to the twelve earthly branches or hours of the day. This is surrounded by an outer square of twenty-four flags, corresponding to the twenty-four solar terms of the traditional calendar. By organizing the chariots and soldiers according to these celestial and terrestrial divisions, the commander seeks to align his army with the natural order of the universe.

This unity of form and function ensures that the army remains a cohesive whole, mirroring the structure of the cosmos itself. Whether the formation is stationary or in motion, the soldiers remain oriented to the cardinal directions, maintaining the balance between the active "circular" advance and the defensive "square" posture.