Water Symbol Analysis

In The Art of War, Master Sun uses water as an example of how armies should move: fluidly, based on the terrain and the obstacles they encounter, and always taking the path of least resistance. As such, water represents the importance of efficiency in war—that is, of conserving and then later powerfully unleashing one’s energy at the enemy’s weakest points. This approach reflects Sun’s understanding of the world as ordered by natural laws, despite it seeming chaotic. If a general can understand the world’s ordered chaos and move his men through its turbulence fluidly, as water does, he can achieve a flawless victory. These natural laws that define the Way of the world are primarily the laws of physics, but also extend to more psychological concepts such as morale. For example, it is easier to attack downhill, with gravity on your side, just as water flows downhill and not up: “A victorious army / Is like / Pent-up water / Crashing / A thousand fathoms / Into a gorge.” By acting like water, the army uses its strength to the maximum effect, making victory all the more likely. Sun writes, “A rushing torrent / Carries boulders / On its flood;/ Such is the energy / Of its momentum”—and when the army follows the example of water and attacks in the most efficient way, nothing can withstand its might.