ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines a psychology of battlefield motivation conceptualized in terms of ch'i, the essential pneuma oflife. The ancient military writers were acutely aware that an array's performance in battle— irrespective of its equipment, training, and general condition— would depend mainly upon the motivation and commitment of its soldiers. Sun Pin has described the normative sequence of ch'i states that must be realized, although the actual techniques for attaining them unfortunately remain unknown because of the damaged condition of the strips. Realizing that a loss of ch'i renders an army susceptible to defeat, the astute general focuses upon formulating strategies and tactical principles to manipulate the enemy, causing his forces to suffer just such a loss. The chapter provides the most systematic overview found in the extant ancient writings, even though the techniques themselves are lacking.
