GENERALSHIP AND PREVENTION OF ANARCHY
GENERALSHIP AND PREVENTION OF ANARCHY
| " | No more the thirsty entrance of this soil Shall daub her lips with her own children's blood. No more shall trenching war channel her fields Nor bruise her flowerets with the armed hoofs Of hostile paces: those opposed eyes, Which, like the meteors of a troubled heaven, All of one nature, of one substance bred, Did lately meet in the intestine shock And furious close of civil butchery, Shall now, in mutual well-beseeming ranks, March all one way: and be no more opposed Against acquaintance, kindred and allies: The edge of war, like an ill-sheathed knife, No more shall cut his master." |
| SHAKESPEARE. |
VII
DISSERTATION ON
GENERALSHIP AND PREVENTION OF ANARCHY
{notes|elucidations and analyses}
Kao Yu's explanation of the title Ping Lueh (###) is: Military functions are for defence against incipient anarchy (nip it in the bud), consonant with the Chinese saying ### 'take it before it comes on.' To do this well lies in tactics.
In ancient times the military was employed neither for the enlargement of territory, nor for lust of gain, but
| Military defensive in purpose. |
All creatures of flesh and blood are endowed with teeth, horns, claws, or heels. Those with horns butt;
| Animals endowed with arms. |
The appetites of man demand food and clothes: and since there are not enough for them all, they congregate in
| Social struggles. |
Since man is without the strong muscle and bone of the animals, and lacks the advantages of tooth and claw, p. 183
| Sage works for social justice. |
The origin and sources of militarism are to be found in the distant past. Huang Ti, once upon a time, warred
| Soldiers were for defence. |
Now the reason for the existence of soldiers arose from the necessity of preventing lawlessness and the
| To quell the lawless. |
No crimes are greater than the killing of the innocent, and the feeding of a lot of unprincipled rulers. There can be no calamity greater than the grabbing of territory, done p. 184
| When bad men held military power. |
| Execution of kings justified. |
The restraint of violence and the punishment of anarchy are the prime reasons for the establishment of
| Kings set up for order. |
| Tyrants to be exterminated. |
Hence the militarism of the autocrat and king was a matter of anxious consideration by conference, of arrangement by plans, and of support by justice. The object was not to overthrow the existing but to keep waning powers alive. Therefore, when it was heard that the prince of an enemy country was adding oppression to oppression on his people, troops were put in motion and came to the confines of his country. He was reprimanded for his injustice, p. 185
| Just to discipline unruly princes. |
The country that surrenders will have its freedom. In a word, the punishment of the kingdom shall not fall
| Banish a bad prince but treat his people kindly. |
We thus clearly see that when a king is without the Tao, his subjects look on the invading soldiers even as the parched land looks for rain and the thirsty long for water. When just soldiers, therefore, come, there would be no war.
