天地人三陣
The Formations of Heaven, Earth, and Man
武王問太公曰：「凡用兵為天陣、地陣、人陣，奈何？」太公曰：「日月、星辰、斗杓，一左一右，一向一背，此謂天陣。丘陵水泉，亦有前後左右之利，此謂地陣。用車用馬，用文用武，此謂人陣。」武王曰：「善哉！」
King Wu asked Taigong: "In the use of troops, what are the Formations of Heaven, Earth, and Man?" Taigong said: "The sun and moon, the stars and constellations, the handle of the Dipper — left and right, facing and turning away — these constitute the Formation of Heaven. Hills and ridges, springs and waters, also presenting advantages of front and rear, left and right — these constitute the Formation of Earth. Using chariots and horses, employing civil and martial means — these constitute the Formation of Man." King Wu said: "Excellent!"
Notes
The Three Formations (三陣) represent the cosmological framework underlying Chinese military thought: aligning military operations with celestial patterns (天), exploiting geographical advantages (地), and organizing human resources effectively (人). This tripartite scheme echoes the broader Chinese philosophical concept of the unity of Heaven, Earth, and Man.