Original Text
Sun Tzu said: In the art of war, from the moment a commander receives the ruler's orders, mobilizes the people, and organizes the army, to the point of facing the enemy in battle, nothing is more difficult than seizing the advantage and gaining the initiative. The difficulty of contending for advantage lies in turning the roundabout into the direct, and transforming disadvantage into advantage. Therefore, by taking a circuitous route and luring the enemy with bait, one can start later yet arrive before the enemy—this is the mark of a commander who truly understands the art of turning the indirect into the direct.
In military conflict, there are both advantages and disadvantages. If you mobilize the entire army with all its baggage and supplies to seize the advantage of striking first, it will slow down the march and prevent timely arrival. But if you abandon the baggage and travel light, you will inevitably lose some equipment and provisions. If you order the troops to travel light and march day and night without rest, covering a hundred li to seize the first-mover advantage, then the commanders of the three armies may be captured. The strong soldiers will be in front, the weak will lag behind, and as a rule, only one in ten will arrive on time. If you march fifty li to seize the advantage, the vanguard will suffer setbacks, and generally only half will reach the destination on schedule. Even if you march thirty li to seize the advantage, only two-thirds will arrive on time. Therefore, an army cannot survive without its baggage and supplies, cannot endure without food and provisions, and will perish without reserves of resources.
Therefore, one cannot form alliances without understanding the strategic intentions of neighboring states; one cannot march and engage in battle without knowing the terrain of mountains, forests, obstacles, and marshes; one cannot seize and utilize favorable terrain without employing guides. Thus, warfare is based on deception and stratagem, with action determined by advantage, and the army directed flexibly in concentration or dispersal according to circumstances. Therefore, when the army must move swiftly, it should be as rapid as the wind; when it must advance slowly, it should be as orderly as a forest; when attacking cities and territories, it should be as fierce as a blazing fire; when defending, it should be as steadfast as a mountain; when concealment is needed, it should be as impenetrable as a dark sky; when striking, it should be as overwhelming as a thunderbolt. When seizing enemy resources, divide your forces; when expanding territory, garrison key positions. In all cases, weigh the advantages and act according to the actual situation. Only the commander who first grasps the strategy of the "circuitous and direct" can achieve victory—this is the principle governing the contest for advantage.
"The Art of War says: 'When commands cannot be heard clearly, use gongs and drums; when signals cannot be seen clearly, use banners and flags.' Gongs, drums, banners, and flags are tools to unify the army's sight and hearing. Once the army's actions are unified, the brave cannot advance recklessly, and the timid cannot retreat alone. This is the method for commanding a large army. Therefore, night battles mostly use gongs and drums, while day battles mostly use banners and flags—all determined by the actual conditions of human sight and hearing."
For the enemy's army, you can dampen their morale; for the enemy's generals, you can shake their resolve and make them lose their will to fight. Generally, an army's morale is at its peak at the start of battle, then gradually wanes, and finally exhausts completely. Therefore, those skilled in warfare always avoid the enemy's initial sharp edge and attack only when their morale has slackened and waned—this is the method of subduing and defeating the enemy through morale. Use disciplined troops to deal with chaotic ones; use calm and composed troops to deal with restless and noisy ones—this is the method of subduing and defeating the enemy through psychology. Use troops that have entered the battlefield nearby to await those that have traveled long distances; use well-rested troops to deal with hasty and fatigued ones; use well-fed troops to deal with hungry ones—this is the method of subduing and defeating the enemy through physical strength. Do not engage an army with neat banners and unified ranks, nor attack one with orderly formations and high morale—this is the flexible and adaptive way of employing troops.
Therefore, do not attack uphill when the enemy occupies high ground. Do not engage head-on when the enemy has their back to a hill. Do not pursue when the enemy feigns retreat. Do not rashly strike at the enemy's elite forces. Do not fall for bait troops out of greed. Do not intercept an enemy retreating to their homeland. When surrounding the enemy, leave an apparent escape route. When the enemy is cornered, do not press them too hard. These are the fundamental principles of warfare.
Commentary
The primary issue on the battlefield is seizing the initiative. This is the essence of war—contention is necessary, but it must not be reckless; otherwise, not only will victory elude you, but the entire army may face a catastrophic defeat. The principles outlined here—"turn the detour into the direct, turn adversity into advantage," "establish yourself through deception, act for gain, and adapt through division and concentration," and "avoid the enemy's sharpness, strike when they are weary and retreating"—are all crucial. However, principles alone are insufficient; it also depends on whether the commander can apply them correctly.
Example Interpretation
Di Qing Throws Coins to Steady the Troops
During the Northern Song Dynasty, Nong Zhigao of Guangyuan Prefecture in the south rebelled against the imperial court. Emperor Renzong of Song sent General Di Qing to suppress the rebellion.
After Di Qing led his army out of Guilin, some soldiers deserted due to the treacherous path ahead. As the march grew more difficult, desertions became increasingly severe each day, and even harsh punishments proved ineffective. Di Qing had a resourceful and wise advisor named Liu Yi. Di Qing sought his counsel, and after racking his brains, Liu Yi finally devised a clever plan.
A few days later, the army rested during the march. Di Qing gathered the officers and soldiers around him and said, "This expedition faces high mountains and treacherous waters, a rugged road ahead, and fortune or misfortune is hard to predict. No wonder some of you have deserted. I now wish to consult the gods to divine our fate. I will toss 100 copper coins into the air. When they fall to the ground, if every single one lands face up, that will be an auspicious sign, and we shall advance. If even one coin does not land face up, that will be an ill omen, and we shall return to court. What do you all think?" The soldiers replied in unison, "Agreed."
Di Qing ordered a trusted soldier to bring a bag of copper coins. He reached into the bag, grabbed a handful, counted out exactly one hundred coins, and clenched them in his hand. Then, closing his eyes, he prayed devoutly: "Blessings from the gods! Blessings from the gods..." The soldiers stared wide-eyed at Di Qing. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and tossed the hundred coins into the air. As the coins hit the ground, the soldiers rushed forward to look—every single one of the hundred coins landed face-up. Instantly, shouts of "Blessings from the gods!" echoed through the valley, and the entire army was filled with joy and excitement.
Di Qing knelt and paid homage to the heavens, then ordered 100 nails to be brought. He nailed 100 copper coins into the ground, covered them with a green gauze, and personally sealed them. Finally, he prayed again: "When the army returns victorious, I will surely offer a grand sacrifice to the gods, and only then will I retrieve these coins!" In reality, this was a "trick" devised by the strategist Liu Yi, who exploited the soldiers' superstitious beliefs to stabilize morale—because all 100 copper coins had "heads" on both sides, and both the coins and the soldiers had been carefully arranged in advance.
Indeed, after Di Qing tossed the copper coins, morale soared, and no one deserted. Di Qing commanded the three armies to advance swiftly southward, suppressing the rebellion of Nong Zhigao in one decisive move.
The art of war never rejects deception. When used well, deception can fool the enemy and twist them around your finger. It can also be turned on your own side to boost morale and steady the troops.