The soldiers of later times, in every case, even when the king is without the Tao, dig moats and trenches; they
| Altruistic idea lost. |
When the cause of war arises from the lust of territory, it would be vain to hope for true kingship. He who fights
| In just war the goodwill of the people essential. |
What is meant by the Tao? To embody the Round and3 imitate the Square.4 It carries the Yin and embraces the Yang: Its left is soft, its right hard. Its base is dark, its crown is light. Its transformations are irregular (inconstant). It possesses the root of the Unity in order to satisfy the whole creation.5 This is Enlightenment!6 By "Round" is meant Heaven, and by "Square," Earth. There is no beginning point in the rotundity of Heaven; there is no boundary to the squareness of Earth, hence it is not possible to peer in through its doors. Heaven revolves, bringing fecundity at every turn; yet it has no p. 187 shape or form. Earth begets and nourishes boundlessly. Profound and exuberant! Who can sound the depths of their resources? Every created thing has some beginning. It is the Tao alone that has no beginning. The reason of its having no beginning is that it has no constant and rigid form. It revolves, but is inexhaustible, like the Sun and Moon in their convolutions, like the Spring and Autumn in their sequences, like Day and Night. When one ends, the other begins. Light is followed by dark. It is impossible to take count of their records. The Tao creates form, but is without form itself; and for this reason its work is achieved. It creates matter, but is not matter: hence it is victorious and is not subjugated. Destruction
| No war best. |
| The perfect rule is the way of Heaven. |
| Perfect order in nature. |
If there is any miscalculation in archery, the target will never be hit. If there is any sinew or joint which the Ch‛i horse does not put into full use, it will never do a thousand li in the day. Likewise failure to obtain victory,
| The Tao state need never war. |
| Unity of purpose gives unity of aid. |
Likewise, the enlightened king in the use of soldiers acts in the interests of the community and for the
| A disinterested king wins. |
In military governing there are three important points to note. (a) The highest method of its functions is this,
| Conditions of success unity and loyalty. |
| discipline, efficiency. |
| strategy and courage. |
To-day the empire knows only the application of rules in a superficial way. There is no application of
| Aids to victory. |
To be learned in the movements of the heavenly bodies and in the art of divining the psychology of the soldier p. 191
| The Tao of the General. |
Now the utmost care is required in the selection of good officers and the elimination of the bad. The different
| The choice of officers. |
| Right man in right place. |
| Fitness in service. |
| Worth in Command. |
When virtue and justice are enough to influence the whole people of the empire; when means are sufficient to
| Essential point of victory. |
Broad territories and many people are not enough to make a country strong, nor are a virile soldiery and sharp implements enough to ensure victory. High walls and deep moats are not enough to supply firm stability.
| Power lies in good rule. |
The ancient kingdom of Ts‛u embraced the waters of Yuan and Hsiang, on the South, and on the North it was
| Examples. |
Speedy as the flying arrow were they. When travelling together, they sounded like roaring thunder; they were like wind and rain when going in loose formation. Nevertheless, these formidable troops were annihilated at Tsui Hsia and their power wrecked at Pei Chu. The powerful Ts‛u, great of territory, numerous of people, possessed half the empire; nevertheless its king, Huai Wang feared Meng Chang Chun of the North. He had to leave his lares and penates and become the slave of the mightier Ts‛in. His soldiers were captured, his lands were appropriated, and he died in servitude and never returned home.
Hu Hai,11 Ch‛in Shih Huang, the second, held the imperial power of the world. His kingdom was most wealthy. Where the foot of man went, no spot on which oars plied the boats but was embraced within his rule. In the pursuit of his extravagancies and his lusts of eye and ear he exhausted every art. He never heeded the hunger, poverty and cold of the people. He built myriad chariots and the famous palace of Ao Fang.12 He conscripted the youths of the villages, sending them to disant parts as indentured soldiers. He exacted taxes, amounting to more than half the nation's wealth. He drafted people from afar into his service and punished mercilessly any delinquents. Countless numbers were dying without food and clothes. How many myriads died daily I do not know. Discontent prevailed throughout the land. The people had no peace; they were giddy with heat and bent with hard labour. There was no mutual help between officials and the common people. Mutual suspicion filled every breast. A rustic, named Ch‛en Sheng,13 in Ta Tze, appeared in rebellion, with bared shoulders, proclaiming that he was establishing the Great Ts‛u. He called, and the whole nation responded to his call. He had no well-furnished armoury nor trained soldiers with strong cross-bows and sharp swords. But they made lances of brier and date trees, fixing into them sharpened iron points. These, alone, were p. 194 their weapons. With only such arms they met an army furnished with lances and cross-bows. They attacked fortified cities and occupied territories. Everything fell before them. The people of the whole empire were seething with discontent like writhing worms. So the rebel army swept all before it. The old order passed away like a fleeting cloud or a rolling mist. This man, of humble origin and with such extemporized arms, turned out in the rough, won the whole land to his cause, which responded to his call, because the hearts of the people were full of anger and resentment.
