Treasure of Wisdom: Interpretation of General Annals No. 7 of Zhuge Liang's Art of War

To be a general, you should have extraordinary ambitions. It is necessary to have a broad mind that is beneficial to others without any disadvantages.

---Zhuge Changqing

Original text: The weapon is lethal, and the general is dangerous. If the weapon is hard, it will be short, and if the task is heavy, it will be dangerous. Therefore, good generals do not rely on strength, do not protect the power, spoil them without joy, humiliate them without fear, see profits without greed, see beauty without lust, and die for the country with their lives.

Weapons are a kind of lethal weapon, and it is a great responsibility to unify the army. The weapon is hard and easy to be damaged. The general's task is important and therefore risky. Therefore, the real general does not rely on his strong and powerful army. When he is loved by the monarch, he does not get complacent. When he is slandered and insulted by others, he does not fear or shrink. When he sees benefits, he does not have greed. When he sees beautiful women, he does not have evil thoughts. He only knows to protect his family and country wholeheartedly and die for his job.

Analysis: This article discusses the cultivation of generals. The article starts with the weapon as a metaphor, and puts forward the argument that "the weapon is hard, but it is not enough", explaining that the general who bears the heavy responsibility must guard against arrogance and rashness. In order to avoid "lack", that is, to avoid "damage", and to strengthen their self-cultivation, Zhuge Liang put forward six aspects of prohibition, that is, not to be strong, not to be weak, not to be spoiled, not to be afraid of humiliation, not to be greedy for profit, not to be greedy for obscenity, and required the general's ambition to "die for the country, and have one mind".

Zhuge Liang's standard is quite high. According to our modern words, we should be selfless and dedicate everything to the people and the country. However, those who occupy high positions and bear heavy responsibilities must have such moral cultivation to live up to the people entrusted with heavy responsibilities.

Zhuge Liang himself is a good example. He has been cautious and loyal all his life, and has achieved the goal of "making every effort to die". Therefore, he has been admired and imitated by later generations, and has a lasting reputation.

Extension example: Guo Ziyi shows selflessness

At the end of the Tang Dynasty, when the vassal state was divided, the monarchs and ministers were suspicious of each other, and the civil servants and military generals felt threatened by themselves, and even felt afraid of private exchanges. Some people, for fear of arousing suspicion from others, would like to be isolated from the world and have no contact with anyone once they enter a deep house. Among the ministers, only Guo Ziyi, the king of Fenyang, was different. The door of Guo Mansion is open every day, and no one is allowed to go in and out.

Once, a general under his command left Beijing for his post and came to say goodbye. He was surprised to see him as casual as a servant in front of his wife and children. Guo Ziyi's sons also felt that his father had gone too far, He advised him to say, "You have made great achievements, but you don't respect yourself. You can enter your bedroom regardless of your status. Ancient sages and powerful ministers would not do this." Guo Ziyi smiled and said to his son: "How do you know what I mean? I have 500 horses and a thousand servants. If I have always built high walls, closed doors, and kept no contact with the court, and if I have personal grudges with others, and if there are jealous people who instigate me, then the disaster of our family will not be far away. Now I am honest and innocent, and the four doors are open. Even if someone slanders me, I can't find an excuse to harm."

Guo Ziyi is not only at home, but also in the court. Yu Chaoen once invited him to travel with him. Someone told Guo Ziyi that Yu Chaoen was ready to kill him. At that time, there were three hundred soldiers and soldiers who asked for protection with them. But when Guo Ziyi left, he only brought a few servants. Yu Chaoen was surprised, and Guo Ziyi told him the truth. The fish touched his chest with tears and said in fear, "Who can doubt an elder like Guo Gong?"

Guo Ziyi's practice of opening the door and bowing to the guests without being defensive against others and without being wary of everything really made the Tang Clan admire him and believe him deeply.

Nanwu Master Sakyamuni Buddha. Namo Amitabha. There is no Oriental Glazed Medicine Master Buddha in the south.

Nanwu Guanyin Bodhisattva. Nanwudi Tibetan King Bodhisattva. Nanwukong hides Bodhisattva.

Blessed life is limitless. Yuanshi Tianzun. Lingbao senior. The moral supremacy.

Taiyi saved the bitter god. Confucius, the supreme teacher of Dacheng. Jesus Christ. Mohammed.

All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the three generations in ten directions.

All immortals in the three realms and ten directions.

All sages at all times and in all countries.

Don't do any evil, and do all good. Persistence and responsiveness.

