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[I have departed slightly from the traditional interpretation of

Ts'ao Kung, who says: "From the time of receiving the sovereign's

instructions until our encampment over against the enemy, the

tactics to be pursued are most difficult." It seems to me that

the tactics or manoeuvers can hardly be said to begin until the

army has sallied forth and encamped, and Ch'ien Hao's note gives

color to this view: "For levying, concentrating, harmonizing and

entrenching an army, there are plenty of old rules which will

serve. The real difficulty comes when we engage in tactical

operations." Tu Yu also observes that "the great difficulty is to

be beforehand with the enemy in seizing favourable position."]

The difficulty of tactical manoeuvering consists in turning the

devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain.