(1) Original Text
Sun Tzu said: Those who occupy the battlefield first and wait for the enemy are at ease, while those who arrive later and rush into battle are fatigued. Therefore, the skilled warrior causes others to come to him and does not go to others. To make the enemy come to you is advantageous; to prevent the enemy from reaching you is harmful. Thus, if the enemy is at ease, you can tire them; if they are full, you can make them hungry; if they are secure, you can move them. Attack where they do not expect, and advance where they are unprepared. To march a thousand miles without fatigue is to move in uninhabited territory. To attack and be sure of victory, attack where they are unguarded; to defend and be sure of security, defend where they do not attack. Therefore, the skilled attacker is unknown to the enemy; the skilled defender is unknown to the enemy. Subtle and elusive, to the point of being formless. Mysterious and profound, to the point of being soundless, thus able to command the enemy’s fate. Advance where they cannot resist, and retreat where they cannot pursue. Therefore, if I wish to fight, even if the enemy has high ramparts and deep moats, they cannot avoid fighting me; I will attack where they must save themselves. If I do not wish to fight, even if I draw a line and defend it, the enemy cannot engage me; they will be at odds with their own position. Thus, if I shape the enemy and I remain formless, then I am concentrated while the enemy is divided. I am concentrated as one, while the enemy is divided into ten; hence, ten can attack one, making me numerous while the enemy is few. If I can use many to attack few, then those I fight against are limited. The battlefield I engage in is unknown; if it is unknown, then the enemy’s preparations are many; if the enemy’s preparations are many, then those I fight against are few. Thus, if I prepare in front, then the rear is few; if I prepare in the rear, then the front is few; if I prepare on the left, then the right is few; if I prepare on the right, then the left is few. If I prepare everywhere, then I am few everywhere. The few are those who prepare for others; the many are those who make others prepare for themselves. Thus, knowing the battlefield and the day of battle allows for a meeting a thousand miles away. Not knowing the battlefield and the day of battle means that the left cannot save the right, the right cannot save the left, the front cannot save the rear, and the rear cannot save the front; let alone those far away, dozens of miles, or those nearby, just a few miles? By my estimation, even if the enemy’s troops are numerous, what benefit is there to victory? Therefore, it is said: victory can be achieved. Even if the enemy is numerous, they can be made to fight without engaging. Thus, strategize to know the gains and losses, act to know the movements and stillness, shape to know the life and death, and angle to know the excess and deficiency. Therefore, the ultimate form of military formation is to be formless. If formless, then the deep gaps cannot be seen, and the wise cannot plan. By taking shape and defeating the many, the many cannot know; everyone knows how I win by shape, but no one knows how I control victory by shape. Thus, their victories do not repeat, and they respond to forms infinitely.
(2) Background Information
1. Sun Tzu, also known as Sun Wu, was a famous military strategist during the Spring and Autumn period. The renowned book “The Art of War” was authored by him, containing thirteen chapters and approximately six thousand words. The chapter on “Form and Void” is the sixth, discussing how to disrupt the enemy and achieve victory while balancing the forces of both sides.
2. The “Huangdi Neijing” states: “When the righteous qi is preserved within, evil cannot invade”; “Where evil gathers, its qi must be deficient.” We can correspond this to “righteous qi is sufficient” and “evil qi does not attach”; “evil qi is abundant” and “righteous qi is insufficient,” that is:
(1) Righteous qi preserved within (righteous qi is sufficient) → evil cannot invade (evil qi does not attach), which means a healthy person has no illness;
(2) Where evil gathers (evil qi is abundant) → its qi must be deficient (righteous qi is insufficient), which means both deficiency and excess are present;
Additionally, there are two other situations:
(3) Righteous qi preserved within (righteous qi is sufficient) → evil qi is abundant (evil can invade), righteous qi preserved within (its qi is not deficient) ← evil qi is abundant (where evil gathers), which means a condition of excess.