  智慧宝典：解读《诸葛亮兵法》将志第七

       为将者，要有非一般的宏伟志向。要有毫不利已，专门利人的广阔胸境。

                                  ---诸葛长青

   原文：兵者凶器，将者危任，是以器刚则缺，任重则危。故善将者，不恃强，不怙势，宠之而不喜，辱之而不惧，见利不贪，见美不淫，以身殉国，壹意而已。

   译文：兵器是一种凶器，统兵为将是一种重大的责任。兵器刚硬，容易缺损，将领任务重大所以有风险。因此，真正的将帅不以自己的部队强大有威势做靠山，当他受到君主的宠爱时不得意忘形，当他受到别人的诽谤污辱时，也不惧怕、退缩，看到利益时不起贪念，见到美女时更不心生邪念，只知全心全意，保家卫国，以身殉职。

　　解析：本篇文章论述了将领的修养。文章开门见山，以兵器作比喻，提出“器刚则欠”的论点，说明担负重任的将领，必须戒骄戒躁的道理。为免于“欠”，即免招“损”，为将之人必须加强自身修养，为此，诸葛亮提出了六个方面的禁戒，即不恃强，不怙势，不恃宠，不惧辱，不贪利，不贪淫，而要求将领之志“以身殉国，一意而已”。
　　诸葛亮这个标准相当高，按我们现代的话说就是要做到毫无自私自利之心，把自己的一切奉献给人民，奉献给国家。但是，那些身居高位的人，身负重任的人，必须有这样的品德修养，才能不辜负委以重托的人。
　　诸葛亮自身足为典范，他一生谨慎，忠心耿耿，做到了“鞠躬尽瘁，死而后已”，所以受到后人钦敬效法，流芳千古。

　　拓例：郭子仪示以无私
　　唐末藩镇割据，君臣互相猜忌，文臣武将皆感自危，甚至连私下的交往都深觉恐惧。一些人为怕引起别人的怀疑，恨不得一入深宅，便与世隔绝，和谁也不相往来。在众臣子中，唯有汾阳王郭子仪与众不同。郭府每天大门敞开，任人出入，他竟不闻不问。
　　有一次，他麾下一将军离京赴职，前来告辞，看见他在夫人和孩子面前，有如仆人一样随便，甚感惊讶。郭子仪的儿子们也觉得父亲做的太过分了，劝他说：“您功业显赫，但不尊重自己，不管贵贱都随便进入你的卧室。古代的圣人和权臣也不会这样做。”郭子仪笑着对儿子说：“你们怎么知道我的用意。我有马５００匹，部属仆从千人。如果我一向修筑高墙，关闭门户，和朝廷内外不相往来，倘若与人结下私怨，再有嫉贤妒能之人挑唆，那我们全家的大祸也就不远了。现在我坦荡无邪，四门洞开，纵有人谗言污我，也找不到借口加害。”
　　郭子仪不但在家中如此，在朝中也处处表现得坦荡无私。鱼朝恩曾请他同游，有人告诉郭子仪，说鱼朝恩准备害他。当时有将士三百，纷纷要求随同保护。但郭子仪临行时，却只带几名家僮。鱼朝恩感到奇怪，郭子仪便以实言相告。鱼朝恩抚胸流涕，惶恐地说：“像郭公这样的长者，谁还能怀疑呢！”
　　郭子仪开门揖客对人不防，对一切都不存戒心的做法，果然令唐代宗非常钦佩，对他深信不疑。

南无本师释迦牟尼佛。南无阿弥陀佛。南无东方琉璃药师佛。
南无观世音菩萨。南无地藏王菩萨。南无虚空藏菩萨。
福生无量天尊。元始天尊。灵宝天尊。道德天尊。

太乙救苦天尊。大成至圣先师孔子。耶稣基督。穆罕默德。
十方三世诸佛菩萨。
三界十方一切神仙。
古今中外一切圣贤。

     诸恶莫作，众善奉行。持之以恒、有求必应。     　

(This article is an original article by Zhuge Changqing, and the pictures are selected from the Internet. Welcome to forward it, and please indicate the source for forwarding)

Introduction to Zhuge Changqing: Zhuge Changqing, the inheritor and promoter of traditional Chinese culture, is willing to "learn from sages, promote virtue, revitalize China and benefit the world" together with people with the same ideals in the world.

(Zhuge Changqing: zhuge8031@163.com ）

Zhuge Changqing mailbox：

zhuge8031@163.com

Zhuge Changqing's Chinese Dream

Learn from sages and carry forward virtue

Revitalizing China for the benefit of the world

 （本文是诸葛长青原创文章，图片选自网络。欢迎转发，转发引用请注明出处）

诸葛长青简介：诸葛长青，中国国学传统文化传承弘扬者，愿与天下志同道合者一起“学习圣贤、弘扬善德、振兴中华、造福世界”。

（诸葛长青：zhuge8031@163.com）

Zhuge Changqing mailbox：

zhuge8031@163.com

  诸葛长青中国梦  

学习圣贤 弘扬善德

振兴中华 造福世界

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