Chinese Science  

Sun Tzu's basic arrangement of the elements defining a position and the steps to advancing a position combine the earliest forms of mapping into a specialized version of the ancient Bagua. If we map Sun Tzu's system to the "Before Heaven" form of the Bagua, with heaven in the north and the earth in the south, these relationships are consistent with Sun Tzu's model of climate in the north and ground in the south. The main difference in Sun Tzu's version is that the natural forces of "water" and "fire" (from the "Before Heaven" Bagua) are replaced with the "commander" and "methods" (see diagrams). Layers of connections often shown around the Bagua are how ancient Chinese scientists understood the deep connections in the natural order, illustrated in the first two charts above.

For Sun Tzu, fire and water were opposites, but not complementary opposites because one did not generate the other. For Sun Tzu, the idea of complementary opposites was the key to understanding all systems. Systems existed as a balance of complementary opposites. While fire is associated with methods, it is more accurate to say that it is associated with positioning, the skill that connects methods with the earth. Fire doesn't create metal directly, but it creates metal by smelting rock (earth). Metal is symbolic of leadership, but more precisely, knowledge. Metal creates fire by striking it against a rock (earth), but the key is knowing the right type of rock. As you can see, this system is quite precise and its relationships are comprehensive, but the only reason to explore them all is to better understand the original text, not Sun Tzu's system itself.

Though Sun Tzu almost certainly knew of some form of the Bagua in its "Before Heaven" form, he does not use all its elements as any direct basis for his work. The elements are used symbolically, but some are very important while others are relatively minor. Thunder, for example, is seldom used, and then symbolically to emphasize the obvious knowledge used by vision (known as aim). Water is symbolic of change, but lakes are symbols for hidden or secret changes. Woods are a minor symbol, used as a characteristic of ground, primarily representing stability.

The diagrams that reflect Sun Tzu's model are used in our live seminars and seminar videos, and are explained in more detail in our Amazing Secrets book and seminars. Sun Tzu's method of using diagrams defines him as a pragmatist rather than a philosopher. He was more interested in the real workings of the world than any "ideal" patterns behind it.