Treatise on Military Preparedness, Volume 42

Examination of Military Strategy

The Tang Dynasty, Part 6

Zheng Zhide Zheng Zhide was the Governor of Zhedong (Eastern Zhejiang) during the rebellion of Qiu Fu in 859 CE. He was known for being a civil official with little military experience. sought emergency aid from the neighboring circuits. The regions of Western Zhejiang, Xuan, and She dispatched troops to assist him. Zhide provided provisions for them at a rate thirteen times higher than the standard official allowance Duzhi (度支): The office of the Ministry of Revenue responsible for military expenditures and logistics, yet the generals still considered this insufficient.

The officers and soldiers from Xuan and Run requested that local troops Tujun (土軍): Locally recruited soldiers who were intimately familiar with the regional terrain serve as their guides. However, among the various generals, some feigned illness to avoid marching, while others demanded immediate promotions in rank as a condition for their service; in the end, the reinforcements were never actually dispatched. Within the city, everyone was plotting how to desert or scatter in the face of the uprising. The Imperial Court met to discuss selecting a new general to replace Zhide.

Xiahou Zi A high-ranking Tang chancellor known for his administrative and strategic expertise. said:

"The terrain of Eastern Zhejiang is secluded and obstructed by mountains and the sea; it can be seized through clever strategy, but it is difficult to conquer through sheer force alone. Among the ranks of the Western Guard original: "Xiban" (西班). This refers to the military officials who stood on the west side of the imperial court during audiences, as opposed to the civil officials on the east., there is no one who..."