"All the officers-from the level of the double squad of ten up to the generals of the right and left, superiors and inferiors-are mutually responsible for each other. If someone violates an order or commits an offense, those that report it will be spared from punishment, while those who know about it but do not report it will all share the same offense.
"Now when the [members of the] squads of five and ten are mutually bonded and the upper and lower ranks mutually linked, no perversity will remain undiscovered, no offense will remain unreported. Fathers will not be able to cover for their sons, older brothers will not be able to conceal their younger brothers. How much less so will the people of the state, living and eating together, be able to violate orders and conceal each other?"
"The Central, Left, Right, Forward, and Rear armies all have their segmented terrain-each surrounded on all four sides by temporary wallswith no passage or communication among them permitted.
"The general has his segmented terrain; the regimental commander has his segmented terrain; and the company126 commander has his segmented terrain. They should all construct ditches and sluices and make the orders blocking [communications] explicit so that it is impossible for someone who is not a member of [the company of] one hundred to pass through. If someone who is not a member [of the company] of one hundred enters, then the commander should execute him.127 If he fails to execute him, he will share the offense with him.
"Along the roads crisscrossing the encampment, set up administrative posts128 every 120 paces. Measure the men and the terrain. The road posts should be within sight of each other. Prohibit crossing over the roads and clear them. If a soldier does not have a tally or token issued by a general or other commanding officer, he cannot pass through. Wood gatherers, fodder seekers, and animal herders all form and move in squads of five. If they are not moving in squads of five, they cannot cross through. If an officer does not have a token, if the soldiers are not in squads of five, [the guards] at the crossing gates should execute them. If anyone oversteps the demarcation lines, execute him. Thus if within the army no one contravenes orders nor vi olates the prohibitions, then without there will not be any perversity that is not caught."
"The orders which bind the squad of five state: `Five men comprise the squad of five. They collectively receive a tally from command headquarters. If [in battle] they lose men but capture [or kill] an equivalent number of the enemy, they negate each other. If they capture members of an enemy squad without losing anyone themselves, they will be rewarded. If they lose members without capturing [or killing] equal numbers of the enemy, they will be killed and their families exterminated.
"`If they lose their squad leader but capture a squad leader, the two negate each other. If they capture a squad leader without losing their own, they will be rewarded. If they lose their squad leader without capturing an enemy squad leader, they will be killed and their families exterminated. However, if they rejoin the battle and take the head of a squad leader, then their punishment will be lifted.
"'If they lose their general but capture [or kill] one, the two negate each other. If they capture a general without losing their own, they will be rewarded. If they lose their general and do not kill an enemy general, they should be considered according to the Law for Abandoning Their Positions and Fleeing.' 129
"The Law for Battlefield Executions states: `The leader of a double squad of ten can execute the other nine. A company commander can execute the double squad leaders. The general of one thousand men can execute company commanders. The general of ten thousand men can execute the general of one thousand men. The generals of the Armies of the Left and Right can execute the generals of ten thousand men. The Grand General has no one he cannot execute."'
"To regulate the troops, employ the orders for regulating them to segment them into three [armies]. The Army of the Left will have green flags, and the troops will wear green feathers.13' The Army of the Right will have white flags, and the troops will wear white feathers. The Central Army will have yellow flags, and the troops will wear yellow feathers.
"The troops will have five emblems: The front line will have green emblems, the second row red emblems, the third row yellow emblems, the fourth row white emblems, and the fifth row black emblems.
"The next [rule] for regulating the troops is that anyone who loses his emblem will be executed. The first five lines place their emblems on their heads, the next five lines place their emblems on their necks, the next five on their chests, the next five on their stomachs, and the last five on their waists.' 31 In this fashion it will never happen that the troops will have someone other than their own officers nor officers other than their own troops. If someone sees a case where it is incorrect but does not inquire about it, or sees confusion but does not act to stop it, the crime will be comparable to that of the offender.
"When the drums sound for [the troops] to move and engage in battle, those lines that move forward confront the danger, while those that retreat to the rear are reviled by the people. Those who venture forward past the five lines will be rewarded; those that race past the five lines to the rear will be executed. By this means it can be known that advancing and retreating, moving to the fore and rear are achievements of the commanders.132 Thus it is said: `If you beat the drum and they advance like a thunderclap, they move like the wind and rain, no one will dare oppose you to the fore, no one will dare follow you to the rear.' This speaks about having regulations."
