Volume 56: System of Formations and Training — Instructional Flags, Part 1

Instructional Flag Formation Diagram

Instructional Flags: The South-North Axis original: "Wu Zi" (午子), referring to the traditional Chinese compass where Wu represents South and Zi represents North.

Military Commissioner of the Left Wing original: "Bingma Shi" (兵馬使), a high-ranking officer responsible for troop movements.
Military Commissioner of the Right Wing

Victory 1
Victory 1

Left 2
Right 2

Left 3
Right 3

Left 4
Right 4

Left 5
Right 5

Horns and Drums
Drums and Horns These signaling instruments were used to coordinate the movements of the flags.

Cavalry Unit
Cavalry Unit

Military Superintendent (Jianjun): An official, often a civilian or eunuch, appointed by the court to oversee the army and ensure loyalty. Censor (Yushi): An imperial official responsible for monitoring discipline and reporting misconduct.

This diagram illustrates the spatial hierarchy of a military drill. The "Victory" units likely represent the lead elements in a competitive exercise, while the Grand General is flanked by the Military Superintendent and the Censor, representing the dual oversight of military command and imperial authority.