The Regulation of Ranks

In all warfare, first determine the ranks and titles within the army, announce systems of reward and punishment, recruit wandering talents, issue military edicts, seek the opinions of the masses, gather skilled individuals, deliberate comprehensively, clarify the root of all situations, resolve doubts and ambiguities, accumulate strength, devise clever strategies, and act in accordance with the people’s will.

 

Warfare requires:
Solidifying morale
Clarifying gains and losses
Resolving chaos
Regulating advance and retreat
Upholding righteousness
Inspiring honor and shame
Simplifying laws
Minimizing punishments
Stopping minor offenses before they escalate

 

Five essentials of warfare:
1. Align with the seasons: Act in harmony with celestial patterns.
2. Accumulate abundant resources: Strengthen your forces with enemy supplies.
3. Win hearts: Rally the people’s will to embolden troops.
4. Master terrain: Control passes, strategic points, and barriers.
5. Wield weapons effectively: Use bows for covering fire, spears for defense, and halberds for support.

 

Different weapons serve different roles. Long weapons shield short ones; short weapons compensate for long ones. Rotating weapons ensures endurance; deploying them all unleashes overwhelming force. Copy new enemy weapons to maintain balance. A commander must inspire troops and solidify morale while observing enemy movements to adapt.

 

The will of commanders and soldiers must unite. Well-fed horses, well-rested troops, and maintained chariots and weapons forge combat readiness. Training lies in daily discipline; victory lies in command. The commander is the torso, soldiers the limbs, and squads the fingers—all must move in harmony.

 

Warfare demands wisdom in strategy, courage in action, and flexibility in formation. Pursue objectives within your means; force enemies into actions they resist or cannot perform.

 

A successful campaign requires:
Timing (Heaven): Seize opportunities and act on auspicious omens.
Wealth (Resources): A prosperous state with ample supplies.
Preparation (Excellence): Trained troops, refined tactics, and ready equipment.
Unity (Joyful Men): All striving to fulfill their duties.

 

A strong army has consolidated formations, skilled soldiers, capable leaders, and contingency plans. Swift chariots, elite infantry, and sturdy bows ensure dominance. Concentrated forces, steady morale, and high spirits create unshakable formations. Mastery of terrain and coordination of infantry-chariot movements decide battles.

 

Disobedience, distrust, discord, negligence, suspicion, cowardice, panic, slander, exhaustion, recklessness, disarray, and lax discipline are fatal flaws in war. Arrogance, excessive fear, chaotic complaints, erratic orders, and wavering resolve lead to ruin.

 

Balance boldness and subtlety, rigidity and flexibility, unit sizes and numbers—all weighed by gain and risk. Use spies for distant reconnaissance, observation for nearby threats. Move with timing and resources. Uphold trust internally, act with justice externally. Stay calm in chaos, resolute in danger.

 

Govern with benevolence and trust; command with generosity and authority; fight with decisiveness and agility. A harmonious state wins love; a disciplined army earns respect; a perceptive commander secures trust.

 

Formations must balance loose spacing (for weapon use) and tight cohesion (for combat). Diverse weapons, trained troops, and calm resolve maintain order. Clear commands and shared purpose drive diligence. Consistent success builds credibility; shared conviction ensures smooth execution. Bright banners clarify visibility; fixed plans demand unwavering resolve. Punish indecisiveness and incompetence. Avoid confusing drum signals or shifting banners mid-battle.

 

Tradition sustains goodness; ancient methods ensure stability. Oaths ignite morale to annihilate foes. Destroy enemies through:
1. Righteousness: Win hearts with integrity and awe, unifying all under heaven.
2. Strategy: Fuel enemy arrogance, seize their strongholds, attack externally, and sabotage internally.

 

Seven pillars of statecraft:
1. Recruit talent
2. Enforce laws
3. Master propaganda
4. Refine techniques
5. Harness fire
6. Excel in naval warfare
7. Improve weapons

 

Four tools of discipline: honor, profit, shame, punishment. Kind guidance and strict correction both reform conduct.

 

Benevolence earns closeness, but without integrity, it invites failure. Assign roles by merit, lead by example, speak with authority, and deploy fire wisely.

 

Principles of warfare:
Rally morale, then impose discipline.
Treat troops kindly; instruct earnestly.
Use their fears to warn them, their desires to motivate them.
Secure terrain upon invasion; assign tasks by rank.

 

Laws must originate from the people’s needs, tested for efficacy, enforced thoroughly. If unmet, commanders lead by example. Once mastered, these norms become law.

 

Methods to govern chaos: benevolence, trust, justice, unity, righteousness, adaptability, and central command.

 

Establish laws by:
1. Ensuring acceptability
2. Clarifying edicts
3. Enforcing strictly
4. Acting swiftly
5. Defining official attire
6. Distinguishing ranks by color
7. Standardizing uniforms

 

In command, authority rests with the general; shared obedience forms law. Follow orders, not rumors. Reject petty gains; plan with deadlines; act covertly.

 

When orthodox methods fail, use authority. Crush disobedience with law. Unify doubts, rouse slackness, dispel fears, enforce contested orders. These are ancient ways of war.

 

The Regulation of Ranks's Pictures