Ground which forms the key to three contiguous states,
我與敵相當而旁有他國也 “Our country adjoining the enemy’s and a third
country conterminous with both.” [Ts‘ao Kung.] Mêng Shih instances
the small principality of 鄭 Chêng, which was bounded on the
north-east by 齊 Ch‘i, on the west by 晉 Chin, and on the south by
楚 Ch‘u.
so that he who occupies it first has most of the Empire at his command,
天下 of course stands for the loose confederacy of states into
which China was divided under the Chou dynasty. The belligerent
who holds this dominating position can constrain most of them to
become his allies. See _infra_, § 48. 衆 appears at first sight to
be “the masses” or “population” of the Empire, but it is more
probably, as Tu Yu says, 諸侯之衆.
is ground of intersecting highways.
Capt. Calthrop’s “path-ridden ground” might stand well enough for
交地 above, but it does not bring out the force of 衢地, which
clearly denotes the central position where important highways meet.