Good Generals

In ancient times, generals skilled at commanding troops grasped four principles: they made clear to their troops what constituted advance and what constituted retreat, so people knew what was prohibited; they guided them with benevolence and righteousness, so people knew ritual propriety; they repeatedly clarified right and wrong, so people knew self-encouragement and admonition; and they decided consequences with rewards and punishments, so people knew that trustworthiness could not be squandered. Prohibition, propriety, encouragement, and trustworthiness are the fundamental governing principles of the army. If the main cord cannot be made straight, the mesh cannot possibly spread; therefore, such an army wins whenever it fights and takes whatever it attacks. Mediocre generals are the opposite: when they order retreat, they cannot stop the rout; when they order advance, they cannot prohibit chaos; ultimately they perish together with the army. Without encouragement and admonition, rewards and punishments lose their standard, people no longer believe in the rules,......