(4) Righteous qi is insufficient, evil qi does not attach. This means a condition of deficiency.
|
Righteous Qi |
Evil Qi |
|
|
Deficiency |
Righteous Qi Insufficient |
Evil Qi Does Not Attach |
|
Excess |
Righteous Qi Sufficient, Righteous Qi Preserved, Its Qi Not Deficient | Evil Qi Abundant, Evil Can Invade, Where Evil Gathers |
| Deficiency and Excess | Righteous Qi Insufficient, Its Qi Must Be Deficient | Evil Qi Abundant, Where Evil Gathers |
| No Illness | Righteous Qi Sufficient, Righteous Qi Preserved | Evil Qi Does Not Attach, Evil Cannot Invade |
3. Excess refers to the abundance of evil qi while righteous qi is not deficient, manifested as the strong presence of evil qi, but righteous qi is sufficient to counter it, clinically presenting as a state of excess. Deficiency refers to insufficient righteous qi, weakened resistance to disease, manifested as a weak constitution. Although righteous qi can counter evil, its strength is insufficient, making it difficult to exhibit severe pathological reactions.4. The concepts of true and false deficiency, true excess and false deficiency, excess within deficiency, and deficiency within excess will be discussed below.(3) Insights1. Use unexpected strategies to drive out evil, ensuring that righteous qi does not suffer significant damage.
“Attack where they do not expect, and advance where they are unprepared.”
One should strike at places where the enemy cannot provide assistance, and launch surprise attacks in areas the enemy does not anticipate. When evil qi invades the body, one should unexpectedly target the organs where the evil qi lingers with medication to drive it out.2. First, take a position in places where the enemy cannot attack.
“To defend and be sure of security, defend where they do not attack.”
Defense can be solid because it is positioned in places where the enemy cannot attack. Thus, the “Jinkui Yaolue” states: “When seeing liver disease, know that the liver transmits to the spleen, one must first strengthen the spleen qi.” Therefore, when evil qi enters the liver and causes disease, using the principle of liver transmitting to spleen, one can support righteous qi in the spleen, guarding against the places where evil qi cannot attack, thus driving the evil qi out of the body.In cases where righteous qi has already been damaged, one must adopt a strategy of turning defense into offense to support righteous qi, transforming the state of “defend and be sure of security” to restore and strengthen righteous qi before the invasion of evil qi, forcing the evil qi to retreat.3. When righteous qi is weak, medication should be used in places where evil qi cannot reach.
“The skilled defender is unknown to the enemy.”
Thus, those skilled in defense make it unclear to the enemy where they will attack. When righteous qi is weak, medication should be used in areas where evil qi cannot reach. This supports righteous qi, allowing it to guard against evil qi before it touches the body, solidifying the defense until the evil qi is driven out.4. First, target organs that have not yet been significantly affected by evil qi with medication.
“Advance where they cannot resist, and strike at their weaknesses.”
Advancing makes it impossible for the enemy to defend, attacking the enemy’s weak points. When unexpectedly driving out evil qi, one should first target organs that have not yet been significantly affected by evil qi, attacking their weak points before considering segmental expulsion of evil.5. Use the strategy of “I am concentrated as one, the enemy is divided into ten” to divide and conquer evil.To divide and conquer evil.
“Thus, if I shape the enemy and I remain formless, then I am concentrated while the enemy is divided; I am concentrated as one, while the enemy is divided into ten; hence, ten can attack one, making me numerous while the enemy is few; if I can use many to attack few, then those I fight against are limited.”
To make the enemy expose their traces while my forces remain hidden, thus my forces can concentrate while the enemy’s forces must disperse. My forces concentrate in one place, while the enemy’s forces are dispersed in ten places, allowing my forces to attack the enemy with tenfold strength, creating a situation where the enemy is few and I am many. If this can be achieved, then those who engage in battle with my forces will be limited.
One of the four great masters of the Jin and Yuan dynasties, Liu Wansu, used Fang Feng (Siler), Ma Huang (Ephedra), Bo He (Mint), Jing Jie (Schizonepeta), Jie Geng (Platycodon), and Lian Qiao (Forsythia) to disperse evil heat from the surface through sweating; then used Shi Gao (Gypsum), Huang Qin (Scutellaria), and Zhi Zi (Gardenia) to clear heat and toxins from within; used Da Huang (Rhubarb) and Mang Xiao (Mirabilite) to expel heat accumulation from below; and also used Hua Shi (Talc) to promote the expulsion of evil heat through urination. The thought behind this is to divide and kill evil qi, guiding it outward, achieving the effect of concentrating my forces while the enemy is divided into ten, thus attacking the enemy with tenfold strength. Therefore, in dealing with the expulsion of evil qi, one must not only achieve surprise but also divide and conquer to win.6. Conduct targeted defenses.
“Thus, if I prepare in front, then the rear is few; if I prepare in the rear, then the front is few; if I prepare on the left, then the right is few; if I prepare on the right, then the left is few. If I prepare everywhere, then I am few everywhere.”
