Knowledge, Power, and Technology

Abstract

This article examines the epistemological nature, material forms, and social functions of zhentu (diagrams of troop formation) in the context of early Northern Song history. The first two sections contextualize the concept of zhentu in the new political and military institutions during this period. In the early Northern Song, the diagrams and geographic knowledge came to be incorporated into the imperial knowledge system in a more systematic manner. The third section divides the diagrams into two categories according to their forms and purposes: diagrams involving relative positions that were used for military training purposes, and diagrams combining topographical components that were used for military campaigns. The last section of the article discusses how the use of diagrams was intertwined in court debates. Their making and circulation demonstrate the changing power dynamics between the emperor and the court officials.