Liu Xiu was born in Imperial College and was proficient in Confucianism and military science. He is good at defeating the enemy with the skill of a military strategist, guiding the war with Confucianism, and governing the country with "judo". Wang Fuzhi, a scholar in the Qing Dynasty, pointed out that Liu Xiu's so-called "judo" does not mean weakness or hypocrisy, but "anti-autonomy, conforming to people's hearts" (reading like a mirror) (Volume 6), and "softness can be far away" sets the world. Liu Xiu always uses this "judo" idea to win the world. The fundamental purpose of his army building is to "build the cause of Gao Zu and save the lives of all people" (The Biography of Deng Yuchuan in the Later Han Dynasty) and establish a strong and unified Han Dynasty. When Wang Mang's army came at him with dozens of times his own strength, Liu Xiu was as cool as a cucumber, knowing that the enemy's morale was not solid, and he was "prosperous outside and declining inside" (Volume 6 of Zi Zhi Tong Jian), so he created a great victory in the decisive battle of Kunyang with great wisdom and courage. When the heroes stand side by side, each according to his ability, fighting each other, Liu Xiuze "uses static braking, road control, seeking control, slowing down and being broad and fierce", calmly "builds suburban temples, enjoys ancestors, customizes them, rewards nobles, raises Fu Zhan, and strives for Excellence, encourages Kou to inquire about the river and orders Feng Yi to touch Guanzhong", and is simple and convenient. When many peasant armed forces such as Tongma were defeated militarily, Liu Xiu made friends with them and comforted them to live and work in peace and contentment, so that "few surrendered one after another" and nearly "ten million". When the world was stable, Zangguan and Ma Wu proposed to pacify the northern Xiongnu, Liu Xiu gave a detailed reply in theory. He said: "Huang Shigong's book says,' Soft power can control rigidity, while weak power can control strength'. Soft is virtue, strong is thief, weak is sun and moon, and strong is resentment. Therefore, there is a king of virtue in the day, which makes people happy; The king without virtue is satisfied with what he has done. He who delights in others enjoys it, and he who enjoys it dies. Those who go far and near will work hard; He who seeks near from afar will escape and have an end. There are many loyal ministers in the DPRK, and there are many chaotic ministers in the DPRK. Therefore, people who have extensive Japanese affairs are in short supply, and those who have extensive Japanese affairs are strong. Those who get it are safe, and those who are greedy are disabled. The ruined government, although successful, will also fail. There is no good governance in this country, disasters emerge one after another, people are in panic, and the people do not protect themselves. It is far from enough. Confucius said, "I am afraid of internal worries, not Zhuan Xu." Moreover, the Northern Emperor is still strong, and the rumors about stationing troops in wasteland are always inaccurate. Wouldn't it be a wish to lift half the world and wipe out big bandits? If it is not the right time, let people rest. (Biography of Cang Gong in the Later Han Dynasty) This is the theoretical basis of "judging Huangshi with light weapons, saving mulberry, closing Yumen to thank the Western Regions for their qualities, and respecting the Xiongnu envoys with humble words", as Liu Xiu himself said: "I am in charge of the world and want to do it with judo." Since then, the concept of war combining martial arts with Confucianism, judo with security has become the tradition of the Eastern Han Dynasty, which has maintained the prosperity of the Eastern Han Dynasty for nearly a hundred years and further promoted the concept of war of the Qin and Han Dynasties to a mature stage.
Obviously, the basis of this view of war lies in political clarity and economic stability, which were gradually destroyed from the middle of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Politically, due to the alternate dictatorship of consorts and eunuchs and the bitter "partisan struggle", corruption reached the extreme and imperial power declined to the extreme; Economically, due to the vicious expansion of the powerful landlord economy, the broad masses of people have fallen into abject poverty. With the outbreak of the Yellow turban insurrectionary, warlords and local forces rose in succession, and the Eastern Han Dynasty and its concept of war declined.
In addition to the unified view of war that dominated Qin and Han dynasties, there are two other views of war that are also worth mentioning. First, the Xiongnu's predatory view of war is closely related to its nomadic economy and slavery. They live on weeds, "people are used to attacking and invading by war" (Historical Records of Xiongnu Biography), and the purpose of fighting is to plunder property and population. "If you are favorable, you will advance, if you are unfavorable, you will retreat. You are not ashamed of hiding." Where there is greed, I don't know etiquette and righteousness "("Historical Records and Biography of Xiongnu "), desert things. North-south rampage for two or three hundred years did great harm to the unity and development of the country during the Qin and Han Dynasties. The second is the concept of war of peasant uprising to change dynasties, which is closely related to the historical conditions at that time. The feudal system at that time was far from coming to an end. The fundamental purpose of farmers' participation in the uprising is to survive, and their leaders can only put forward that "princes and princes would rather have seeds!" Slogans such as "If there is no way to cut it, punish Qin's violence" and "If heaven dies, it's time to stand up" ("The Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Huangfusong") are all on the track of regime change.