During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the disintegration of the enfeoffment system led to the decline of the status of the upper nobility and the rise of the lower common people. As a result, a class of scholars rose between the nobility and Shu Ren, and the number of scholars increased rapidly, and their social role became more and more important. With the decline of the aristocratic class, there was a crisis in official or private education, so the wind of gathering people to give lectures came into being, and cultural knowledge was transferred from nobles to scholars.

the art of war

During the Warring States period, giving lectures became fashionable and the class of scholars expanded rapidly. Scholars are valued by rulers because they have mastered cultural knowledge, and for a time, the wind of "courtesy corporal" prevailed. The rulers attract and respect the wise to enrich Qiang Bing. The dignitaries of various countries also raised scholars as diners, who either made suggestions and lobbied for their sons; Or write books on behalf of the master, such as Sun Tzu's Art of War edited by Wei Gongzi and Lu Chunqiu edited by Wei Gongzi. The status of scholars has improved unprecedentedly, which has promoted the development of academic culture. Philosophers at that time stood side by side, representing the interests of different classes and groups. They discussed current politics and expounded philosophy, forming a grand occasion of "a hundred schools of thought contend".

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, wars broke out between governors, and people of insight engaged in military affairs summed up military experiences and lessons and studied ways to win. This kind of scholar was called a strategist in ancient times. All the works of military strategists who discuss military affairs are called military books. History of Art and Literature in Han Dynasty and History of War recorded 53 works of military strategists before Han Dynasty, with 790 articles and 43 volumes, which were divided into four schools: tactics, situation, yin and yang and skills. Lv Simian's Introduction to Academic Strategists in the Pre-Qin Dynasty said: "Both Yin and Yang books and Shu books are dead. There is nothing in the book Strategy and Situation. Some soldiers of Yin and Yang Division said that when the weather is related, superstition will also be involved. Military experts say that this is the most practical use. However, today is different from the past, so it will not be passed on to the future. In terms of military situation, today is different from the past. But the reason is similar, so its existence can still be understood by many future generations. When it comes to military tactics, we pay attention to the principle of using troops, and there is no difference between today and ancient times. The words of the military strategists can be tested by ancient academic thinkers, and this family is broken. "