THE PRACTICE OF AN ANCIENT PLANNING TEXT IN THE OFFICIAL CONSTRUCTION OF STATIONED FORTRESSES IN THE MING DYNASTY

Abstract

 Published in A.D. 1550, Xiang Yue is the most comprehensive text on fortification among the preserved Chinese literature. The essay took 148 recorded stationed fortresses as research objects in the Xuanfu and Datong Garrisons, where the book was composed. Three main aspects of fortification as a) site selection; b) wall design; c) tower layout were selected to analyse the samples before and after the publish of Xiang Yue. It was concluded that the book’s planning scheme was based on local experiences and had been carried out honestly in several cases. Afterwards, its principles were adopted in a broader range.