"Gongs, drums, bells, and flags-these four each have their methods of employment. When the drums sound, the army should advance; when the drums are beat again, they should attack. When the gongs sound, they should stop; when the gongs are struck again, they should withdraw. Bells are used to transmit orders. When the flags point to the left, [the army should] go left; when the flags point to the right, then to the right. Unorthodox units are the opposite.133
"Beat the drum once and the left [foot steps forward]; beat it again and the right [foot advances]. 114 If for each step there is one beat, this is the pace beat. If for ten steps there is one beat, this is the quickstep beat. If the sound is unbroken, this is the racing beat. The shang note is that of the general's drum. The chiao note is that of a regimental commander's drum. The small drum is that of a company commander. When the three drums sound together the generals, regimental commanders, and company commanders are all of one mind. The unorthodox army is the opposite of this.
"If a drummer misses a beat he is executed. Those that set up a clamor are executed. Those that do not obey the gongs, drums, bells, and flags but move by themselves are executed.
"When combat methods are taught to one hundred men, after their instruction is complete unite them [with other companies] to comprise one thousand men.135 When the instruction of one thousand men is complete, unite them [with other regiments] to comprise ten thousand. When the instruction of [the armies of] ten thousand is complete, assemble them into the Three Armies. When the masses of the Three Armies can divide and unite, they can execute the methods of large-scale combat. When their instruction is complete, test them with maneuvers.
"In a square formation they are victorious; in a circular formation they are also victorious; in a jagged array they are also victorious; and if they encounter difficult terrain they will also emerge victorious. If the enemy is in the mountains, climb up after him. If the enemy is in the depths, plunge in after him. Seek the enemy as if searching for a lost child, follow him without any doubt. In this way you will be able to defeat the enemy and control his fate.
"Now one must make decisions early and determine plans beforehand. If plans are not first determined, if intentions are not decided early, then neither advancing nor retreating will be ordered. When doubts arise defeat is certain. Thus an orthodox army values being first; an unorthodox army values being afterward. Sometimes being first, sometimes being afterward[this is the way] to control the enemy. Generals throughout the ages who have not known this method, after receiving their commission to go fo
rward, were first to launch an attack-relying on courage alone. There were none who were not defeated.
"Their actions seem hesitant but are not; their movements seem to be confident but are not; their movement is at times slow, at times rapid, but is neither slow nor rapid. These three present entanglements in battle."
"When the commanding general is about to receive his commission, the ruler must first discuss military strategy in the ancestral temple, then issue the order in the court. The ruler personally grants the fu and yi eh axes to the gen- eral,136 saying: `The Left, Right, and Central armies have their separate responsibilities. If anyone oversteps the bounds of their responsibility to seek the intercession of higher ranks, he shall be put to death. Within the army there cannot be two [sources of] orders. Anyone who issues a second order shall be executed. Anyone who delays the implementation of an order shall be executed. Anyone who disobeys an order shall be executed.'
"The General of the Army makes the announcement: `To those about to go out beyond the gates of the state [capital], the time [for assembling] is set as midday. Within the encampment we shall set up a gnomon and place it at the axle gate. Those who arrive past the designated time will be subject to the provisions of the law.i137
"When the General of the Army has entered the encampment, he closes the gate and has the streets cleared. Anyone that dares to travel through them will be executed. Anyone that dares to talk in a loud voice will be executed. Those that do not follow orders will be executed."
"What is referred to as `the vanguard"" moves off from the main force about one hundred li, assembling at a designated place and an appointed time. It carries a three-day [supply of] prepared food. It moves in front of the main army. Pennants are made for uniting to engage in battle.139 Then when a pennant for engaging in battle is raised,14' the vanguard feasts its sol- diers141 and has them deploy into a strategic configuration of power [shih] for battle. They are referred to as `racing to battle.'
"The advance army moves in front of the vanguard. When the pennant for engaging in battle is raised, it moves off from the main force double the [vanguard's] distance-about one hundred li ahead of the vanguard-assembling at a designated place and time. They carry a six-day [supply of] prepared food. They are ordered to prepare for the battle and deploy troops to occupy the strategic positions. If the battle turns to the [army's] advantage, they pursue the retreating enemy; if the forces are stalemated, they race into [the enemy]. If the vanguard encounters anyone who has turned back, they should execute him. What are termed the `armies of the various generals,' consisting of four unorthodox forces,142 will wrest victory.
"The army has its squads of ten and five and [the methods of] dividing and reuniting. Before [engaging in battle] duties are assigned, and designated units should occupy the strategic locations, passes, and bridges. When the pennant for uniting to engage in battle is raised, they should all assemble. The main army sets out with a fixed daily ration and their combat equipment all complete. The orders are issued and they move; anyone who does not follow orders is executed.