Another example:—When King Wu undertook the chastisement of Chou,14 he met with discouraging omens in his enterprise, such as great rains, when he came to Fan: the head of the Kung mountain collapsed into the river when he came near. A comet appeared, with its tail pointing to the east, which seemed to be an omen favourable to Yin (Chow) and indicating that Wu would be routed. During the war, the elements were boisterous for the space of ten days, and in the middle of the march, the army was embarrassed by storms of wind and rain. Nevertheless, those who pressed on, though not encouraged by rewards, nor laggards urged by the threat of punishment, succeeded, with but little serious fighting, in winning a victory that wrested the empire from the hands of Chou. Therefore, we learn that he who governs well need never fear an enemy: and he who wars well, on high moral principles, will have no battles to wage. He who is clear on the doctrine of prohibitions and permissions,15 on what to open and on what to close taking the right opportunity and following the popular wish, wins that day. Therefore, he who would govern well, accumulates virtue. He is a good general who arouses the spirit of his soldiers. The people will serve loyally if there is a fund of virtue in the leader, and the exercise of authority will enhance the power of awe. Therefore, where the accretion of spirit is slight, the strength for victory will be small. Where there is a large flow of benevolent virtue p. 195 towards people there will be a wide influence of awe. Where awe prevails there will be strength in the one and weakness in the other. It follows, then, that a wise general will first use such methods as exist for weakening the enemy, and only subsequently should he engage in battle. In which case with less than half the expenditure of power applied, results will be doubled.
The territory of Tang was only 70 li in extent. It became a kingdom through the cultivation of virtue. Chih Pei had a 1000 li of land, yet he perished, enfeebled by militarism. So the kingdom of a thousand chariots expanded through the cultivation of virtue: the kingdom of ten thousand chariots became extinct through too much inclination to use military operations. Hence conquering troops must first gain the victory through well thought out plans, and battle may then be undertaken. Undisciplined troops go headlong into war and expect victory simply by an engagement of arms.
Given equality of virtue16 in the contending parties, the victory will lie with the party with most soldiers. Armament
| Equality in virtue. |
Visible strongholds are seen of all: there are military works which are handed on and studied from one age to another. All such are the visible means of getting a victory. p. 196 But he who is apt in these visible things does not stake his all on them. What he esteems still more is the tao. He esteems this because of its formlessness. Being without material form it cannot be imposed upon, it cannot be fathomed.18 Skill may be met by skill; the form visible can be met with opposition; the appearance of the whole army may be concealed with ambush; the appearance of arms will be met by preparation in arms. Movements,
| The Tao mind. |
All pervasive through the regions of the mind, the spirit speeds to the boundless without. The will, active in the invisible world, will issue forth in most unexpected ways: with power it goes, with suddenness it comes. There is no divining its movements. It emerges clear and hits the object truly. The objective of the spirit is known to no mortal. It is swift as the lightning and rapid as the wind and the rain. It seems as though it sprang from earth or fell from heaven. Alone it issues, alone it enters: nothing can withstand it. It is like the shuttle and the bronze-pointed arrow. There is none to compare with it! Now light, now dark! Who can know its beginning? p. 197 Who can divine its end? Before it is seen, it has already accomplished its purpose.
