Original Text
Those who use military force have said: "I dare not act as the aggressor, but rather take the defensive; I dare not advance an inch, but rather retreat a foot." This means that though there is a formation, it is as if there is no formation to display; though there is an arm to raise, it is as if there is no arm to lift; though facing an enemy, it is as if there is no enemy to fight; though there are weapons, it is as if there are no weapons to hold. There is no greater disaster than underestimating the enemy, for underestimating the enemy nearly cost me my "three treasures." Therefore, when two armies are evenly matched, the side that harbors compassion and mercy will achieve victory.
Guide
Weapons are ominous tools, and war is a sorrowful affair. Laozi believed that war should be defensive, never initiating aggression against other nations, reflecting his anti-war philosophy and also his principle of non-contention and humility in life.Analysis
This chapter follows the previous two texts in providing an in-depth and detailed analysis of the art of war, discussing the application of the principles of using softness and weakness in military strategy. "Reversal is the movement of the Tao," using softness and weakness is not about being truly soft or weak, but rather positioning oneself in a soft and weak state, following the natural trend of the Tao to overcome hardness with softness and defeat strength with weakness.
"In military affairs, there is a saying: 'I dare not act as the host but as the guest; I dare not advance an inch but retreat a foot.'" Here, "dare not" means not harboring reckless or evil intentions. In general usage, "dare not" often implies lacking courage or boldness, carrying a slightly negative connotation. It is important to note that in this chapter, "dare not" constructs a subjunctive mood, expressing a reckless or evil intention, and this subjunctive mood runs throughout the chapter. "Inch" is an extremely short unit of length, while "foot" is slightly longer; Laozi uses these to illustrate the principle of not easily provoking war. Laozi opposed war and advocated not acting rashly or aggressively in conflict, but rather retreating to advance. This is a concrete application of Laozi's philosophy of non-action in military affairs.
Laozi believed that taking the initiative to invade others morally loses to them, because attacking first makes the opponent fight for justice, stirring their people's indignation and boosting their will to defend their homeland, which is extremely disadvantageous for the aggressor. Conversely, if one defends without attacking, leaving the opponent the chance to strike first, one's own people will fight back with righteous fury and defeat the enemy in one surge. Invading even a single inch of another's land risks retaliation, as people see invasion as a disgrace, so we should avoid such acts; retreating a foot instead demonstrates humility and tolerance, and even if a mere inch of land is violated, this can move the opponent to voluntarily withdraw. We repeatedly emphasize that Laozi opposed war, knowing it brings endless disaster and suffering to the people, but he could not prevent it alone. Unable to change the situation of his time, he articulated his view of war as "advancing by retreating," aiming to secure victory in a just war.
This is called "acting without action, raising arms without arms; throwing without an enemy; holding without weapons." "Action" refers to taking action, and "acting without action" means acting as if no action has been taken. "Raising arms without arms" means raising arms as if no arms have been raised. "Throwing without an enemy" means facing an enemy as if no enemy exists. "Holding without weapons" means holding weapons as if no weapons are held. How can one achieve "throwing without an enemy"? It is to lure the enemy unknowingly into the trap we have designed for them. At this point, we might wonder: how can something that clearly exists be described as if it does not? In fact, this embodies the highest realm of Laozi's philosophy of non-action — everything exists yet seems not to, appearing inactive yet being active.
"There is no disaster greater than underestimating the enemy; underestimating the enemy nearly costs us our treasures." Here, "underestimating the enemy" means being arrogant and belittling the enemy's capabilities. "Treasures" refers to various crucial conditions for overcoming the enemy. Laozi believed that wu wei does not mean inaction, nor does it mean being arrogant and underestimating the enemy without preparing for battle. If one is arrogant and underestimates the enemy, defeat will surely follow—this is an eternal truth. Any act of arrogance or contempt for others is contrary to moral standards and will inevitably be punished.
"Thus when opposing armies are evenly matched, the merciful one will prevail." Here "merciful" does not mean sorrowful, but rather refers to harboring benevolence. A merciful army is one that has thoroughly considered all possible misfortunes and tragic outcomes and is fully prepared for them. These "all possible misfortunes and tragic outcomes" correspond to "deploy without formation, roll up sleeves without arms; confront without enemies, wield no weapons." Laozi concludes with "the merciful one will prevail," clarifying his central theme of overcoming hardness with softness and strength with weakness. Laozi once said that benevolence is the foremost of the three treasures of the Dao, and benevolence is equivalent to non-action. If the concept of non-action is applied in warfare, then one will achieve victory when attacking and secure the city when defending. This view aligns with "the merciful one will prevail." In Laozi's view, when engaging in war, one must harbor a benevolent heart; only then can one avoid indiscriminate killing during conflict. This attitude is both a respect for life and a respect for oneself.