Diagram of the Five Formations of the Miscellaneous Military Schools

Treatise on Armament Technology, Volume 67 The Deployment of Formations Formation Eighteen

The Miscellaneous Military Schools (original: Zabingjia) refers to a tradition of Chinese tactical thought that synthesized various classical strategies—such as those of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi—into versatile, practical systems for the battlefield.

Diagram of the Four-Corner Formation of the Miscellaneous Military Schools

This diagram depicts a sophisticated tactical layout. The "Four Corners" (original: 隅 — yú) are designed to bridge the gaps between the four cardinal directions (Front, Rear, Left, and Right), ensuring that the army has no "blind spots" at its diagonal axes.

FRONT

Front Main Balance Line | Regular Force | Surprise Force

original: 前衡 (qián héng), 正 (zhèng), 奇 (qí). The "Main Balance Line" acts as the anchor of the front. The Regular force engages the enemy head-on in traditional combat, while the Surprise force is reserved for unorthodox maneuvers or flanking actions.

FRONT-LEFT CORNER (Northwest)

original: 前隅 — qián yú

RIGHT CORNER (Northeast)

original: 右隅 — yòu yú

LEFT

Left Main Balance Line | Regular Force | Surprise Force

original: 左衡, 正, 奇

RIGHT

Right Main Balance Line | Regular Force | Surprise Force

original: 右衡, 正, 奇

LEFT CORNER (Southwest)

original: 左隅 — zuǒ yú

REAR CORNER (Southeast)

original: 後隅 — hòu yú

REAR

Rear Main Balance Line | Regular Force | Surprise Force

original: 後衡, 正, 奇

The diagram illustrates five distinct tactical groups: two in the upper rank and three in the lower rank. Each group is represented by seven individual units, each marked with a staff and a pennon-style flag, indicating a coordinated squad-level structure within the larger formation.