Yin and Yang Theme Analysis

The traditional Chinese concepts of Yin and Yang were central to Sun-Tzu’s perception of the world, As such,  Yin and Yang also characterize the approach in his famed guidebook to waging war, written roughly around 500 B.C. Yin and Yang represent the natural balance that can be found in all things—for example, dark and light, weak and strong, or uphill and downhill. There are infinite potential variations within each of these paired polarities that inform every moment, interaction, and situation. Sun argues that by correctly assessing and measuring the balance of the endless permutations of Yin and Yang in war, generals can not only successfully prepare themselves against their enemy, but also influence the situation to their advantage. Victory can be assured by accurately perceiving, analyzing, and acting in accordance with the balance of the forces at play in the world.

From the opening lines of the treatise, Sun shows that for each outcome there is an opposite outcome, and for every advantage a disadvantage. In fact, he emphasizes the importance of war by stating its binary outcomes: “It is a place / Of life and death, / A road / To survival and extinction.” Not only does this signify that one’s destiny will be either victory or defeat—never both—but also that for every winner there is a loser; again, war is about balance.

While victory and defeat are somewhat intangible concepts, Sun also alludes to the physical significance of Yin and Yang in doing battle. He describes “Heaven” as “Yin and Yang, / Cold and hot, / The cycle of seasons.” This refers to the natural laws governing the universe and its physics—those laws that lead to the rising and setting of the sun, the changing climate, and so on. All of these can be measured and, crucially, forecast. Thus, Yin and Yang’s physical varieties are critical when it comes to strategizing how best to engage in conflict—such as attacking downhill, or not fighting in the depths of winter.

Sun also emphasizes that there are innumerable variations within each interdependent pair of forces. This would seem to create an image of the world as total chaos, a swirl of energies battling it out; yet each circumstance is governed by the central Yin and Yang law of balance, meaning the overall flow of battle is, to a certain extent, measurable (even if it is endlessly changing). Gauging this sense of balance gives a general with insight and wisdom the keys to understanding and defeating the opponent. He can grasp how to best respond to his enemy’s actions, and also predict how his enemy will respond to his own actions in any given situation.

Indeed, Master Sun says: “Victorious campaigns / Are unrepeatable. / They take form in response / To the infinite varieties / Of circumstance.” The key word here is “response,” as Sun does not, indeed cannot, offer a formula to ensure conquest in any and all situations. Each battle is unique in its blend of countless influences, such as weather, terrain, and troop morale. A good general, however, can sense these influences in the moment and react to whatever situation in which the army finds itself—that is, he can essentially balance these influences through his own actions. This means that while preparation is highly important in warfare, when it comes to the decisive blow, the one who has taken better stock of and can better respond to the current balance of forces will prevail.

More specifically, if able to perceive and react to such changes, a skilled general can take advantage of weaknesses that inevitably arise in the enemy’s ranks: “Supreme military skill lies / In deriving victory / From the changing circumstances / Of the enemy.” Because every aspect of battle remains in flux throughout the encounter, the most flexible, adaptable leader will win by working in tandem with the unfolding flow and changing balance of the situation, especially the enemy’s movements.

If war is governed by the concepts of Yin and Yang, and related ever-changing forces can be perceived and measured, it is important to have better information and insight than the opponent, the better to outwit them. Thus not only should the general know the enemy’s situation, a wise leader also knows how to confuse the adversary: “War / Is founded / On deception; / Movement is determined / By advantage; / Division and unity / Are its elements / Of Change.” Here Sun describes the battlefield as similar to a chessboard, with the moving pieces (the men) being indication of the other player’s strategy. The changing, complementary elements of “division and unity” refer to the merging and separating of battalions, all with the intention of hiding one’s true strategy from the enemy.

Sun refers to this approach on several occasions as making “the crooked” straight. In essence, this means using deception to bemuse the enemy. For example, appearing to take a winding path through tough terrain could actually be a sure route to success: this deception causes the enemy to make inaccurate assumptions about one’s own situation, and the enemy could, in turn, move rashly in an attempt to take advantage of a perceived disadvantage that does not actually exist—thus leaving itself exposed.

For Sun, Yin and Yang are guiding laws in warfare, just as they are in all other aspects of life. The changing dynamic of the battlefield creates an ever-shifting flux of advantage and disadvantage, opportunity and threat for the wise general to assess and overcome. Sun’s approach to warfare, which prizes strategy and insight, reveals his classical Chinese view of the chaotic order of the world—each moment only happens once as the result of infinite possibilities, yet the ordered laws that govern the creation of that moment can be understood and used to one’s own advantage. Herein lies the art of war.