Zhiping shengsuan quanshu 治平勝算全書

Zhiping shengsuan quanshu 治平勝算全書 "Whole book of calculating victory at pacificiation" is a military treatise written during the Qing period 清 (1644-1911) by the general Nian Gengyao 年羹堯 (1680-1726). It has a length of 12 juan and contains 455 illustrations of weapons and battle formations. There is another manuscript version preserved in Japan, which is 20-juan long. The book is, in many respects, an excerpt of traditional military writings like Sunzi bingfa 孫子兵法 , Taibaiyin jing 太白陰經, Huqianjing 虎鈐經 and Wujing zongyao 武經總要.

The content is arranged according to military topics, containing descriptions of the search for an ideal battlefield, the army's organisation, the use of weapons, the defence of garrisons and cities, the cultivation of the troops' spirit, signals and commands, and training. Constant training of the soldiers in peacetime was necessary to keep up their fighting spirit. The corps of officers had to be trained in the use of command chains and the method to keep the platoons together so that the soldiers would be willing to die for the cause of the dynasty. The correct terrain had to be selected, and disadvantageous places had to be avoided. Nian Gengyao's book describes different methods to be used in a war of attack or during defence, such as fighting during the night, on water, with fire, and with many different types of arms.

The book was unfortunately never printed, and is, therefore, only rarely available.