Hence a wise general strives to feed his army on the enemy’s supplies. One zhong of grain seized from the enemy equals twenty zhong transported from home; one shi of fodder captured from the enemy equals twenty shi from one’s own land.
Soldiers fight fiercely out of righteous anger; they seize enemy wealth for material rewards.
In chariot battles, if you capture ten or more enemy chariots, reward those who seize them first. Replace the enemy banners with your own, and mix the captured chariots into your ranks. Treat captured soldiers kindly and retain them. This is what it means to defeat the enemy and grow stronger in turn.
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.
Zhong & Shi
Ancient Chinese units of volume and weight for grain and fodder. The text uses them to show the huge advantage of taking provisions from the enemy.
Live on enemy supplies
The core logistical tactic here, also known as “sustaining war by means of war”. It cuts huge transportation costs.
Righteous anger
It refers to soldiers’ fighting spirit and morale to defeat the enemy.
Reward and retention of captives
An important rule. Proper treatment of captured troops and equipment turns the enemy’s strength into one’s own.
Grow stronger after victory
The ultimate goal of this set of tactics, to realize sustainable combat capability.
Tian Dan’s Counter-Attack at Ji Mo
“Righteous anger” and “Reward” reveal how a general manipulate human nature – specifically fear/greed and honor – to achieve victory. The story of Tian Dan’s defense of Ji Mo during the Warring States period provides a perfect illustration of how “anger” can be engineered to turn the tide of battle.
The Context: The Siege of Ji Mo
During the Warring States period, the brilliant Yan general Yue Yi led a coalition army that conquered over 70 cities of the Qi state. Only the solitary city of Ji Mo remained. Facing overwhelming odds, the Qi commander Tian Dan had to find a way to motivate his outnumbered troops to fight to the death.
Tian Dan understood Sun Tzu’s principle that “Those who kill the enemy are motivated by anger”. He knew that simple orders would not suffice; he needed to ignite a “righteous anger” within his men.
The Execution: Engineering “Righteous Anger”
Tian Dan devised a psychological operation to manipulate the enemy into giving his troops the motivation they needed. He spread rumors and manipulated the Yan commanders until they committed a grave atrocity: they dug up the ancestral tombs of the Qi people and desecrated the remains.
When the soldiers of Ji Mo looked out from the city walls and saw their ancestors’ graves destroyed, they were filled with a rage that Sun Tzu described. This was not mere personal anger; it was a collective, burning sense of injustice and a desire for vengeance. Their fighting spirit (“Righteous anger”) surged tenfold, creating the perfect psychological state for battle.
The Aftermath: Victory and Assimilation
With his army now burning with the “anger” required to kill the enemy, Tian Dan launched his famous “Fire Oxen Formation” attack. The result was a decisive victory over the Yan forces.
故智將務食於敵，食敵一鍾，當吾二十鍾，萁秆一石，當我二十石。故殺敵者怒也，取敵之利者貨也。故車戰，得車十乘以上，賞其先得者，而更其旌旗，車雜而乘之，卒善而養之，是謂勝敵而益強。
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