Liu Tao (The Six Strategies)
Liu Tao (The Six Strategies) is a renowned ancient Chinese military treatise. Traditionally attributed to Taigong Wang (Jiang Ziya) of the early Zhou Dynasty, it was actually compiled by military scholars between the Warring States period and the Qin-Han era. Structured as dialogues between Taigong and Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou, it systematically discusses a wide range of topics including state governance, military administration, commander selection, strategy, tactics, and equipment. It represents a synthesis of pre-Qin military thought, is paired with San Lue (The Three Strategies), and is included among the Seven Military Classics. Its influence on later military and political philosophy is profound.
Content Structure & Framework
The text is divided into six scrolls, each representing one "Tao" (strategy), forming a complete theoretical system of military-statecraft:
1. The Civil Strategy (Wen Tao): Discusses strategies for governing the state and pacifying the people, emphasizing winning popular support, developing the economy, and selecting talent to establish the political and economic foundation for warfare.
2. The Military Strategy (Wu Tao): Addresses the strategic principles of using force, advocating for cautious engagement, meticulous planning, and seizing opportunities. It focuses on combining "civil offensives" (political/diplomatic campaigns) with military action.
3. The Dragon Strategy (Long Tao): Covers military organization and command systems, detailing commander selection, army structure, signaling, and secret communications.
4. The Tiger Strategy (Hu Tao): Explains tactics for open-field battles and sieges, as well as the deployment and use of various weapons and equipment.
5. The Leopard Strategy (Bao Tao): Discusses combat in special terrains (e.g., forests, mountains, marshes) and tactics for responding to sudden crises.
6. The Dog Strategy (Quan Tao): Focuses on army training, combined arms operations (chariots, cavalry, infantry), and drill formations.
Core Principles
1. Holistic View Integrating Military and Governance: Emphasizes that the military is an extension of politics. It advocates that "the world does not belong to any single person, but to all under heaven," asserting that governing the state precedes administering the army, and that clear-sighted politics is the fundamental guarantee of military victory.
2. Importance of Strategic Intelligence & Covert Operations: Includes chapters like "Secret Tallies" and "Secret Letters," dedicated to coded communication, espionage, and intelligence gathering—a distinctive feature of the text.
3. Systematic Theory of Command: Proposes standards for commanders such as the "Five Talents" (courage, wisdom, benevolence, trustworthiness, loyalty) and the "Ten Faults," detailing their duties and the art of command.
4. Comprehensive Discussion of Tactics & Technology: The scope is exceptionally broad, covering everything from grand strategy to specific tactics, and from weaponry to logistics, encompassing nearly all aspects of warfare in the cold weapon era, giving it high value as a historical military source.
Although Liu Tao is a work of attributed authorship, it centrally reflects the profound understanding of warfare by military thinkers during the era of synthesized Hundred Schools thought from the Warring States to early Han. Its philosophy combines the people-oriented focus of Confucianism, the strategic cunning of Daoism, and the practical effectiveness of Legalism. Its systematic completeness is rare among early military texts. It not only provided practical guidance for later generals but also offers timeless insights for leadership, organizational development, and strategic planning through ideas such as "the soft can overcome the hard, the weak can defeat the strong" and "observe the people's hearts and attend to all affairs."
1.Is it an official original copy?
This is a compiled digital version of electronic materials, not a traditional physical book.
2.Publisher / ISBN?
This product is compiled electronic content and does not correspond to a single printed ISBN.
3.Is the content complete?
It is a fully compiled version, including core theories and routine explanations (no omissions).
4.Original language or translated?
The original version is in Chinese. You may order your preferred language version; we will include both the original Chinese version and your chosen language version as a bonus.
5.Is it authorized?
Based on traditional Chinese original documents: publicly circulated (no authorization required).
6.Who is it suitable for?
Beginners: suitable for getting started
Those with foundation: can deepen understanding
7.Brand new or second-hand?
E-book (not second-hand, no condition issues).
8.What format is it?
PDF electronic document.
9.Is it high-definition?
High-definition layout, suitable for reading on mobile phones and computers.
10.How many pages?
The complete collection has a total of 169 pages.
11.Why this price?
The content has been organized and summarized (saving a lot of screening time), allowing you to obtain the complete system in one purchase.
12.Are there any discounts?
Yes.
13.Are there any hidden fees?
No extra charges. One-time purchase, lifetime access.
14.How is it delivered?
How long does it take?Automatic delivery / instant download.
15.Is refund supported?
Refund available if not downloaded; not supported if already downloaded.
16.How to ensure the file is intact?
The file has been tested and is identical to the original. Unlimited re-deliveries are supported after one purchase.
17. How can I check if it is the version I want to buy?
You can refer to the product images, which provide previews of the original content. If the previews in the product images do not meet your requirements, you may contact customer service for a more comprehensive sample preview.
18. If I purchase a non-Chinese version, is the entire book translated into my desired language, or only part of it?
Our multilingual versions are full translations of the Chinese original, including translations of relevant image captions. All translated versions are localized naturally in accordance with the language customs of each country.
19. Do these e-books have copyright? Will there be any copyright disputes?
All books we offer are traditional Chinese classics with a history of hundreds or even thousands of years, so there are no copyright disputes whatsoever.
20. Why are your prices so low?
This is because we provide e-books in downloadable PDF format, which greatly reduces various costs, allowing us to offer them at such affordable prices.
