The Legacy of Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang was one of the main characters during the Three Kingdoms period. If you've ever read The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a fictionalized account of that era, you can't help but come away with a deep regard for this giant of strategic thought.

Historian Ralph Sawyer has published a new book that examines the life and legacy of Zhuge Liang. Below is a post over at The Dao of Strategy which describes the book. The full post may be read here.

A decidedly historic figure whose legend was increasingly magnified over the centuries, Zhuge Liang (Chu-ko Liang) has long been regarded as a brilliant strategist, commander, administrator, inventor, practitioner of the esoteric arts, originator of arcane wisdom, military thinker, and a sagacious king maker. His geostrategic insights rescued Liu Pei from extinction, resulting in China’s Three Kingdoms period, and his innovative tactics – including the “empty city ploy” -- reportedly resulted in defeating vastly superior, often befuddled foes. His escapades and achievements have become the subject of tales and novels, movies and tv serializations, and he looms large in war games and contemporary media. However, understanding his extensive military writings requires penetrating the myths and stories, discerning Chu-ko Liang’s real accomplishments, and acknowledging his shortcomings.