Therefore, he who is a wise leader, when he sees the weak spot of his enemy, presses on him without rest:
| Swift energy of the wise leader. |
The cool soldier is strong. In unity there is strength and concentrated fierceness: Fearlessness of death and
| Unity of will. |
When general and soldier, officers and people move as one body, the enemy can be met and engaged in battle.
| Confidence and Preparedness. |
We may say thus, that a good general's soldiers are as the teeth of the tiger, the horns of the rhinoceros, the feathers of a bird, the legs of the centipede. They can walk, they can toss, they can bite and they can butt. Though strong, the enemy will not succeed, though numerous, it will cause but little injury. The result of unity of heart is mighty! Where the soldiers sincerely follow the command, they will have no fear, though few. On the contrary, when they do not follow, sincerely, the supreme command, they are weak in power, though they be a host in number. And so when the masses below have no regard for the powers above, they put no heart into their service. When the soldier has no fear of the general it will be seen in the p. 199 demeanour of slackness in battle. There must be the essential of firmness in defence, and the essential of victory in attack. Without even awaiting a close engagement, the occasion of success and failure may verily be learnt from the outward demeanour and conduct of the army.
An army has three Influences and two Adjustments (ch‛uan). There is the Influence of Morale, the Influence of Position, and the Influence of (yin.) Opportunity. When
| Three Influences. |
An exiguous pass, a ferry pontoon, a great mountain, a serpentine defile, a cul-de-sac, a dangerous pitfall, a narrow ravine, full of winding ways like the intestines of a sheep, a hole like a fisher's net, which admits, but from which there is no exit, are situations in which one man can hold back a thousand. They may be called the Influence of Position. The Influence of Opportunity is the tiredness, the disorder, the hunger and thirst, the coldness, the uncertainty of the time of attack, unwatchfulness in the time of tent-pegging, or the striking of the camp, of the enemy.
Skilful in the use of bluffing and spying, in finding out the mistakes and in calculating the troubles of the enemy
| Two Adjustments. |
| Power. |
Correct arrangement of the line of battle; placing picked soldiers in front: arranging orderly advance and p. 200 retreat: disposing of the attacking platoons so that the front and rear do not tread on each other, or the right and left mutually clash, thus ensuring few casualties, yet inflicting many on the enemy: such may be called Tactics.
| Tactics. |
| Administration. |
| Battle joined must be with power. |
The invisible governs all the visible, and Wu wei, p. 201
| Wu wei secret of success. |
If the enemy makes the first move, his intentions may be seen. He being in commotion, and I at rest with the fundamental, has his strength worn out. When his movements are seen, the possibility of victory may be controlled. When his strength is on the wane, then will be my chance to show power. Seeing his movements, I may adapt my plans according to all his changes. Watching the enemy's weak and strong points, gives me the control of his life. I offer him the baits which he desires, until he is satiated with them, and so, when I see any weak spot for an opening, I rush in to seize the advantage. When his strategy has come to an end, then I grip him: and when his various schemes are exhausted, then the opportunity to overthrow him has arrived.
On the other hand, if the enemy should also resort to non-activity, he must be met by some exceptional strategy: if he will not come to an open engagement, then will be the time to perfect plans and wait for him to engage. If the enemy manoeuvres, in open response to his opponents movement, which being seen, there may be mutual attempts to circumvent the rear of each other. When he expects "me" to follow in pursuit of his feint of deployment, he will naturally concentrate his best soldiers in one spot; with the result that his army will be thinned in other parts: when the seasoned soldiers wheel to the left, his right wing (west) will be endangered. When his troops get separated, then will be the time to give pursuit. When the enemy is very near and yet shows no sign of moving to the attack, and he is in a state of lethargy, then is the time to attack him with a rush like thunder and mow down his troops like grass and trees. It will be easy work: flash on him like lightning: accelerate speed with speed. The enemy will have no time to wheel round: his chariots p. 202 will be paralyzed. His troops will be stock-still like trees: his bows will be stiff like rams' horns: his troops, though multitudinous, will not dare to face "mine" in battle. Whoever has a full perspective of conditions will gain the victory. All outward and concrete actions can be countered and met. Therefore, the wise man conceals the outward expression of purpose within the wu, the invisible, the mind. The mind roams in the region of the immaterial. Winds and rain can be closed against, but cold and heat cannot be shut out because they have no form. Now those things that can penetrate through the minutest pores, (like water through the pores of blotting-paper) and infiltrate metal and stone and reach to the utmost distances, and place themselves above the ninth heaven, or wreathe themselves underground21 can only do so by wu hsing, the formless.
