Art of War Chapter – 7.5

An army’s morale can be broken, and a general’s resolve can be shaken.
Troops are full of spirit at dawn, grow sluggish by midday, and long to return at dusk. A skilled commander avoids the enemy’s peak spirit and strikes when they turn lazy and weary. This is the way to manage morale.

Meet chaos with order, and clamor with calm. This is the way to steady the mind.
Await distant marchers with troops close at hand; meet the weary with the rested; face the hungry with the well-fed. This is the way to preserve combat strength.

Note

This passage covers three core military skills: managing morale by evading enemy peak spirit and striking their weary stage; stabilizing minds with calm against chaos; preserving strength by meeting distant, tired, hungry foes with nearby, rested, well-fed troops.

Sun Tzu (Sun Wu)

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.

Morale

The fighting spirit of soldiers, which rises and falls within a day.

Mind control

Keep one’s own composure and disturb the enemy’s judgment.

Strength management

Use rest, distance and supplies to gain advantages over the enemy.

Avoid peak spirit

A core tactic to defeat the enemy at their weakest moment.

故三軍可奪氣，將軍可奪心。是故朝氣銳，晝氣惰，暮氣歸；故善用兵者，避其銳氣，擊其惰歸，此治氣者也。以治待亂，以靜待譁，此治心者也。以近待遠，以佚待勞，以飽待飢，此治力者也。