Title

The Notion of Shih (勢) in the Military school of Ancient China

Author

Ruei-rong Lu

Genre

Article  

Pages

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Language

Shih (勢), Military school, Legalist school, relativity

Key words

Abstract

      This article aims at an analysis of the development of the notion of Shih in the military school of ancient China. The first section of this paper traces the etymological origins and the evolution of the notion of Shih and indicates that this very notion was derived from “plow”.

    The second part of this paper is devoted to an analysis of the notion of Shih in the military school since late Ch’un-Ch’iu period. I argue that the notion of Shih as conceived of by thinkers of the military school is centered upon the strategies and tactics in the battle fields

    This paper reaches the conclusion that the notion of Shih implies some ideas of relativity. In other words, the notions of time and space in concept of Shih can best analyzed in the context of relativity