A general, able in handling soldiers, should attack the enemy in disorder, but not attack him when he is in good order. No surprise attack can be made on a redoubtable army nor an assault carried out against flags that stand upright and float proudly.
When the outlook regarding the enemy is not clear, then is the time to consider the star of destiny22a in
| Look to the star of destiny. |
| Caution in moving. |
If a myriad soldiers went out to fight one by one the result would be feebler than if they went out in squads of
| Cooperation essential. |
| As a rule the few cannot match the many. |
But man vis-à-vis man bears not the mutual relation that fire does to water. A few men cannot overcome the many. This is evident. The military, it is true, are fond of saying the few can match the may. But this saying is for the home consumption of the military. It is not true in fact. It is not true in the stern test of war. There are times when the army is big, but of little use: because it is not animated by unity of spirit. There are times when the soldiers are few, but their utilities many and p. 204 great, which comes from its unity. Nevertheless, were all men on both sides to bring out and exert the utmost ability of each, and use all their strength, it has never been known that the few could conquer the many.
Of all spirits Heaven is the most honoured: in strategy nothing is superior to a good vantage ground: in movement of troops there is nothing so urgent as times and seasons. In the use of soldiers, there is nothing more trenchant that the getting of the right men. These four points are the pillars and the cardinal principles of military action. Nevertheless, the Tao must be waited for before any action is taken and movement begun.
Now, superior vantage ground is of more importance than times and seasons. And a skilful plan is even better than superior vantage ground. Power conquers man. Therefore, he who depends on times may be misled by appearances: who depends on vantage ground will be too tied down: he who depends on seasons will be coerced: he who depends on men will be duped. And courage, benevolence, faith, economy are all the good qualities and talents of men. Nevertheless, the courageous may be led into error, the benevolent may be gulled, the man of faith is easily deceived, the economical man may be easily hoodwinked. Now if a commander of hosts has all these virtues but should he show any one of them, men will take him in their schemes. From this we may gather that the soldier must rely on the tao law23 to control victory, and not on human talents. This is naturally evident. Therefore, the long tailed deer may be caught in the land net: the fish and lobster will be caught in the sea net: the swan and the heron may be shot at by the bow: since all these are visible objects.24 What can't be got at are the invisible things: there is no way of dealing with these. Hence the sage secretes himself in the 'no source'25 (even before the pullulating of visibility): so his will and mind cannot be known. His movements are in the incorporeal, so his paths are not fathomed and made use of. Without rules p. 205 and models, when things come, they are fittingly met. Without names, without definitions, changes bring about visible things. Oh how deep! Oh how profound! Whether it be Winter, Summer, Spring or Autumn, always and ever, the Tao is higher than the highest Heaven, deeper than the deepest depths. The fluxes and movements proceed unobstructed without stop. The Tao establishes the life of man in the spaces of the profound, and buries his will in the deepest depths. The most clear-sighted cannot penetrate into his nature. The secret pondering of plans in military things is a matter of the Tao: charts and maps are of the earthly orders, and instructions pertain to the human side. Hence, assured victory depends on the stamp of power. So the commanders of superior quality, in their use of soldiers, use the highest gift of all which is the way of Heaven. Then they find the vantage grounds of earth and for the medium they get the hearts of men. These are put in action with skill and displayed with power: then the army will not be broken nor the soldiers defeated.
The commander of second rate quality is not so good. He does not get the way of Heaven, that is to say, he has none of the secret and profound thoughts on militarism: nor does he know anything of the advantages of earth. He looks, wholly, to men and power. Though he may not get a decisive victory, yet, on the whole, his victories are not a few.
