the　word　in　a　figurative　sense　comparable　to　our　own　idiom　〃short
  and　sharp。〃　　　Cf。　Wang　Hsi's　note；　which　after　describing　the
  falcon's　mode　of　attack；　　proceeds：　　〃This　is　just　how　the
  'psychological　moment'　should　be　seized　in　war。〃＇
  15。　　Energy　may　be　likened　to　the　bending　of　a　crossbow；
  decision；　to　the　releasing　of　a　trigger。
  ＇None　of　the　commentators　seem　to　grasp　the　real　point　of
  the　simile　of　energy　and　the　force　stored　up　in　the　bent　cross…
  bow　until　released　by　the　finger　on　the　trigger。＇
  16。　　Amid　the　turmoil　and　tumult　of　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。
  ＇Mei　Yao…ch‘en　says：　　〃The　subdivisions　of　the　army　having
  been　previously　fixed；　and　the　various　signals　agreed　upon；　　the
  separating　and　joining；　the　dispersing　and　collecting　which　will
  take　place　in　the　course　of　a　battle；　may　give　the　appearance　of
  disorder　when　no　real　disorder　is　possible。　　Your　formation　may
  be　without　head　or　tail；　your　dispositions　all　topsy…turvy；　　and
  yet　a　rout　of　your　forces　quite　out　of　the　question。〃＇
  17。　　Simulated　disorder　postulates　perfect　　　discipline；
  simulated　fear　postulates　courage；　simulated　weakness　postulates
  strength。
  ＇In　order　to　make　the　translation　intelligible；　　it　is
  necessary　to　tone　down　the　sharply　paradoxical　form　of　the
  original。　　Ts‘ao　Kung　throws　out　a　hint　of　the　meaning　in　his
  brief　note：　　　〃These　things　all　serve　to　destroy　formation　and
  conceal　one's　condition。〃　　But　Tu　Mu　is　the　first　to　put　it　quite
  plainly：　　　〃If　you　wish　to　feign　confusion　in　order　to　lure　the
  enemy　on；　you　must　first　have　perfect　discipline；　if　you　wish　to
  display　timidity　in　order　to　entrap　the　enemy；　　you　must　have
  extreme　courage；　if　you　wish　to　parade　your　weakness　in　order　to
  make　　　the　　　enemy　over…confident；　　you　must　　　have　　　exceeding
  strength。〃＇
  18。　　Hiding　order　beneath　the　cloak　of　disorder　is　simply　a
  question　of　subdivision；
  ＇See　supra；　ss。　1。＇
  concealing　courage　under　a　show　of　timidity　presupposes　a　fund　of
  latent　energy；
  ＇The　commentators　strongly　understand　a　certain　Chinese　word
  here　differently　than　anywhere　else　in　this　chapter。　　Thus　Tu　Mu
  says：　　　〃seeing　that　we　are　favorably　circumstanced　and　yet　make
  no　move；　the　enemy　will　believe　that　we　are　really　afraid。〃＇
  masking　strength　with　weakness　is　to　be　effected　by　tactical
  dispositions。
  ＇Chang　Yu　relates　the　following　anecdote　of　Kao　Tsu；　　the
  first　Han　Emperor：　　〃Wishing　to　crush　the　Hsiung…nu；　he　sent　out
  spies　　　to　report　on　their　condition。　　But　the　　　Hsiung…nu；
  forewarned；　　carefully　concealed　all　their　able…bodied　men　and
  well…fed　horses；　and　only　allowed　infirm　soldiers　and　emaciated
  cattle　to　be　seen。　　The　result　was　that　spies　one　and　all
  recommended　the　Emperor　to　deliver　his　attack。　　Lou　Ching　alone
  opposed　them；　saying：　　〃When　two　countries　go　to　war；　　they　are
  naturally　inclined　to　make　an　ostentatious　display　of　their
  strength。　　Yet　our　spies　have　seen　nothing　but　old　age　and
  infirmity。　　This　is　surely　some　ruse　on　the　part　of　the　enemy；
  and　it　would　be　unwise　for　us　to　attack。〃　　The　Emperor；　　however；
  disregarding　this　advice；　fell　into　the　trap　and　found　himself
  surrounded　at　Po…teng。〃＇
  19。　　Thus　one　who　is　skillful　at　keeping　the　enemy　on　the
  move　maintains　deceitful　appearances；　according　to　which　the
  enemy　will　act。
  ＇Ts‘ao　Kung's　note　is　〃Make　a　display　of　weakness　and　want。〃
  Tu　Mu　says：　　〃If　our　force　happens　to　be　superior　to　the　enemy's；
  weakness　may　be　simulated　in　order　to　lure　him　on；　　but　if
  inferior；　he　must　be　led　to　believe　that　we　are　strong；　in　order
  that　he　may　keep　off。　　In　fact；　all　the　enemy's　movements　should
  be　determined　by　the　signs　that　we　choose　to　give　him。〃　　Note　the
  following　anecdote　of　Sun　Pin；　a　descendent　of　Sun　Wu：　　　In　341
  B。C。；　　the　Ch‘i　State　being　at　war　with　Wei；　sent　T‘ien　Chi　and
  Sun　Pin　against　the　general　P‘ang　Chuan；　who　happened　to　be　a
  deadly　personal　enemy　of　the　later。　　Sun　Pin　said：　　　〃The　Ch‘i
  State　has　a　reputation　for　cowardice；　and　therefore　our　adversary
  despises　us。　　Let　us　turn　this　circumstance　to　　　account。〃
  Accordingly；　　when　the　army　had　crossed　the　border　into　Wei
  territory；　　he　gave　orders　to　show　100；000　fires　on　the　first