"Now determine and assign forces to the strategic points within the four borders of the state. After the advance army and vanguard have already set out, the people within the borders are not able to move about. Those who have received the king's commands, who have been given and carry the proper tallies and tokens are called `officers acting in accord with their duties.' Officers who are not acting in accord with their duties but yet move about should be executed. When the pennant for uniting to engage in battle is raised, these officers-acting in accord with their duties-travel about and are employed to ensure that affairs are mutually regulated.143 Accordingly, one who wants to wage warfare must first secure the interior."
"Orders for instructing the soldiers: Disperse them to their encampments, and have them assume formation. Those who advance or retreat contrary to orders should be punished for the crime of contravening instructions.
"The front lines are instructed [by the commander of] the front lines; the rear lines are instructed [by the commander of] the rear lines; the lines to the left are instructed [by the commander of] the lines on the left; the lines to the right are instructed [by the commander of] the lines to the right. When all five men [in a line] have been successfully instructed, their squad leader is rewarded. Failing to successfully instruct all of them will result in [being punished] as though one had committed the crime of contravening instruc- tions.144 If someone who has fallen i11145 brings it to the attention of the squad by himself and the squad members jointly report it, they will be spared from punishment.
"In general, when the squad of five assumes formation for battle, if one of the men does not advance and face death at the enemy, his instructor [will be punished] as if he had committed the crime of contravening the law. The double squad of ten guarantees the ten men within it. If they lose a man and the other nine men do not fight to the death in a desperate battle with the enemy, then their instructor [will be punished] as if he had committed the crime of contravening the law. From the double squad up to the subordinate generals, if anyone does not follow the laws, their instructors [will be punished] as if they had committed the crime of contravening the law. In general, to make punishments and fines clear and incentives and rewards correct, they must fall within the laws for instructing the soldiers.
"Generals have different flags, companies have different emblems. The Army of the Left wears their emblems on the left shoulder; the Army of the Right wears their emblems on the right shoulder; the Central Army wears their emblems on the front of the chest. Record their emblems as `a certain armored soldier' and `a certain officer.' From front to rear, for [each platoon of] five lines the most honored emblems are placed on the head, the others accordingly lower and lower.146
"The squad leader instructs the other four men using a board as a drum, a piece of tile as a gong, and a branch as a flag. When he strikes the drum they should advance; when he lowers the flag they should race forward; when he strikes the gong they should withdraw. When he points [left] they should go to the left; when he points [right] they should go to the right. When the gongs and drums are struck together they should sit.
"When the squad leader has completed instructing the squad, they should be united [with another squad] under a leader for a double squad of ten. When the double squad leader has completed instructing them, they should be united under a platoon commander. When the platoon commander has completed instructing them, they should be united under a company commander. When the company commander has completed instructing them, they should be united under an army commandant. 141 When the army commandant has completed instructing them, they should be united under a subordinate general. When the subordinate general has completed instructing them, they should be united under the commanding general.
"When the commanding general has completed instructing them, he has them deploy into formation in the countryside. He sets up three large posts, one every hundred paces, and has the formation move away from them. They advance one hundred paces and practice weaponry.148 They quickstep for a hundred paces and then race for another hundred paces. They practice battle tactics in order to attain the measure [set by the general]. Afterward, rewards and punishments should be implemented.
"From the commandant down, every officer has a flag. When the battle has been won, in each case look at the rank of the flags that have been captured in order to stimulate their hearts with clear rewards.149
"Victory in war lies in establishing awesomeness. Establishing awesomeness lies in uniting strength."' Uniting strength lies in rectifying punishments. By rectifying punishments rewards are illuminated.
"Today if the people turn their backs to the border gates and decide the issue of life and death, if they have been taught to die without hesitation there is a reason.151 [Training and instructions] have caused the defenders to inevitably be solid; those engaged in battle to inevitably fight; perverse plans not to be put into action; perverse people not to
speak; orders to be effected without any changes; the army to advance without doubt; and the light units to be like a clap of thunder-to rush at the enemy like the terrified. Raise those of merit, distinguish those of virtue, making their distinction as clear as black and white. Cause the people to follow the orders of their superiors just as the four limbs respond to the mind.
"If the forward units break up the enemy's ranks, throw his formation into chaos, and crush his hardness like water bursting through, there is a basis for it. This is termed the `army's instructions.' They provide the means to open sealed borders, preserve the altars of state, eliminate disaster and harm, and complete Martial Virtue."
"I have heard that a ruler of men must attain the Tao of certain victory. Thus to be able to unite others and become expansive and great, to unify the ordinances and regulations and have his awesomeness prevail in the world, there are twelve essential matters:
"The first is called `connected punishment' and refers to the method of joint criminal responsibility for all members of the squad of five.
The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China Page 33
