What are the periods of ancient Chinese military thought?

Ancient Chinese military thought could be roughly divided into the following periods: The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period: This period was the most prosperous period of military thought in Chinese history. Many important military strategists and military thoughts appeared. The most famous one was Sun Tzu's military thought. He put forward important ideas such as "military situation and deception", which had a profound impact on ancient Chinese military thought. 2. Qin and Han Dynasties: After the Qin Dynasty unified China, it formed a military ideology with Legalism as the core. The representatives were Li Si and Han Feizi. They put forward the "Legalism" ideology, emphasizing that the army should be based on the rule of law, strictly manage and give full play to the strength of the army. 3. Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties: During this period, many important military strategists and military thoughts appeared, such as Cao Cao's "White Bone Temple" thought, Sun Wu's "Winning by Wisdom" thought, etc. These thoughts emphasized the importance of military strategy and resourcefulness, which had an important impact on the development of ancient Chinese military thought. 4 Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties: During this period, the military ideology was further developed and formed many new military ideologies. For example, the Song Dynasty's "water warfare" ideology, the Yuan Dynasty's "Mongolian army" ideology, the Ming Dynasty's "Qi Jiguang" ideology, etc. These ideas emphasized the military's ability to use water and Mongolian grasslands, which had a profound impact on the development of ancient Chinese military ideology.

The ancient Chinese military ideology emphasized the "way of military strategists", which was the strategy and tactics of military strategists in war. Ancient Chinese military thought believed that war was a means to solve problems, but it should not be a simple violent conflict, but should pursue peace and win-win. Ancient Chinese military thought also attached great importance to the construction of military technology, military organization, and military management. They believed that only when these aspects were fully developed could the war be effectively carried out. The famous ancient Chinese military ideology, including Sun Tzu's Art of War and Wu Tzu's Art of War, all elaborated on the nature of war and the applicable conditions of war strategies. At the same time, ancient Chinese military thought also attached importance to the cultivation of the morale and fighting spirit of the army. It was believed that only by maintaining the morale and fighting spirit of the army could the army win on the battlefield. The ancient Chinese military ideology emphasized on peace, win-win situation, and the applicable conditions of war strategy, focusing on military technology and organizational construction, as well as the cultivation of morale and fighting spirit of the army. These thoughts also had an important impact on the development of modern war theory and military ideology.

The formation and development of ancient Chinese military thought went through several stages. The following main stages can be referred to: 1. The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period (770 - 221 B.C.): This period was a critical period in the development of military thinking in Chinese history. Many military strategists and philosophers put forward their own military ideas and strategies during this period. The most famous were Sun Tzu (544 - 496 B.C.) and Wu Zi (504 - 460 B.C.). Their military ideology emphasized on defeating the strong with the weak and put forward many famous military tactics and strategies. 2. Qin and Han Dynasties (221 B.C. -220 A.D.): The military ideology of this period was mainly influenced by Taoism and Confucianism, and theories such as "Yin and Yang, Five Elements" and "Heaven and Man Unity" were proposed. At the same time, he also proposed military strategies such as "fake the army" and "wait for fatigue". 3. Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties (220 - 589): The military ideology of this period was influenced by Buddhist ideology and proposed ideas such as "abdication system" and "Buddhist military". At the same time, he also proposed military strategies such as "stabilizing the country and governing the country" and "supporting the war with war". 4. Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties (618 - 1911): The military ideology of this period underwent many changes and developments, mainly influenced by Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and militarists. The most famous were Yue Fei (1103 - 1142) and Xin Qiji (1140 - 1187). Their military ideology emphasized the power of the people and patriotism, and proposed many famous military strategies and tactics.

The main periods include the pre - modern period which had early forms of fictional stories. Then came the classical period like the Ming and Qing dynasties when many famous novels emerged, such as 'Dream of the Red Chamber'. And in modern times, Chinese novels have been influenced by Western literary concepts and have developed in new directions.

