On Generals

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

3.2

Word count: 915 words
Chapters: 6

Summary

On Generals is a chapter in the ancient military work Six Secret Teachings, recorded in the "Dragon Secret" section—on military organization. This chapter discusses the virtues a commander should possess: courage, wisdom, benevolence, trustworthiness, and loyalty. It lists ten defects of character and virtue to avoid: being brave but reckless with death, being impatient and hastening the heart, being greedy for profit, being benevolent yet unable to be firm, being wise yet timid at heart, being trustworthy yet too ready to trust, being honest yet not caring for others, being wise yet slow at heart, being stubborn and self-willed, and being cowardly and letting others decide. Finally it stresses: "War is a great affair of the state, the way of survival and ruin; the fate lies with the general. The general is the state's support, what the former kings valued, so the appointment of generals cannot but be carefully examined."

Editor's review

“On Generals” comes from the “Dragon Strategy” section of the Six Secret Teachings and is an early Chinese military text devoted to the qualities of a commander. It first sets out five virtues a general should possess—courage, wisdom, benevolence, trustworthiness, and loyalty—then lists ten character flaws one by one, such as being brave but reckless with his life, impetuous and eager for quick results, greedy for profit, benevolent but too soft-hearted, and wise but faint-hearted. It concludes by stressing that “war is a grave matter of the state, the way of survival and ruin, and the fate lies with the general,” elevating the selection of commanders to a matter of national survival. Its value lies not in specific tactics but in its reminder about “employing people” and “self-examination”: a virtue carried too far may become a flaw, and those who select must be watchful. The text is concise and clearly organized, suited to readers interested in ancient military thought and management and personnel selection. When reading, one may take the ten flaws as a mirror and compare them with one’s own conduct or that of managers around one, which yields more concrete insight.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in ancient military thought who want to learn what The Six Secret Teachings contains
Managers and team leaders who want to reflect on hiring and appointment standards through ancient perspectives
Readers who enjoy short argumentative essays and hope to draw inspiration from traditional classics
History enthusiasts who want to learn about pre-Qin military texts' discussion of generals' character

Not a good fit for

Military readers expecting detailed battle cases, tactical diagrams, or practical operational guides
Researchers needing a complete annotated translation or scholarly textual study of The Six Secret Teachings
Readers impatient with classical Chinese argumentative prose who want only light storytelling

Reading tips

Read through once, listing the five virtues and the ten flaws as two separate checklists.
When reading the ten flaws, compare them one by one with yourself or a manager you know; no need to rush to judgment.
Copy the line "the fate lies with the general" and think about what it corresponds to in modern organizations.
If classical Chinese is a barrier, read the vernacular translation first, then return to the original to appreciate the precise wording.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
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FAQ

What is the relationship between On Generals and The Six Secret Teachings?

On Generals is a chapter in the "Dragon Secret Teachings" section of The Six Secret Teachings, devoted specifically to the question of generals within military organization. According to the source, it focuses on the virtues a general should possess and the flaws to avoid, and concludes by stressing that choosing a general concerns the survival of the state. Readers can treat it as a standalone short chapter in The Six Secret Teachings discussing criteria for appointing people.

Why are benevolence, wisdom, and trustworthiness listed among the ten flaws?

The text does not deny benevolence, wisdom, or trustworthiness themselves; it points out that when taken to excess or poorly balanced they become flaws, as in "benevolent but unable to be firm," "wise but timid," and "trustworthy but too ready to trust." This reminds readers that virtues also have limits, and excess or imbalance can impair judgment. Understanding this matters more than simply memorizing the ten items.

What use is this essay to someone without a military background?

The essay discusses selecting and appointing people and how strengths can become weaknesses—issues equally common in management and self-reflection. Readers need no knowledge of tactics to reflect, through the contrast between the five virtues and ten flaws, on their own style or that of a team leader. It can simply be read as a short essay on appointing people and self-examination.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.