What is the function of ancient military maps?

The ancient maps of China are mostly partial, and there are few maps about the whole country or a large area. Military maps are mostly made temporarily, and sand tables are also made by ancient scouts (that is, scouts) according to the temporarily detected terrain.

In ancient China, there were many points worthy of praise in making maps closely related to military affairs.

According to legend, there was a war between the Yellow Emperor and Chiyou. The Yellow Emperor ordered one of his ministers, Shi Huang, to draw a physical map of the terrain. This map played a great role in the war between the Yellow Emperor and Chiyou. The Yellow Emperor used this map to capture Chiyou in the wild of Jizhou.

In primitive society, it was extremely difficult for the ancestors to survive. Whether they explore from the east to the west to expand their territory and compete for more resources, or to avoid natural disasters such as floods, wild animals, storms, rain and snow, the most urgent need is to determine whether tribes will go out or migrate or mark practical graphics of rivers and landforms according to astronomical, azimuth and topographic conditions.

The primitive geographical figures drawn by Shi Huang not only realized the functions of divining heaven and earth and offering sacrifices to ghosts and gods, but also easily became the reference for the Yellow Emperor to use in combat and the basis for adopting different tactics, and became the magic weapon for the Yellow Emperor to win.

Huangdi used the geographical features shown in the map of Huangdi Neijing to arrange the army. He sent General Ying Long to build a dam on a high place to store water to stop Chiyou, and used domesticated wild animals to directly rush into Chiyou camp to fight through favorable terrain.

The Yellow Emperor also used astronomical changes to win fighter planes. According to Chiyou's intention to win with the help of foggy chaos, he skillfully used the changes of gale and dusty weather after fog and relied on the guidance of South Locomotive to pursue victory and capture Chiyou alive.

The splendor of these processes is precisely the outstanding role of maps in the primitive period of China, and the result of geographical features and meteorological changes.