During the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 B.C.) and the period of the Warring States (475-221 B.C.), China was divided into six or seven states that often resorted to war with each other in their struggles for supremacy. Warfare was the predominant way of life. Many treaties have been written on warfare, such as Master Sun's Art of War, Master Wu's Art of War and Sun Bin's Art of War, each being in-depth studies of warfare which remain virtual Bibles of the battlefield even to this day. Discovery of Qin Shi Huang's terra cotta legions helped to resolve some rules in the tactic books, which has been hitherto unclear.

Sun Tzu and The Art of War

Sun Tzu, fl. 4th century BC, also spelled SUN-TZU or Sun Zi, reputed author of the Chinese classic Bing-fa (The Art of War), the earliest known treatise on war and military science.

The book is traditionally attributed to Sun Tzu (personal name Sun Wu), a military strategist and general who served the state of Wu near the end of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). It is more likely, however, that it was written early in the Warring States period (475-221 BC).

The Art of War is a systematic guide to strategy and tactics for rulers and commanders. The book discusses various manoeuvres and the effect of terrain on the outcome of battles. It stresses the importance of accurate information about the enemy's forces, dispositions, deployments, and movements. This is summarized in the axiom "Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat." It also emphasizes the unpredictability of battle and the use of flexible strategies and tactics.

The Formation of Qin Terra Cotta Army

The pits provide an incredible amount of information of the army's forces, dispositions such as the distribution and formation of ranks, the use of weapons and the application of military tactics.

"The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize their combined energy.

When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting men become like unto rolling logs or stones. For it is the nature of a log or stone to remain motionless on level ground, and to move when on a slope; if four-cornered, to come to a standstill, but if round-shaped, to go rolling down." - Sun Tzu

Victory or defeat on a battlefield depends on a well-organized military formation together with a well thought out strategy. Ancient military strategists advocated an agile vanguard preceding a formidable main echelon, which consists of chariots, infantrymen and cavalrymen. The formation was adaptable to changing conditions on the field.

The terra cotta warriors armed with different weapons played supportive roles in a variety of scenarios so that the combined strength of the army was brought into full play. The soldiers are divided into infantry armed with swords and spears, archers, crossbow archers, cavalry, chariot drivers and officers. Among the infantrymen there are some with armor and others without. Chariots are respectively designed for commanders, aide officers as well as for a squad of three or four soldiers. In the Art of War, it illustrates that more horses rather than chariots should be used when the battle is going to be a difficult one and vice versa. When the danger is at its greatest archers should be deployed.

Excavations indicate that the cavalry functioned as an independent force in battle, with chariots playing a vital strategic role. It oppugned the opinion that use of chariots in battle had ceased with the end of the Warring States Period. During the Battle of Changping between the Qin and Zhao states in 260 BC, this well-designed military disposition enabled the Qin defeat the enemy troops and thereby slaughtered 400,000 Zhao soldiers.

Extract from the Art of War

Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards.

So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.

Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe that he is facing.

Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions.

He, who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain.