ABSTRACT
Whenever the army is to be mobilized, the soldiers must first be instructed in combat. In ordinary times the warriors of the Three Armies should be well practiced in the methods for segmenting and reuniting, assembling and dispersing, and thoroughly prepared in silently sitting, rising, advancing, and withdrawing to commands. Ensure that they will look to the flags and pennants when they meet the enemy in order to respond to battlefield changes and will obey the gongs and drums for advancing and withdrawing, for then they will always be victorious in combat. A principle from the Analects states: "To engage in warfare with an uninstructed populace may be considered abandoning them."