If the enemy prepares for the front, then the rear forces are weak; if the enemy prepares for the rear, then the front forces are weak; if the enemy prepares for the left, then the right forces are weak; if the enemy prepares for the right, then the left forces are weak; if defenses are placed everywhere, it leads to weakness everywhere. If the body shows signs of deficiency, it indicates that after the invasion of evil qi, righteous qi has already suffered damage. Therefore, it is necessary to assist righteous qi and turn offense into defense. However, in dealing with evil qi, one cannot simply prepare everywhere; rather, one must conduct targeted defenses.7. Use feigned movements to ascertain strength and understand the nature of the disease’s deficiency and excess, seeing through phenomena to grasp essence.
“Thus, strategize to know the gains and losses, act to know the movements and stillness, shape to know the life and death, and angle to know the excess and deficiency.”
In warfare, one must analyze the enemy’s battle plans through careful strategizing to understand their strengths and weaknesses; one must provoke the enemy to understand their patterns of movement; one must feign movements to test the enemy’s vital points; and through small-scale skirmishes, one can understand the enemy’s strength and weaknesses. In clinical practice, the situations of true and false deficiency and true excess and false deficiency should be comprehensively understood, revealing the truth of the military situation and adjusting the forces accordingly, rather than rashly deploying troops. (1) The essence of true and false deficiency is that the essence is excess, while deficiency is merely a surface phenomenon, an illusion. For example, in patients with heat accumulation in the stomach and intestines, the internal heat is intense, and one may observe symptoms of constipation, abdominal fullness, and pain upon palpation, along with signs of mental fatigue and reluctance to speak, which resemble “deficiency” symptoms. (2) True deficiency and false excess refer to the essence of pathological changes, while excess is merely a surface phenomenon, an illusion. For example, in patients with spleen deficiency, one may observe symptoms of poor appetite, fatigue, and weakness, while also seeing abdominal fullness, distension, and pain, which resemble “excess” symptoms. In special circumstances, when the phenomena and essence do not completely align, clinical manifestations often appear inconsistent with the essence. If the enemy merely feigns an attack while my forces deploy, the morale impact is significant, as the saying goes, “One strike builds momentum, the second weakens, and the third exhausts.” The same applies to deficiency and excess in disease; one should thoroughly investigate the patient’s symptoms, comprehensively gather clinical data, and analyze the disease’s manifestations to reveal its essence.8. Be flexible in approach, rather than rigidly applying medication; it should flow like water.
“Thus, their victories do not repeat, and they respond to forms infinitely.”
Each method used to achieve victory is not simply repeated but is analyzed based on specific issues. (1) Deficiency within excess refers to a primary deficiency with accompanying excess symptoms. For example, spleen yang deficiency leads to poor transformation, which is a deficiency condition; water and dampness accumulate, resulting in edema, which is an excess condition. (2) Excess within deficiency refers to a primary excess with accompanying deficiency symptoms. For instance, due to intense evil heat, one may see high fever, sweating, and constipation as excess symptoms, while also experiencing dry mouth, thirst, and short, red urine as symptoms of evil heat damaging fluids and depleting qi. Treatment of symptoms that combine deficiency and excess cannot rely on fixed thinking and should not be approached from a single aspect; strategies should not be rigid but should flow flexibly like water, especially for mixed deficiency and excess conditions, where one cannot stubbornly use a single method but must adapt and adjust the medication formulas, dosages, and methods as needed.9. Formulate flexible strategies based on the body’s actual condition.
“The military is like water; the shape of water avoids the high and seeks the low; the shape of the military avoids the solid and strikes the void. Water flows according to the terrain, and the military wins according to the enemy. Therefore, the military has no constant form, and water has no constant shape; those who can adapt to changes in the enemy and achieve victory are called divine.”
The principles of warfare are akin to the principles of flowing water; the flow of water avoids high places and moves to low-lying areas; the principles of warfare require avoiding the enemy’s main force and attacking their weaknesses. Water’s flow is determined by the terrain’s elevation, while warfare strategies are formulated based on different enemy situations. Thus, there is no fixed, rigid form in military action, just as the flow of water does not have a constant shape. Those who can adapt to changes in the enemy and achieve victory can be said to use military strategy like a divine.
Among the five elements, there is no fixed pattern of mutual generation and mutual overcoming; the four seasons alternate, and no season is eternal. Throughout the year, days vary in length, and within a month, there are both full and waning phases. In TCM’s deficiency and excess patterns, flexible strategies should be formulated based on the body’s actual condition, addressing mixed deficiency and excess symptoms in a targeted manner, thus achieving the effect of treating the disease effectively and balancing the forces of evil and righteousness, leading the body to a state of health.