Therefore, assess all conditions through five fundamental factors, compare the strengths of both sides, and explore the actual situation.
The first is morality, the second is heaven, the third is earth, the fourth is commandership, and the fifth is discipline.
Note
A great military strategist and thinker in ancient China, who lived in the late Spring and Autumn Period. He authored The Art of War, the world’s earliest and most influential military classic. His strategic thoughts have been widely applied in military, politics and management worldwide.
Five Fundamental Factors
The core evaluation system in The Art of War. It is used to judge the overall strength of a side before war.
Morality (Dao)
It means shared will between rulers and people, unity of hearts, the most fundamental political foundation.
Heaven
Referring to climate, seasons and natural weather conditions.
Earth
Referring to terrain, distance, terrain difficulty and geographical advantages.
Commandership
The comprehensive quality of military generals including wisdom, courage and virtue.
Discipline
Military organization, rules, logistics and reward-and-punishment systems.
The Application of the Five Factors
To illustrate these principles, let us examine one of the most famous battles in Chinese history, the Battle of Red Cliffs, where the allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei defeated the vastly superior army of Cao Cao. This battle perfectly demonstrates the application of Sun Tzu’s five factors.
Morality: Unity of Hearts
Cao Cao, the ruler of the northern Wei state, held the Han Emperor as a puppet, which weakened his moral standing. In contrast, the southern alliance of Wu (Sun Quan) and Shu (Liu Bei) fought to preserve their independence. The southern troops were united by a shared will to defend their homeland, fulfilling the requirement of “shared will between rulers and people.”
Heaven: Climate and Weather
Cao Cao’s northern army was accustomed to cold weather and dry land. They were forced to fight in the harsh, humid climate of southern China during winter. Furthermore, Cao Cao ignored the weather patterns and chained his ships together to combat seasickness. This decision proved fatal when a southerly wind arose, allowing the allied forces to execute a devastating fire attack.
Earth: Terrain and Geography
Cao Cao’s army was composed mainly of cavalry and infantry skilled in land warfare. However, the battlefield was on the Yangtze River, a domain dominated by the naval forces of Wu. By fighting on water, the allies maximized their geographical advantage while nullifying Cao Cao’s numerical superiority on land.
Commandership: Wisdom and Courage
The allied commanders, notably Zhou Yu (Commander-in-Chief of Wu) and Zhuge Liang (strategist for Liu Bei), displayed superior wisdom. They used psychological warfare (the “Bitter Meat Stratagem”) and perfectly timed the fire attack. In contrast, Cao Cao, though a brilliant poet and warlord, made the critical error of underestimating his enemies and overextending his supply lines.
Discipline: Organization and Logistics
The southern alliance maintained strict discipline. Their smaller, more agile fleet allowed for rapid communication and maneuvering. Cao Cao’s massive army suffered from poor logistics; they were far from their supply bases, and their soldiers were afflicted by disease and seasickness, leading to a breakdown in morale and order.
故經之以五事，校之以計，而索其情，一曰道，二曰天，三曰地，四曰將，五曰法。
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