治兵

Marquis Wu asked: "What is the first priority in advancing troops?"

Wu Qi replied: "First clarify the Four Lightnesses, Two Weights, and One Trust."

"What do these mean?"

Wu Qi replied: "Make the terrain light for the horses, the horses light for the chariots, the chariots light for the men, and the men light for battle. When you clearly understand which terrain is dangerous and which is easy, the terrain becomes light for the horses. When fodder and grain are supplied on time, the horses become light for the chariots. When axle grease and fittings are abundant, the chariots become light for the men. When blades are sharp and armor is strong, the men become light for battle. Advance earns heavy reward; retreat earns heavy punishment — and both are administered with absolute reliability. If you can truly achieve this, you hold the key to victory."

Marquis Wu asked: "What makes a military force victorious?"

Wu Qi replied: "Discipline is what makes it victorious."

He asked again: "Does it not depend on numbers?"

Wu Qi replied: "If orders are unclear, if rewards and punishments are unreliable, if the gong to halt is sounded and they do not stop, if the drum to advance is beaten and they do not advance — then even a million men are of no use. What I mean by discipline is this: at rest they observe propriety, in motion they project authority. Their advance cannot be blocked, their retreat cannot be pursued. Moving forward and falling back follow a measured rhythm; left and right respond to the commander's signal. Even when cut off they form a battle line; even when scattered they form ranks. In ease and in danger alike, the troops can be united but not divided, can be employed but not exhausted. Deploy them wherever you will and nothing in the realm can stand against them. This is called a father-and-sons army."

Wu Qi said: "The principles of marching are these: do not violate the proper rhythm of advancing and halting, do not miss the proper timing of food and water, and do not exhaust the strength of men and horses. These three enable the troops to carry out their commander's orders, and carrying out orders is the source from which discipline arises. If advancing and halting have no measure, if food and water are ill-timed, if horses are spent and men are weary with no rest granted — then they cannot carry out their commander's orders. Once orders go unheeded, in camp there will be disorder, and in battle there will be defeat."

Wu Qi said: "The battlefield is a place where corpses stand upright. Accept certain death and you will live; cling to life and you will die. A skilled general creates urgency like sitting in a leaking boat or crouching beneath a burning roof — so that the clever have no time to scheme and the brave have no time to rage. Only then can the army receive the enemy. Therefore it is said: the greatest harm in employing military force is hesitation; the greatest disaster for an army is born from indecision."

Wu Qi said: "Men usually die from what they cannot do, and are defeated by what they are not accustomed to. Therefore the first principle of employing military force is: training comes first. One man learns to fight and trains ten. Ten men learn to fight and train a hundred. A hundred train a thousand. A thousand train ten thousand. Ten thousand train the entire army. Wait for the distant with proximity; wait for the exhausted with fresh reserves; wait for the hungry while well-fed. Form them into circles, then into squares. Sit them down, then stand them up. March them forward, then halt them. Move them left, then right. Send them forward, then back. Split them apart, then join them. Assemble them, then disperse them. Every variation must be drilled until mastered — only then issue them weapons. This is the general's duty."

Wu Qi said: "The orders for battle training are as follows: short men carry spears and halberds; tall men carry bows and crossbows; strong men carry the banners; brave men carry the gongs and drums; the weak are assigned to supply duties; the intelligent serve as planners. Men from the same village are grouped together; squads of five and ten guarantee one another. At the first drum, the troops form up. At the second drum, they drill formations. At the third drum, they proceed to eat. At the fourth drum, they prepare equipment and stand ready. At the fifth drum, they fall into line of march. When the drums sound in unison, the banners are raised."

Marquis Wu asked: "Are there principles governing how the army advances and halts?"

Wu Qi replied: "Do not position yourself facing the Heavenly Furnace; do not position yourself facing the Dragon's Head. The Heavenly Furnace is the mouth of a great valley. The Dragon's Head is the peak of a great mountain. Deploy with the Azure Dragon on your left, the White Tiger on your right, the Vermilion Bird to your front, and the Dark Warrior to your rear. The command standard is raised above; operations are conducted below. When battle is imminent, carefully observe which direction the wind is blowing from. If the wind is favorable, raise the war cry and follow it. If the wind is against you, hold a solid formation and wait."

Marquis Wu asked: "Are there methods for managing chariots and cavalry?"

Wu Qi replied: "Horses must be kept in comfortable quarters, given suitable water and pasture, and their feeding carefully regulated. In winter, keep the stables warm; in summer, keep the shelters cool. Trim the mane, carefully shoe all four hooves, shield their ears and eyes so nothing startles them, accustom them to galloping and pursuit, and train them in advancing and halting. Men and horses must become familiar with each other before they can be employed. The equipment for chariots and cavalry — saddles, bridles, bits, and reins — must all be kept sound and sturdy. Horses are generally not ruined at the end of a campaign but at the beginning; not ruined by hunger but by overfeeding. When dusk falls and the road is long, dismount and remount frequently — better to tire the men than to tire the horses. Always keep a reserve of stamina, in case the enemy counterattacks. He who understands this can march unopposed across the realm."