The commander of inferior quality is he who gathers wide information but yet is confused in himself: he knows a lot, but is himself without resolution. In the camp he is hesitating, in the field he is undecided, patching up temporary plans and always probing for ways and means. Therefore he is often in trouble and taken by the enemy.
Now suppose that two men were engaged in a battle
| Confidence and boldness win. |
So a strong current will give energy. A good arrow will go far. But even if the arrow is made of the finest
| Force and mind must be behind finest tools. |
The swiftness of wind will take the roof off a house and break trees: an empty cart going down or ascending
| Certain factors in success. |
What is meant by astrology is to have the star Ching Lung on the left and Pai Hu on the right, the star Chu Chiao in front and Hsuan Wu behind.26 What is meant by a favourable position is to have rising ground behind and flat terrain in front: to have a mountain on the left and p. 207 deep water or valley, on the right. What is meant by human affairs is that the imperial bounty of land and honours and money be faithfully done and punishments dealt without favour shown. There are times for activity and inactivity. Action and non-action should be with celerity.
It is quite true that rules and regulations are made by tradition, but these are not born of tradition but by reason of change according to times and seasons. Therefore the hour and season may be known from the shadow in the Ming Tang, Ancestral27 fane. The cold and heat of the country is indicated by the level of water in the bottle. But the interactions of these things are very trifling. Only the Sage can see their furthest import. The drum is not one of the five tones, but it is the master sound of all. Water
| Commander stands alone. |
According as the enemy shows himself, so he is to be met, by a change in disposition. Alteration is made to meet
| He matches the enemy. |
The measure of success will be according to resources. The enemy may know my coming forth, but he will not know the objective of the army. The enemy may know when the other army starts, but he will not know where it will settle down. In the beginning, I am like the fox and so the enemy will come on lightheartedly: but in the engagement I will be as the rhinoceros and the tiger, making the enemy flee pell-mell.
When birds advance to the attack there is a hanging down of the head. In the ravening of fierce beasts there
| Hides his plan and power. |
| A genius. |
What man rejoices in is life: what he hates is death. Notwithstanding, when the city walls are built high and the moats dug deep, when arrows and stones fall like rain, when the battle is in process in the plain and by the broad water, and when naked swords are flashing, the soldiers vie with one another to be the first in the fight. It is not because the soldier looks lightly on death or likes to get wounded; it is the sure reward and the certain punishment that move him. Therefore, when the ruler looks on those below as sons, then those below look on those above as father. When the ruler regards the people as brothers, then the people look on him as the elder brother. When the ruler looks on the people as sons then he will inevitably exercise the kingly way over the empire. When the people look on him above as father, then the empire will necessarily be well governed. When the ruler loves the people like brothers, then it will not be difficult to get them to die for him. When the people look on him above as elder brother, it will not be so difficult for them to sacrifice life. That state will not be easily attacked where all are father and sons, elder and younger brothers, since there has already been abundant kindness dispensed. If on the contrary four horses are unequally matched (i.e. one is slow), the best driver will not be able to drive the chariot far: if the bow and arrows are not of the same poise, even a famous archer would not be sure to hit the centre. If prince and minister lack confidence in each other, even the famous general Sun Tzû would not be able to meet the enemy. Wherefore if the government is internally well ordered by an overflow of goodness, and externally the weak points of danger are closed up so as to command the awe of aliens, when an examination is made into who are industrious and who lazy, so that it be known who is well fed, who hungry, p. 210
| Officer one with men. |
| Mutual obligation. |
| Faith to be kept. |
