Time and country
It refers to the method of compiling history books with the year as the longitude and the state as the latitude.
Idioms and allusions
[source]: Jin Biao by Sima Guang of Song Dynasty: "from the Warring States period up to the end of the Five Dynasties down, in 1362, it was completed in 294 volumes. It is a catalogue of 30 volumes
Time and country
to see little of each other though living nearby - zhǐ chǐ tiān yá
the old remembers past times or old acquaintances - lǎo mǎ liàn zhàn
build up the country through force - mǎ shàng dé tiān xià
a great scheme has only a poor result - dà jì xiǎo yòng