One who acts thus is no leader of men, no present help to his sovereign,
An inferior reading for 主 is 仁, thus explained by Mei Yao-ch‘ên:
非以仁佐國者也.
no master of victory.
This idea, that the true object of war is peace, has its root in
the national temperament of the Chinese. Even so far back as 597
B.C., these memorable words were uttered by Prince 莊 Chuang of the
Ch‘u State: 夫文止戈爲武 ... 夫武禁暴戢兵保大定功安民和衆豐財者也 “The
character for ‘prowess’ (武) is made up of 止 ‘to stay’ and 戈 ‘a
spear’ (cessation of hostilities). Military prowess is seen in the
repression of cruelty, the calling in of weapons, the preservation
of the appointment of Heaven, the firm establishment of merit, the
bestowal of happiness on the people, putting harmony between the
princes, the diffusion of wealth.” [_Tso Chuan_, 宣公 XII. 3 _ad
fin._]