1 Laying Plans 始计
Initial Calculations
Main ideas:
- Determinants of relative strength: 道，天，地，将，法
- General’s qualities: 智、信、仁、勇、严
- Leveraging situations 势
- Subterfuge in war 诡
“Laying Plans” is the first of thirteen chapters in the Art of War. It lays out the importance of war, its principle considerations, and its nature.
The Art of War remains relevant today despite dating to the turbulent Late Spring and Autumn Period 春秋战国 in Chinese history. There is purpose in military preparation during peace time, and among least willing participants of armed conflicts.
“Those who love peace must learn to organise as effectively as those who love war.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Art of War lists five principle considerations, in order of hierarchy, that determine outcome of a conflict. 道 translates to “principle” 道理 or “way”, “passage” 道路. Metaphorically, it refers to whether one holds the “moral right of way”. It could refer also to the common, moral purpose that one rallies people around. Conflict costs lives and resources that could otherwise be employed in the economy. Conflicts, without a moral purpose, or which are perceived to be unjustly entered into, will not appeal to common decency and achieve the resolve needed to prevail in protracted warfare.
天 translates as the heavens, seasons and the weather 天气. The cosmos, and the earthly climate are characterised by gradual, consistent and somewhat cyclical changes. Like the maritime traders who sailed with the monsoon wind, one rides with the tide of public sentiments, of technological trends and other outside forces that gives her advantage.
“The principal foundation of all states… are good laws and good arms… because there cannot be good laws where there are not good arms…“ — Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
地 translates to topography, foundation 地基, site 场地, ground 地面. In comparison to the heavens, these represent the structural arena on which conflict plays out. One studies the terrain to navigate and select strategic battlegrounds that afford the greatest possible advantage. In business, these manifest in the economic, competitive and regulatory landscape.
将 refers to the military general 将军, judged by five qualities.
- 智 is wisdom 智慧, intelligence, guile, wit, competence. According to the Art of War, conflicts are characterised by deception 诡 and to win is to outwit a more cunning opponent by any means possible.
- 信 is trustworthiness 信任, the ability to trust in and inspire trust among his charge.
- 仁 is benevolence 仁爱, virtuousness 仁德, and the empathy, respect for fellow humans. In war, the leader controls the fate of her followers, who in turn seek virtuous leaders who they could entrust their lives and wellbeing.
- 勇 is courage 勇敢 and decisiveness. Clausewitz’s “fog of war” demands acuity and resolution from leaders who are inundated with decisions concerning life and death.
- 严 is impartiality 严明, the ability to inspire confidence and uphold discipline through an uncorrupted system of rewards and punishments. Organising war is complex and involves people at its centre. An effective machinery built on clear responsibilities and expectation increases the chance of winning.
War is the realm of uncertainty; three quarters of the factors on which action in war is based are wrapped in a fog of greater or lesser uncertainty. A sensitive and discriminating judgment is called for; a skilled intelligence to scent out the truth.― Carl von Clausewitz, Vom Kriege
法 translates to law (法律, 法则), method (方法). It refers to the maintenance of organisational discipline in the ranks and control of material resources in pursuit of its goals.
There is a beautiful sense of hierarchy in these five considerations. Strategic and tactical. Universal and practical. They begin with the degree of harmony of one’s raison d’être with the universe (道), followed by the external environment (天), and the condition or situation one operates in (地). Next, then, are the agents (将) of one’s undertaking, and lastly how one best manages the resources (法) endowed to her.
The Art of War introduces the concepts of 势 and 诡 which are often revisited in subsequent chapters.
势 translates as circumstances (形势), situation (局势), momentum (气势), influence (势力). Outwitting one’s competition requires a leader to continuously seize circumstantial opportunities that present themselves to her benefit and avoid being caught up in unfavourable situations. One has to rightly perceive emerging patterns in the fluid environment — the changing tides, in the “fog of war” and ride them to her advantage.
势 creates advantages in combat. These require leaders to possess acuity, intelligence (智), and courage (勇) (qualities discussed in Laying Plans Part 1) to seize the advantages before her.
诡 translates as cunning, craftiness, deception. One conceals her intentions and forms from the opponent, denying her from accurately assessing the situation for a well-informed decision. Uncertainty weakens the opponent’s confidence, morale and wears her down by forcing her to wave her fists in the dark.
With a good grasp of the opponent’s intentions, the use of deception on the offensive frustrates the opponent’s plans by appealing to their inherent flaws. This exposes her weaknesses and allows one to take or regain the initiative in combat. On the defensive, one avoids engaging the opponent head-on at her terms but seek to delay and alter the conditions to one’s benefit.
The objective of 诡 is to achieve surprise and create advantage in combat. An understanding of one’s strengths and flaws, and empathy for a cunning opponent is necessary to mentally and physically outsmart her. This is expressed in another verse from The Art of War, Attack by Stratagem:
知己知彼，百战不殆
If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt
孙子曰：兵者，国之大事，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察也。
Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.故经之以五事，校之以计而索其情：
The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one’s deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. These are:一曰道，
二曰天，
三曰地，
四曰将，
五曰法。
The Moral Law;
Heaven;
Earth;
The Commander;
Method and discipline.道者，令民与上同意也，故可以与之死，可以与之生，而不畏危。
天者，阴阳、寒暑、时制也。
地者，高下、远近、险易、广狭、死生也。
将者，智、信、仁、勇、严也。
法者，曲制、官道、主用也。
The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.
Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.
Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.
The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerely, benevolence, courage and strictness.
By method and discipline are to be understood the marshalling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.凡此五者，将莫不闻，知之者胜，不知者不胜。
These five heads should be familiar to every general: he who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail.计利以听，乃为之势，以佐其外。
势者，因利而制权也。
While heading the profit of my counsel, avail yourself also of any helpful circumstances over and beyond the ordinary rules.
According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one’s plans.兵者，诡道也。
All warfare is based on deception.故能而示之不能，用而示之不用，
近而示之远，远而示之近。
Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable;
when using our forces, we must seem inactive;
when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away;
when far away, we must make him believe we are near.利而诱之，乱而取之，
实而备之，强而避之，
怒而挠之，卑而骄之，
佚而劳之，亲而离之，
Hold out baits to entice the enemy.
Feign disorder, and crush him.
If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him.
If he is in superior strength, evade him.
If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him.
Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.
If he is taking his ease, give him no rest.
If his forces are united, separate them.攻其无备，出其不意。
此兵家之胜，不可先传也。
Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand.Translation by Lionel Giles
> next: Waging War 作战
