Thread by @ThyConsigliori

John Minford, #SunTzu 6: 11 "He advances irresistibly, attacking emptiness."

Have you noticed that Master Sun never uses the terms Yin and Yang? He doesn't. Take our current chapter's title. Minford names it 'Empty and Full,' Giles names it 'Weak Points And Strong.' But why isn't it simply named Yin And Yang? There's a simple answer.

To the best of our historical guesswork, Master Sun lived around the year 500 BC. That's about 200 years before the concept of Yin and Yang first shows up in documentation. Possibly 100 years before it may have arisen originally. Master Sun doesn't employ those characters.

I'll resist the temptation to delve into the Chinese characters for Empty and Full. But I have to propose that their meaning, along with Giles' choice, Weak and Strong, must have been a huge influence on the arising of Yin/Yang theory with both its terminology and symbolism.

I apologize for my own ongoing slow learning curve over the use of links here at Twitter. I just did some experimenting, and this was the best link I was able to find. I'll explain more about why I share, below:

i.gifer.com/F4Mo.gif

If the link connects you properly, you'll see a mesmerizing animation of the Yin/Yang in its simplest version, yet in - for me anyway - mind blowing motion. Try as I may, I can't keep up with the changes. Somehow the motion cuts passed my conscious mind's real time grasp.

Whoa...must...stop...self-hypnosis...session...

Ahem, let's stop that animation and look closely at a perfectly still, non-moving diagram. Whew...

In the case of this image, if you wish to visualize the motion on your own, the flow is clockwise and it's important to try to remember the white side represents Yang, and the black side represents Yin.

Learning to set the two sides in motion is a profound visual meditation.

It's important to note the terms 'Highest Yang' at the top of the diagram, and 'Highest Yin' at the bottom.

In terms of combat, Highest Yin means you've passed the point of no return and can no longer retreat. Starving, exhausted, thirsty and out of will. Certain defeat.

Highest Yang means you're ready to roll Master Sun's beloved, round boulders down a 1,000-foot mountain steep to fall upon your enemy like a millstone crushing a single egg.

Sated, rested, hydrated, battle readiness absolutely complete; you cannot lose.

Now let's build our own little application map in simple terms.

Yin = Empty, Weak, Vulnerable, Hungry, Tired
Yang = Full, Strong, Invulnerable, Sated, Rested

Allow me, with that little concept map in mind, to return to my own beloved swordsmanship studies to illustrate a little further. I am naturally a complete klutz, off balance, uncoordinated, I fall down easily and hard. Footwork is almost a nightmare for me. I trip. A lot.

Those weaknesses are a big part of the reason I study German Longsword instead of the far more refined Italian tradition, and why I study Longsword as opposed to the far more refined and glorious rapier. Maybe one day, who knows? But, in the meantime, I work to just plod.

I work to train my body to simply complete a single, simple strike with a single step forward. Feet planted, left in front of right, strike down from above and complete one step. Foot lands hard, like a giant's foot striking the ground heavy. And there I am, not having toppled.

Now right foot is in front of left, and I must discover a new stance, most likely sword held high on the left, ready to strike down from above with an even more challenging left foot stepping forward. Whew. Two strikes completed with two plodding steps, and I'm still standing!

Now, place my efforts onto the Yin/Yang map. What I actually just completed is the total conquest of two steps' worth of empty territory where my enemy wasn't. I have to offer one more technical swording term. Distance. When we face off, we're typically a little bit apart.

So, here's that map for you:

1) Too far for swords to touch
2) Fighting range where swords engage, but you can't hit each other
3) Death range where you kill or get killed, wound or get wounded
4) Retreat to engagement range
5) Retreat out of engagement range

Can you see it now? As I, in my so-simple way, step forward, right foot in front of left, plod one step forward and striking my simple blow, regroup, step forward, left foot now in front of right, striking my second simple blow, I am advancing irresistibly, attacking emptiness.

My favorite way to win a sparring contest is simply to always advance and never retreat. To be sure, a competent enemy will never allow such dominance in me. An enemy full of his own, often very superior skills, will find my openings and force me to maneuver.

But when I get it right, each attack at his emptiness sets him further and further back, not only losing ground, losing fighting room and maneuver capabilities, but also losing confidence and will, until, when I strike at emptiness it is his body I strike where his sword isn't.

For one bonus point each, please post examples where you have seen @POTUS execute perfectly upon our Yin/Yang-Emptiness/Fullness map.

And for a rich two full bonus points each, please post examples where you see emptiness beckoning in your own world - no matter be it work, family, activism, or any other endeavor - and describe your full attack - be it in the past or future - and identify your victory method.

121 verses completed, 301 to go.