If war is governed by the concepts of Yin and Yang, and related ever-changing forces can be perceived and measured, it is important to have better information and insight than the opponent, the better to outwit them. More specifically, if able to perceive and react to such changes, a skilled general can take advantage of weaknesses that inevitably arise in the enemy’s ranks: “Supreme military skill lies / In deriving victory / From the changing circumstances / Of the enemy.” Because every aspect of battle remains in flux throughout the encounter, the most flexible, adaptable leader will win by working in tandem with the unfolding flow and changing balance of the situation, especially the enemy’s movements. This means that while preparation is highly important in warfare, when it comes to the decisive blow, the one who has taken better stock of and can better respond to the current balance of forces will prevail. A good general, however, can sense these influences in the moment and react to whatever situation in which the army finds itself-that is, he can essentially balance these influences through his own actions. Each battle is unique in its blend of countless influences, such as weather, terrain, and troop morale. They take form in response / To the infinite varieties / Of circumstance.” The key word here is “response,” as Sun does not, indeed cannot, offer a formula to ensure conquest in any and all situations. Indeed, Master Sun says: “Victorious campaigns / Are unrepeatable.
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He can grasp how to best respond to his enemy’s actions, and also predict how his enemy will respond to his own actions in any given situation. Gauging this sense of balance gives a general with insight and wisdom the keys to understanding and defeating the opponent. This would seem to create an image of the world as total chaos, a swirl of energies battling it out yet each circumstance is governed by the central Yin and Yang law of balance, meaning the overall flow of battle is, to a certain extent, measurable (even if it is endlessly changing). Sun also emphasizes that there are innumerable variations within each interdependent pair of forces. Thus, Yin and Yang’s physical varieties are critical when it comes to strategizing how best to engage in conflict-such as attacking downhill, or not fighting in the depths of winter. All of these can be measured and, crucially, forecast.
He describes “Heaven” as “Yin and Yang, / Cold and hot, / The cycle of seasons.” This refers to the natural laws governing the universe and its physics-those laws that lead to the rising and setting of the sun, the changing climate, and so on. While victory and defeat are somewhat intangible concepts, Sun also alludes to the physical significance of Yin and Yang in doing battle. In fact, he emphasizes the importance of war by stating its binary outcomes: “It is a place / Of life and death, / A road / To survival and extinction.” Not only does this signify that one’s destiny will be either victory or defeat-never both-but also that for every winner there is a loser again, war is about balance.
Victory can be assured by accurately perceiving, analyzing, and acting in accordance with the balance of the forces at play in the world.įrom the opening lines of the treatise, Sun shows that for each outcome there is an opposite outcome, and for every advantage a disadvantage. Sun argues that by correctly assessing and measuring the balance of the endless permutations of Yin and Yang in war, generals can not only successfully prepare themselves against their enemy, but also influence the situation to their advantage. There are infinite potential variations within each of these paired polarities that inform every moment, interaction, and situation. Yin and Yang represent the natural balance that can be found in all things-for example, dark and light, weak and strong, or uphill and downhill.
The traditional Chinese concepts of Yin and Yang were central to Sun-Tzu’s perception of the world, As such, Yin and Yang also characterize the approach in his famed guidebook to waging war, written roughly around 500 B.C.