The cultural division of various periods in China could be divided according to historical time or cultural characteristics. The following are some possible classifications: Xia, Shang and Zhou (2070 B.C. to 221 B.C.): These are the four periods in Chinese history known as the trilogy of Xia, Shang and Zhou. These three periods were the foundation period of Chinese traditional culture and also the important period of Chinese civilization. 2. The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period (770 - 221 B.C.): This was a period in Chinese history and one of the most important periods of Chinese cultural tradition. This period experienced changes such as feudal vassals fighting for hegemony and the pluralization of ideas. It was an important turning point in the history of Chinese culture. 3. Qin and Han Dynasties (221 B.C. to 220 A.D.): This was another important period in Chinese history and also the golden period of Chinese cultural tradition. The Qin and Han Dynasties created a new era of feudal dynasties in China. Many important cultural achievements were produced during this period, such as Chinese characters, poetry, calligraphy, painting, etc. 4. The Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties (220 - 589 AD): This was a period in Chinese history and one of the most important periods in the history of Chinese culture. This period experienced political turmoil, cultural innovation and other changes, resulting in many important cultural achievements such as literature, art, philosophy and so on. 5 Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties (618 - 1911): These are the four periods in Chinese history and one of the most important periods in Chinese cultural history. These four periods were the peak period of Chinese cultural development, such as Tang poetry and Song Ci, Yuan Qu, Ming and Qing novels, which were the essence of Chinese cultural tradition. It should be noted that the above are only some possible classifications. The division of cultural periods needs to be judged according to the specific situation.

The theme of Chinese literature has different manifestations in different periods. The following are some common topics: The Pre-Qin period: The source of Chinese literature. The literary works of the Pre-Qin period include The Book of Songs, The Songs of Chu, The Analects of Confucius, etc. These works show the theme of love, friendship, loyalty, war, etc. 2. Qin and Han Dynasties: The Qin and Han Dynasties were the golden period for the development of Chinese literature. The literary works included "Records of the Historian,""Han Shu,""Legends of Chu and Han," etc. These works showed the theme of war, politics, love, etc. 3. Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties: The Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties period was a period of change in Chinese literature. The literary works included Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margins, Dream of the Red Chamber, and so on. The theme of these works included history, politics, and love. 4. The Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties: The Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties were the heyday of Chinese literature. The literary works included Journey to the West, Water Margins, Dream of the Red Chamber, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and so on. These works displayed topics such as history, politics, love, and human nature. Modern period: The modern period of China is from the early 20th century to the late 1960s. The literary works include "Dream of the Red Chamber","Journey to the West","Water Margins","Romance of the Three Kingdoms","Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio", etc. The theme of these works includes love, history, mythology, ghosts and so on. The above is just a small part of the theme of Chinese literature. The theme of Chinese literature is rich and colorful, and each period has its own unique characteristics and ways of expression.

During the Tang Dynasty, a new military system was implemented, called the "conscription system". Under this military system, the country no longer used population as the recruitment standard. Instead, it recruited soldiers according to the combat strength needed by the army and the skill level of the soldiers. In addition, the Tang Dynasty also implemented the "provincial governor system" to link the local government with the army, improving the management ability of the local government and the combat effectiveness of the army. The conscription system and the provincial governor system of the Tang Dynasty also provided reference for the military reform of later generations.

One important period was the early 20th century when it began to take shape, influenced by Western ideas. Another is the recent decades when Chinese science fiction has gained international recognition. For example, the success of Liu Cixin's 'The Three - Body Problem' has put Chinese science fiction on the global map.

The main periods could include the early days when oral traditions were dominant. Then, the Tang Dynasty which was known for its rich short - story culture. The Song Dynasty might also be covered as it had its own literary developments. And of course, the Ming and Qing Dynasties which are famous for their great novels. Each of these periods had unique features in terms of the style, themes, and popularity of different types of fiction.

Books related to Chinese political thought included classic works such as The Analects of Confucius, Mencius, The Great Learning, and The Doctrine of the Meanings. These works were regarded as important representatives of Chinese Confucianism, which had a profound impact on ancient and modern Chinese politics, philosophy, culture and other aspects. In addition, there were also philosophical and cultural classics such as the Tao Te Ching, the Book of Changes, and the Book of Songs that were closely related to Chinese political thought.