Six Secret Teachings (Liu Tao)

Introduction

Background:
The Six Secret Teachings is traditionally attributed to Lü Shang (Jiang Ziya), organized as a series of dialogues between King Wen and King Wu of Zhou asking the Great Duke (Taigong) about statecraft and military theory. Modern research generally does not consider it to be the direct work of Western Zhou figures, and there are varying judgments regarding its date of completion; readers should be aware of both its traditional attribution and the academic debates surrounding its origin.

Synopsis:
The six volumes begin with civil administration, talent selection, and the foundations of the state, gradually moving into military organization, the responsibilities of generals, terrain, weaponry, orthodox and unorthodox tactics (Qi Zheng), and the deployment of various branches of the military. The dialogue format allows abstract principles to be presented through the monarch's questions and the Great Duke's answers.

Literary Features:
The itemized Q&A covers both political ethics and operational details. Later editions are often read alongside commentaries from the Seven Military Classics. Modern vernacular annotations must distinguish between ancient military systems, measurements, and weaponry, while avoiding the direct application of modern management jargon to the original text.

Film and Television Adaptations

There are currently no recorded film or television adaptations.

Versions and Translations

Main Version:
This version uses Six Secret Teachings (Liu Tao) as the standard title. The author, editor, or traditional attribution is noted as "Attributed to Lü Shang; actual date of completion is disputed." The scope of the text includes: Civil Secret Teaching; Military Secret Teaching; Dragon Secret Teaching; Tiger Secret Teaching; Leopard Secret Teaching; and Canine Secret Teaching. Common search titles include: Taigong Liu Tao; Six Secret Teachings; The Six Secret Teachings.

Reading Suggestions:
The focus of this guide is on full-text access, famous quotes, and vernacular annotations. When reading this military treatise, one should distinguish between the original text, later commentaries, modern translations, and textbook excerpts; if quoting, refer back to the full text and specific chapters for verification.

Author and Work

Author attribution must be handled with caution: Lü Shang is the speaker in the traditional narrative, which is not equivalent to a verifiable editor. Since its inclusion in the Seven Military Classics during the Song Dynasty, the work has held canonical status and is suitable for comparison with unearthed documents and other pre-Qin military texts.