Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline; simulated fear
postulates courage; simulated weakness postulates strength.
In order to make the translation intelligible, it is necessary to
tone down the sharply paradoxical form of the original. Ts‘ao Kung
throws out a hint of the meaning in his brief note: 皆毁形匿情也
“These things all serve to destroy formation and conceal one’s
condition.” But Tu Mu is the first to put it quite plainly: “If
you wish to feign confusion in order to lure the enemy on, you
must first have perfect discipline; if you wish to display
timidity in order to entrap the enemy, you must have extreme
courage; if you wish to parade your weakness in order to make the
enemy over-confident, you must have exceeding strength.”