A commander must have three sciences: he must have four loyalties: he must have five virtues: he must have ten tenacities. The three sciences are: knowledge of the heavenly bodies; acquaintance with the form of the earth; discernment of the nature of man. The four loyalties are: prosecuting the interests of the kingdom without overtaxing the army; disregard of bodily ease in service to the king; fearlessness of death in the face of danger; reliance on his own judgement in a matter of doubt, without consideration of consequences. The five virtues are: gentleness without being made the catspaw of others; firmness without being unduly influenced; benevolence without becoming the dupe of men; sincerity and truthfulness, without being taken in; courage that shall not be affronted. The ten tenacities of character are: purity of soul that cannot be contaminated; firmness that cannot be shaken; a clear intelligence that cannot be beclouded; freedom from covetousness and dissoluteness; mental balance in argument; no dabbling in fortune telling; no undue mirth; no show of anger. In other words, the mind must remain calm whatever happens. This state is that which is called profound. Who is there who could fathom a man with such a nature? When beginning any undertaking, he inevitably hits the correct balance. His words are infallibly well weighed, his actions are unfailingly p. 212 well-timed, and his decisions are well reasoned. He seizes the right opportunity for action and inaction. He sees clearly just when to begin and when to end an affair. He estimates the advantage or harm of movement and its cessation. He is as swift as the stretched string of the bow and as strong as the flying arrow; he moves with the stealth and silence of the dragon and the snake, giving no clue to his purpose. No one can say where and how he will strike. It is never known whence he will come nor whither he will end. No one will be able to stand up against his attack, nor will it be possible for anyone to break his defences. I have heard that a good commander first makes his own resources perfect and afterwards considers the conditions of others. He first sees that his own defences are impregnable and then seeks victory for his own arms. Well organised himself, he then seeks victory over the enemy. To go to battle with an enemy, unprepared and in disorder, would be like trying to extinguish fire with fire or stopping an overflow with water,—a method which must spell failure. There must be a dissimilarity in order to gain success. Take the following example. Suppose a potter dissolved himself into a lump of mud, he could not possibly, in that condition, make a bowl or a crock. If a woman worker in silk made herself into silk, she could
| There must be a mind behind matter and art. |
The wise commander observes the aura of the five elements, viz., metal, wood, water, fire, earth, following
| Aura of the five elements. |
What is important in military affairs is that plans are concealed from the enemy, and visible movements camouflaged. Attack the enemy altogether unexpectedly and give him no time to prepare. Once contemplated plans are made known, their use is finished. When the visible operation is manifest, then it can be met and controlled. Hence the skilful commander gets the concealments of "heaven above" and those offered by "earth below": in between these
| The nature of the terrain. |
| Many helps to victory. |
Then there is the working out of plans and schemes, the lying in ambush in grass, the use of water and of fire,
| Many ways of skill. |
Take advantage of the enemy's hunger and thirst, of biting cold and torrid heat, of his labours and fatigue, of his exhaustion and consequent lack of discipline, of his nervousness, and the afflicted state of his feet and footwear, and then select your warriors and attack him in the depth of night. This is the skill which makes use of special occasions and adapts action to circumstances.
Ride in chariots where the roads are level: in difficult p. 215 climbs or winding mountain roads, take to horse: for the most part use the simple bow (not the crossbow), in crossing water: and the crossbow when in mountain defiles. Let the banners fly in the day and light many fires for the night, and in the twilight let the drums be well sounded. This is the skill used in making preparations.
All these eight matters are necessary; not one should be omitted. Notwithstanding, they are not the most important
| The most important is for the General to have a clear mind. |
| Preparation and unity of spirit. |
| Victory where the right spirit prevails. |
| Examples. |
| In case of war. |
These things being so, the wise will take thought of them: the brave will fight for their country. Spirit will be
| Victory. |
Areas will be apportioned for stations of the troops before they return to their country: the conduct
| Dispositions. |
The Country against whom the army is sent is necessarily a lawless one and the possibility of a victorious campaign is promising because the war is not one of revenge. Results: Territory taken from the enemy shall not be given back: the people shall not have any pestilence: the commander will not have an untimely death: the crops will be luxuriant: the wind and rains will fall seasonably. A victory in foreign parts will ensure great prosperity at home. And so renown is secure and there will be no excess of calamity afterwards.36