Chapter 5: Energy - The Art of War - Sun Tzu

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Chapter five Energy, Santu said,the control of a large force is the
same principle as the control of afew men. It is merely a question
of dividing up their numbers. Fightingwith a large army under your command is
no wise different from fighting with asmall one. It is merely a question

(00:22):
of instituting signs and signals to ensurethat your whole host may withstand the brunt
of the enemy's attack and remain unshaken. This is affected by maneuvers direct and
indirect. That the impact of yourarmy may be like a grindstone dashed against
an egg. This is affected bythe science of weak points and strong In

(00:47):
all fighting, the direct method maybe used for joining battle, but indirect
methods will be needed in order tosecure a victory. Indirect tactics, efficiently
applied, are inexhaustible, as heavenand earth, unending as the flow of
rivers and streams. Like the Sunand moon, they end, but to

(01:08):
begin anew Like the four seasons,they pass away to return once more.
There are not more than five musicalnotes, yet the combination of these five
give rise to more melodies than canever be heard. There are not more
than five primary colors blue, yellow, red, white, and black,

(01:30):
Yet in combination they produce more huesthan can ever be seen. There are
not more than five cardinal tastes sour, acrid, salt, sweet, bitter,
yet combinations of them yield more flavorsthan can ever be tasted. In
battle, there are not more thantwo methods of attack, the direct and

(01:55):
the indirect. Yet these two,in combination give rise to an endless series
of maneuvers. The direct and theenddirect lead on to each other in turn.
It is like moving in a circle. You never come to an end.
Who can exhaust the possibilities of theircombination. The onset of troops is

(02:16):
like the rush of a torrent,which will even roll stones along in its
course. The quality of decision islike the well timed swoop of a falcon,
which enables it to strike and destroyits victim. Therefore, the good
fighter will be terrible in his onsetand prompt in his decision. Energy may

(02:39):
be likened to the bending of acrossbow, decision to the releasing of a
trigger. Amid the turmoil and tumultof battle, there may be seeming disorder,
and yet no real disorder at all. Amid confusion and chaos. Your
array may be without head or tail, yet it will be proof against defeat.

(03:04):
Simulated disordor postulates perfect discipline. Simulatedfear postulates courage. Simulated weakness postulates
strength. Hiding ardor beneath the cloakof disorder is simply a question of subdivision.
Concealing courage under a show of timiditypresupposes a fund of latent energy.

(03:27):
Masking strength with weakness is to beeffected by tactical dispositions. Thus, one
who is skillful at keeping the enemyon the move maintains deceitful appearances according to
which the enemy will act. Hesacrifices something that the enemy may snatch at
it. By holding out bates,he keeps him on the march. Then

(03:50):
with a body of picked men,he lies in wait for him. The
clever combatant looks to the effect ofcombined energy and does not require too much
much from individuals, hence his abilityto pick out the right men and utilize
combined energy. When he utilizes combinedenergy, his fighting men become, as

(04:12):
it were, like unto rolling logsor stones, For it is the nature
of a log or stone to remainmotionless on level ground, and to move
when on a slope, if forecornered, to come to a standstill,
but if round shaped, to gorolling down. Thus the energy developed by
good fighting men is as the momentumof a round stone rolled down a mountain

(04:36):
thousands of feet in height. Somuch on the subject of energy, end
of Chapter five