Sun Tzu Decoded
Chapter 5 · Strategic Momentum · 兵勢

Passage 5-6

紛紛紜紜, 鬪亂, 而不可亂也. 渾渾沌沌, 形圓, 而不可敗也.

Amidst tumult and chaos, fight without disorder. Amidst confusion and formlessness, deploy circularly and remain undefeatable.

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These passages from other chapters connect to the themes in Passage 5-6:

Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain Passage 7-9 故其疾如風, 其徐如林, 侵掠如火, 不動如山, 難知如陰,... Attacking Spirit and Timing Passage 7-14 故三軍可奪氣, 將軍可奪心. 是故朝氣銳, 晝氣惰, 暮氣歸... Changing Plans to Confuse Passage 11-24 將軍之事, 靜以幽, 正以治, 能愚士卒之耳目, 使之無知. Deception in Movement Passage 7-8 故兵以詐立, 以利動, 以分合爲變者也. Responding to Nine Changes Passage 11-20 故善用兵者, 譬如率然; 率然者, 常山之蛇也, 擊其首, ... Fire and Water Combined Passage 12-6 故以火佐攻者明, 以水佐攻者强. 水可以絶, 不可以奪.

More from Chapter 5: Strategic Momentum (兵勢)

Passage 5-1: Sun Tzu said: - Managing many is like managing few—a matter of organization - Fi... Passage 5-2: In all warfare: Engage with the orthodox; achieve victory with the extraordinary... Passage 5-3: Those skilled in the extraordinary are infinite as heaven and earth, inexhaustib... Passage 5-4: The rush of torrential waters that sweeps away boulders—this is momentum (shì). ... Passage 5-5: Therefore, the skilled warrior’s momentum is overwhelming, his timing precise. M... Passage 5-7: Disorder arises from order; cowardice arises from courage; weakness arises from ... Passage 5-8: The skilled manipulator presents appearances that the enemy must follow, offers ... Passage 5-9: The skilled warrior seeks victory through momentum, not through individual soldi... Passage 5-10: One who uses momentum deploys troops like rolling logs and stones. On stable gro... Passage 5-11: The momentum of skilled warriors is like a round boulder rolling down a thousand...