  night；　　50；000　on　the　next；　and　the　night　after　only　20；000。
  P‘ang　Chuan　pursued　them　hotly；　saying　to　himself：　　〃I　knew　these
  men　of　Ch‘i　were　cowards：　　their　numbers　have　already　fallen　away
  by　more　than　half。〃　　In　his　retreat；　Sun　Pin　came　to　a　narrow
  defile；　　with　he　calculated　that　his　pursuers　would　reach　after
  dark。　　Here　he　had　a　tree　stripped　of　its　bark；　　and　inscribed
  upon　it　the　words：　　〃Under　this　tree　shall　P‘ang　Chuan　die。〃
  Then；　as　night　began　to　fall；　he　placed　a　strong　body　of　archers
  in　ambush　near　by；　with　orders　to　shoot　directly　they　saw　a
  light。　　Later　on；　P‘ang　Chuan　arrived　at　the　spot；　and　noticing
  the　tree；　struck　a　light　in　order　to　read　what　was　written　on　it。
  His　body　was　immediately　riddled　by　a　volley　of　arrows；　and　his
  whole　army　thrown　into　confusion。　　＇The　above　is　Tu　Mu's　version
  of　the　story；　the　SHIH　CHI；　less　dramatically　but　probably　with
  more　historical　truth；　makes　P‘ang　Chuan　cut　his　own　throat　with
  an　exclamation　of　despair；　after　the　rout　of　his　army。＇　＇
  He　sacrifices　something；　that　the　enemy　may　snatch　at　it。
  20。　　By　holding　out　baits；　he　keeps　him　on　the　march；　　then
  with　a　body　of　picked　men　he　lies　in　wait　for　him。
  ＇With　an　emendation　suggested　by　Li　Ching；　this　then　reads；
  〃He　lies　in　wait　with　the　main　body　of　his　troops。〃＇
  21。　　The　clever　combatant　looks　to　the　effect　of　combined
  energy；　and　does　not　require　too　much　from　individuals。
  ＇Tu　Mu　says：　　〃He　first　of　all　considers　the　power　of　his
  army　in　the　bulk；　afterwards　he　takes　individual　talent　into
  account；　　and　uses　each　men　according　to　his　capabilities。　　He
  does　not　demand　perfection　from　the　untalented。〃＇
  Hence　his　ability　to　pick　out　the　right　men　and　utilize　combined
  energy。
  22。　　When　he　utilizes　combined　energy；　　his　fighting　men
  become　as　it　were　like　unto　rolling　logs　or　stones。　　For　it　is
  the　nature　of　a　log　or　stone　to　remain　motionless　on　level
  ground；　and　to　move　when　on　a　slope；　if　four…cornered；　to　come　to
  a　standstill；　but　if　round…shaped；　to　go　rolling　down。
  ＇Ts‘au　Kung　calls　this　〃the　use　of　natural　or　inherent
  power。〃＇
  23。　　Thus　the　energy　developed　by　good　fighting　men　is　as
  the　momentum　of　a　round　stone　rolled　down　a　mountain　thousands
  of　feet　in　height。　　So　much　on　the　subject　of　energy。
  ＇The　chief　lesson　of　this　chapter；　in　Tu　Mu's　opinion；　　is
  the　paramount　importance　in　war　of　rapid　evolutions　and　sudden
  rushes。　　〃Great　results；〃　he　adds；　〃can　thus　be　achieved　with
  small　forces。〃＇
  ＇1＇　　〃Forty…one　Years　in　India；〃　chapter　46。
  …
  VI。　　WEAK　POINTS　AND　STRONG
  ＇Chang　Yu　attempts　to　explain　the　sequence　of　chapters　as
  follows：　　　〃Chapter　IV；　on　Tactical　Dispositions；　treated　of　the
  offensive　and　the　defensive；　chapter　V；　on　Energy；　　dealt　with
  direct　and　indirect　methods。　　The　good　general　acquaints　himself
  first　with　the　theory　of　attack　and　defense；　and　then　turns　his
  attention　to　direct　and　indirect　methods。　　He　studies　the　art　of
  varying　and　combining　these　two　methods　before　proceeding　to　the
  subject　of　weak　and　strong　points。　　For　the　use　of　direct　or
  indirect　methods　arises　out　of　attack　and　defense；　　and　the
  perception　of　weak　and　strong　points　depends　again　on　the　above
  methods。　　Hence　the　present　chapter　comes　immediately　after　the
  chapter　on　Energy。〃＇
  1。　　Sun　Tzu　said：　　Whoever　is　first　in　the　field　and　awaits
  the　coming　of　the　enemy；　will　be　fresh　for　the　fight；　whoever　is
  second　in　the　field　and　has　to　hasten　to　battle　will　arrive
  exhausted。
  2。　　Therefore　the　clever　combatant　imposes　his　will　on　the
  enemy；　but　does　not　allow　the　enemy's　will　to　be　imposed　on　him。
  ＇One　mark　of　a　great　soldier　is　that　he　fight　on　his　own
  terms　or　fights　not　at　all。　＇1＇　＇
  3。　　By　holding　out　advantages　to　him；　he　can　cause　the　enemy
  to　approach　of　his　own　accord；　or；　by　inflicting　damage；　he　can
  make　it　impossible　for　the　enemy　to　draw　near。
  ＇In　the　first　case；　he　will　entice　him　with　a　bait；　in　the
  second；　　he　will　strike　at　some　important　point　which　the　enemy
  will　have　to　defend。＇
  4。　　If　the　enemy　is　taking　his　ease；　he　can　harass　him；
  ＇This　passage　may　be　cited　as　evidence　against　Mei　Yao…
  Ch‘en's　interpretation　of　I。　ss。　23。＇
  if　well　supplied　with　food；　he　can　starve　him　out；