Strategies for the Human Realm: Crux of the T'ai-pai Yin-ching by Sawyer Ralph

Author:Sawyer, Ralph [Sawyer, Ralph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Booksurge
Published: 2012-10-28T16:00:00+00:00

11

“EXCELLING IN COMMAND”

The classics state that in employing the military the perfected man [chün-tzu ] would not employ anything other than the Tao, Virtue [Te ], benevolence, and righteousness even though he might become hegemon over All under Heaven.

Beginning with Duke Yin of Lu when the Tao of the Chou had already declined, the feudal lords began to create their own rites and music and usurped the right to conduct expeditions and assaults. Ch’i mounted sudden strikes on the strong with their skillful fighters, Wei arose through the use of highly martial troops, and Ch’in gained victory through elite warriors. Disputants made Sun-tzu and Wu-tzu their foundation, only Hsün Ch’ing (Hsün-tzu) spoke about the Tao of true kingship and criticized them.

[In his “Discussion of the Martial,” Hsün-tzu] said that “Ch’i’s skillful raiders were the troops of a lost state, Wei’ s martial troops those of an endangered state, Ch’in’s elite warriors composed an army striving for rewards and treading in profit, and that only the armies of Duke Huan of Ch’i and Duke Wen of Chin can be said to have invaded others and remain organized and constrained.” Accordingly, [Hsün-tzu asserted that] “Ch’i’s mercenary raiders could not have withstood Wei’s martial troops; Wei’s martial troops would not have been a match for Ch’in’s elite fighters; Ch’in’s elite fighters could never have opposed the well-ordered troops of Duke Huan; and Duke Huan’s well-organized armies could not have opposed T’ang and Wu’s benevolence and righteousness.”

Thus it is said that those who excel in command never deploy; those who excel in deployments never engage in battle; those who excel in battle are never defeated; and those who excel at defeat never perish. Solitary and alone, the Yellow Emperor stood in the center [of the world] and was victorious over the four emperors. This is what by those who excel in command do not deploy into formation.

King T’ang and King Wu conducted punitive attacks, deployed their forces, issued oaths to the masses, and then went on to depose Chieh of the Hsia and capture Chou [Hsin] of the Shang. This is what is meant by those who excel in deployments never engage in battle.

In the south Duke Huan [of Ch’i] caused strong Ch’u to submit and make contributions to the Chou house, in the north he attacked the Shan Jung (mountain barbarians) and opened a path to Yen. This is what is meant by those who excel in battle are never defeated.

King Chao of Ch’u suffered misfortune at the hands of King Ho-lü [of Wu], his state was extinguished and he fled, racing with his brothers to beseech Ch’in for aid. Ch’in sent their troops forth, and the king of Ch’u was able to return to his state. This is what is meant by those who excel at defeat do not perish.

Now, the army is the means by which to preserve the lost, continue the severed, rescue the chaotic, and eliminate harm. Through Yi Yin’s and Lü Shang’s (T’ai Kung’s) generalship, their own descendants continued to possess their states right through the end of the Shang and Chou dynasties.

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