Original Text
Fine weapons are indeed inauspicious things; people detest them, so a man of the Way never uses them to solve problems. A gentleman of the Way usually honors the left in daily life, but in warfare, he honors the right. Weapons are inauspicious tools, not meant for a gentleman of the Way; he uses them only when forced, and even then, he remains calm and indifferent. Even in victory, he does not exult; to exult is to delight in killing, and one who delights in killing cannot achieve his ambitions in the world. Auspicious events favor the left, while mournful events favor the right. In battle, the lesser general stands on the left, and the greater general on the right, signifying that warfare should be treated like a funeral rite. When many are killed, one should mourn with sorrow; when victorious, one should observe funeral rites for the dead.
Guide
Weapons are not auspicious tools, and war should not be relied upon to win the world; a virtuous ruler only resorts to war when absolutely necessary. War achieves its goals through killing, so a noble person should treat it with detachment, taking no pride in victory, and should honor it with funeral rites.Analysis
This chapter continues to elaborate on the way of war, building upon the previous one, and consists of three parts: the first explains that weapons are instruments of ill omen and should not be used by those who follow the Way; the second clarifies that a noble person cultivating the Way cannot achieve their ambitions in the world if they lack benevolence in warfare; the third emphasizes the strategies and mindset of warfare, reflecting the virtue of compassion, which is the prerequisite for gaining the world's allegiance.
In Laozi's view, weapons are instruments of ill omen, so war should be avoided as much as possible. He integrated his perspective on weapons into his philosophy, believing that war goes against the Way and is deeply detested by those who have attained it. War is a last resort, and peaceful resolution is the best approach. Thus, in ancient Chinese rituals, victory was often treated with the rites of mourning.
"Weapons are instruments of ill omen, not the tools of a gentleman." Unlike the previous chapter which focused on war from the perspective of outcomes, this chapter discusses war from the perspective of ritual. According to ancient Chinese ritual, the host occupies the right and the guest the left, so being on the left implies humility. Laozi says, "In peaceful times, the gentleman values the left; when using arms, he values the right," indicating that the gentleman may resort to war when compelled, but should not take pride in military strength upon victory. Instead, he should grieve for those who died in battle and properly bury them with funeral rites.
Use it only when unavoidable, with calm detachment as the highest principle. Victory is not to be deemed beautiful; to find it beautiful is to delight in killing. Those who delight in killing cannot achieve their ambitions in the world. Laozi believed that any form of war is an act of last resort. Therefore, when people engage in war, they should approach it with a tranquil mindset, not becoming arrogant even in victory, for arrogance reveals a delight in killing. For all who delight in killing, they may only prevail temporarily but can never long succeed in the world.
During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, mutual invasions between states were very common. In Laozi's era, the scale of wars grew increasingly large, with each conflict involving tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of troops, resulting in extremely heavy casualties. Regardless of victory or defeat, the greatest harm during wartime always fell upon ordinary people. Whenever war broke out, people had to leave their homes and flee in all directions. Even so, a noble person, when using military force, should value calmness and restraint, and not become complacent even after winning a battle. This is a warning to those who delight in waging war excessively. Therefore, when Laozi discusses war here, he is not offering strategies for military commanders, but rather opposing war itself.