七法

To affirm what is right yet be unable to establish it; to condemn what is wrong yet be unable to abolish it; to have merit yet be unable to reward it; to have guilt yet be unable to punish it — if one could govern the people under such conditions, this has never existed. The Seven Standards are: Pattern, Model, Law, Transformation, Decision, Mind-Technique, and Calculation. Pattern means the constants of heaven and earth. Model means categories, names, timings, similarities. Law means measures and instruments. Transformation means gradual habituation. Decision means granting and taking, opening and closing. Mind-Technique means sincerity and empathy. Calculation means weighing light and heavy, large and small, near and far.

Secret wickedness injures the ruler's authority. Corrupt officials injure the laws of office. Wicked commoners injure popular customs and education. Bandits and thieves injure the state's populace. When authority is injured, power shifts downward. When laws are injured, bribes flow upward. When education is injured, those who follow commands lose cohesion. When the populace is injured, the common people feel insecure in their homes. When power shifts downward, commands are not carried out. The enlightened ruler values commands above treasure, places the altars of state before kinship, holds law dearer than the people, and considers authority more precious than rank and emolument.

The art of military preparation lies in accumulating wealth — and wealth without rival. In training craftsmen — and craftsmen without rival. In producing weapons — and weapons without rival. In selecting soldiers — and soldiers without rival. In governance and education without rival. In drill and training without rival. In comprehensive knowledge of the realm without rival. In mastery of timing and stratagem without rival. Thus before the army even crosses the border, there are eight forms of invincibility. To right the realm, one's wealth must surpass the realm's. One's craftsmen must surpass the realm's. One's weapons must surpass the realm's. One's soldiers must surpass the realm's.

As for detailed planning and timely action: do not miss the timing of heaven, do not waste the advantages of terrain. The specifics of numbers and their essentials must emerge from calculation. In all campaigns, plans must first be determined within before troops cross the border. When plans are not settled within yet troops are sent across the border, the battle defeats itself and the siege destroys itself. Therefore one must understand the enemy's governance before attacking, understand the enemy's conditions before negotiating, understand the enemy's generals before deploying, and understand the enemy's soldiers before forming ranks. Thus strike the many with the few ordered, strike the chaotic with the well-governed, strike the poor with the wealthy, strike the incompetent with the capable — and win every battle.