Diagram of the "Four-Regular" Formation of the Miscellaneous Military Schools

This page features a tactical diagram representing a "Four-Regular" (四正) military formation used by the Za Bing Jia (雜兵家), or "Miscellaneous Military Schools." These were strategic writers who synthesized various classical theories into practical manuals. The diagram illustrates how a central command is protected by units facing the four cardinal directions, supplemented by "surprise" units held in reserve or hidden for ambush.

original: 前 — qián

original: 奇伏 — qífú; in Chinese military theory, qí (extraordinary/unorthodox) forces are used to strike where the enemy least expects, while zhèng (regular) forces engage the enemy directly.

original: 伏奇 — fúqí; a variation of the term above, likely indicating a symmetrical deployment of ambush troops on the opposite flank.

original: 左 — zuǒ

original: 右 — yòu

original: 後 — hòu

Miscellaneous Military SchoolsOriginal: 雜兵家 — Zábīngjiā. This refers to a category of military theorists who did not belong to a single lineage (like the school of Sun Tzu or Wu Qi) but combined multiple systems of drills, formations, and philosophies.

Four-Regular FormationOriginal: 四正陣圖 — Sìzhèng zhèntú. The "Four-Regular" refers to the four primary directions (North, South, East, West) or the four sides of a square formation. It represents a balanced, defensive posture that can transition into an attack in any direction.

Surprise and AmbushOriginal: 奇伏 — qífú. A core concept in Chinese tactics involving the use of "extraordinary" forces (qí) kept hidden (fú) from the enemy's view until the moment of impact.