Long Tao: Wǔ Yīn ( Five Sounds)

King Wu asked tai gong:
"Can the rise and decline of military strength be judged, and the outcome of war foretold, through the musical tones of pitch pipes?"

tai gong replied:
"Profound indeed is Your Majesty’s question! The twelve musical tones are rooted in five primal notes: gong, shang, jue, zhi, and yu. These elemental sounds remain unchanged through eternity. The mutual generation and conquest of the Five Phases hold divine subtlety, reflecting heaven and earth’s natural order. Through this, we discern shifts in the enemy’s fortunes. Metal, wood, water, fire, and earth each triumph through their cyclical interactions—just as military strategy conquers the unconquerable."

"In ancient times, under the Three Sovereigns, emptiness and non-action subdued the violent. Without written words, all followed the Five Phases’ laws. Their interplay mirrors cosmic evolution; the divisions and convergences of the six jia are profoundly subtle. To apply the Five Notes and Five Phases:

On clear, windless nights, dispatch swift riders to approach the enemy camp. Halt nine hundred paces away, hold pitch pipes to your ears, and shout to startle the foe. Faint echoes will resonate in the pipes.

• A jue (角) note corresponds to the White Tiger—attack from the west.

• A zhi (徵) note aligns with the Black Tortoise—strike from the north.

• A shang (商) note matches the Vermilion Bird—advance from the south.

• A yu (羽) note resonates with the Yellow Dragon—assault from the center.

• Silence signifies a gong (宫) note—target the Azure Dragon’s domain in the east.

These are the Five Phases’ validations, omens of victory, and keys to triumph."

King Wu said:
"Marvelous!"

tai gong added:
"Subtle harmonies always manifest outward signs."

King Wu asked:
"How can these signs be recognized?"

tai gong answered:
"Observe when the enemy is alarmed:

• Drums beating signal a jue note.

• Flames rising reveal a zhi note.

• Clashing weapons echo a shang note.

• Shouts and cries resonate as a yu note.

• Silence embodies the gong note.

Each of the Five Notes aligns with external phenomena—a correspondence that never fails."