Sun Tzu said: Managing a large army is like managing a small unit, which relies on proper organization and division of ranks.
Fighting with a large force is like fighting with a small one, which depends on banners and drum signals for command.
The entire army can withstand enemy attacks without defeat through the flexible use of regular and surprise troops.
When our army strikes the enemy, it is like hurling hard stones against eggs. This advantage comes from mastering the tactics of emptiness and solidity.
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.
Organization and division
Military rank and unit system, the foundation to manage large armies effectively.
Banners and drum signals
Ancient military command tools. Banners guided movement, while drums regulated advance and retreat.
Regular and surprise troops (Qi and Zheng)
A core tactical theory. Regular troops fight head-on, while surprise troops launch flanking attacks or ambushes.
Emptiness and solidity (strengths vs weaknesses or Xu vs Shi)
Another key military idea. It means to evade the enemy’s strong points and attack their vulnerable parts.
Stones against eggs
A metaphor for overwhelming superiority and irresistible momentum.
This passage is the opening of Chapter 5: Strategic Advantage (or Energy/Momentum) in Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. In this section, Sun Tzu shifts the focus from pre-battle preparation to operational execution. He explains how a brilliant commander can manage massive armies and guarantee victory through four core principles.
1. Organizing Large Forces Like Small Ones (“Fraction and Organization”)
“Controlling a large force is the same principle as controlling a few men; it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.”
Sun Tzu introduces the concept of “Fen Shu” (分数), which translates to organization, structure, and chain of command. He argues that managing an army of 100,000 soldiers shouldn’t be fundamentally different from managing a squad of 10. By breaking down a massive force into smaller, manageable units with clear hierarchies, a commander can maintain perfect control and coordination, no matter the size of the army.
2. Directing Large Forces Like Small Ones (“Signals and Signs”)
“Fighting with a large army under your command is the same as fighting with a small one; it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals.”
This principle focuses on communication. “Xing Ming” (形名) refers to visual signals (like flags and banners) and auditory signals (like drums and gongs). In the chaos of ancient warfare, verbal commands were useless. By relying on a standardized, highly efficient communication system, a commander can direct a massive army as seamlessly as a single individual.
3. Ensuring Invincibility Against the Enemy (“Unorthodox and Orthodox Tactics”)
“To ensure that your whole host may withstand the brunt of the enemy’s attack and remain unshaken, this is effected by maneuvers direct and indirect.”
Here, Sun Tzu introduces his most famous tactical concept: “Qi Zheng” (奇正), often translated as “Orthodox and Unorthodox”, “regular and irregular or surprise troops” or “Direct and Indirect.”
- Zheng (Orthodox/Direct/regular): The conventional, frontal, and expected forces that engage the enemy and hold their attention.
- Qi (Unorthodox/Indirect/irregular): The unexpected, flanking, or surprise forces deployed to secure the decisive victory.
Sun Tzu asserts that combining these two approaches guarantees that your army will not be defeated when the enemy strikes.
4. Striking with Overwhelming Force (“Weak Points and Strong”)
“That the impact of your army may be like a grindstone dashed against an egg – this is effected by the science of weak points and strong.”
The principle of “Xu Shi” (虚实) translates to “Void and Solid”, “emptiness and solidity” or “Weakness and Strength.” Sun Tzu uses the vivid metaphor of a whetstone (a heavy grinding stone) crushing a fragile egg. He explains that military success comes from identifying the enemy’s vulnerabilities (the void/weakness) and concentrating your absolute strength (the solid/strong) against them. This ensures that your attack is devastating and irresistible.
In summary, in this passage, Sun Tzu provides a masterclass in military management and tactics. He teaches that battlefield success is not about brute force alone. It requires flawless organizational structure, clear communication, the clever mixing of conventional and surprise tactics, and the strategic concentration of strength against the enemy’s weaknesses.
孫子曰：凡治眾如治寡，分數是也。鬥眾如鬥寡，形名是也。三軍之眾，可使必受敵而無敗者，奇正是也。兵之所加，如以碬投卵者，虛實是也。
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