Chapter on Virtual and Real from Sun Tzu’s Art of War
Sun Tzu’s Art of War consists of thirteen chapters, each focusing on the core issue of military strategy. The chapter on “Virtual and Real” is one of the most brilliant. It provides a profound analysis of the relationship between “virtual” and “real” in military activities, comprehensively discussing the basic principles and important methods for gaining the initiative in command during warfare, holding an extremely important position in the entire text of Sun Tzu. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, remarked: “Among all military texts, none surpasses Sun Wu; among Sun Wu’s thirteen chapters, none surpasses ‘Virtual and Real’. Understanding the virtual and real dynamics of warfare ensures victory.” The god of war, Emperor Taizong, humbly acknowledged the high and accurate positioning of the ‘Virtual and Real’ chapter.
Sun Tzu said: “Those who occupy the battlefield first and wait for the enemy are at ease, while those who arrive late and hastily engage are fatigued. Therefore, good commanders can manipulate the enemy without being manipulated by them. If one can entice the enemy to come to a predetermined location, it is advantageous; if one can prevent the enemy from reaching their intended location, it is harmful. Thus, if the enemy is at ease, one can tire them; if they are well-fed, one can starve them; if they are secure, one can provoke them to move.”
Sun Tzu stated: “Those who occupy the battlefield first and wait for the enemy are at ease and proactive, while those who arrive late and hastily engage are fatigued and reactive. Therefore, skilled commanders can always manipulate the enemy without being manipulated by them. They can entice the enemy to come to a predetermined area through minor benefits; they can prevent the enemy from reaching their intended area by setting up numerous obstacles. If the enemy is well-rested, one can tire them; if they have ample supplies, one can starve them; if they are securely stationed, one can provoke them to move.”
Strike where the enemy does not expect, and advance where they are unprepared. To march a thousand miles without fatigue is to traverse unguarded territory. To attack and be certain of victory is to strike where the enemy is unprotected; to defend and be certain of security is to guard where the enemy does not attack. Therefore, those who are good at attacking leave the enemy unsure of their defenses; those who are good at defending leave the enemy unsure of their attacks. Subtlety is so subtle that it becomes formless! Mystique is so mysterious that it becomes soundless! Thus, one can become the master of the enemy’s fate.
To advance where the enemy cannot resist is to strike at their vulnerabilities; to retreat where the enemy cannot pursue is to act swiftly and remain unreachable. Therefore, when I desire to engage in battle, even if the enemy has high fortifications and deep moats, they must engage with me because I attack what they must defend; when I do not wish to engage, I can draw a line and defend it, preventing the enemy from engaging with me by leading them astray.
Thus, if I appear to be human while remaining formless, I can concentrate my forces while the enemy disperses theirs; if I concentrate my forces into one, the enemy divides into ten. Therefore, if ten attack one, I am numerous while the enemy is few. If one can strike the few with the many, then the enemy I engage is limited. The location where I engage the enemy is unknown; if it is unknown, the enemy must prepare for many possibilities, and if they prepare for many, the enemy I engage will be few. Thus, if they prepare for the front, the rear is weak; if they prepare for the rear, the front is weak; if they prepare for the left, the right is weak; if they prepare for the right, the left is weak; if they prepare everywhere, they will be weak everywhere. The few are those who prepare against others; the many are those who compel others to prepare against them.
To reveal the enemy’s true intentions while remaining concealed ourselves allows our forces to concentrate while the enemy’s forces must disperse. Our forces are concentrated, while the enemy’s forces are dispersed in ten places, allowing us to attack with ten times their strength, creating a favorable situation of being numerous while the enemy is few. If one can concentrate superior forces to attack a weaker enemy, then the enemy engaging us directly will be limited. The places we intend to attack are unknown to the enemy; if they are unknown, then the areas they must defend are numerous; the more areas they must defend, the thinner their forces will be in the areas we intend to attack. Therefore, if they prepare for the front, their rear will be weak; if they prepare for the rear, their front will be weak. If they prepare everywhere, they will be weak everywhere. The enemy’s forces are weak because they are forced to divide their defenses; our forces are strong because we compel the enemy to divide their defenses.
Therefore, knowing the battlefield and the day of battle allows one to engage the enemy even from a thousand miles away. Not knowing the battlefield or the day of battle means one cannot assist the left with the right, nor the right with the left, nor the front with the back, nor the back with the front, let alone manage distances of dozens of miles or even a few miles. From my perspective, even if the troops of Yue are numerous, what benefit is it to victory? Thus, it is said: victory can be achieved. Even if the enemy is numerous, they can be made to fight without engaging.
Therefore, by strategizing and understanding the gains and losses, by acting and knowing the principles of movement and stillness, by shaping and knowing the places of life and death, and by engaging and knowing the strengths and weaknesses, one can reach the ultimate form of warfare, which is formless. When formless, the enemy cannot spy, and the wise cannot strategize. By using form to outmaneuver the many, the many cannot comprehend; everyone knows the form I use to win, but no one knows the form I use to achieve victory. Thus, victories are not repeated but adapt to various situations, endlessly changing.
The form of warfare is like water; the form of water avoids the high and flows to the low; the form of warfare avoids the solid and strikes the void. Water flows according to the terrain, and warfare is determined by the enemy. Therefore, there are no constant formations in warfare, just as there are no constant shapes in water; those who can adapt to the changes of the enemy and achieve victory are called divine. Thus, the five elements do not have a constant victor, and the four seasons do not have a constant position; the day has its lengths, and the moon has its phases.
Summary
“Virtual and Real” is an important concept in military science, with a broad meaning. Generally, the absence of something is considered virtual, while the presence of something is considered real; emptiness is virtual, while solidity is real. “Virtual” refers to dispersed and weak forces, while “real” refers to concentrated and strong forces. In specific military situations, fear, hunger, chaos, fatigue, scarcity, unpreparedness, and weakness are considered “virtual”, while courage, fullness, order, ease, abundance, preparedness, and strength are considered “real”. In summary, all factors that constitute a military’s combat effectiveness, such as the size, quality, and strength of forces, the distribution of troops, their state of rest or fatigue, their supply status, the density of deployment, the sharpness of military momentum, the morale, psychological state, authenticity of movements, safety of situations, and the difficulty of terrain, all fall under the category of “virtual and real”. It is evident that avoiding the solid and striking the void is the key to successful military guidance, which is why Sun Tzu places such great emphasis on this issue, dedicating a chapter to elaborate on it.