Thursday, April 29, 2010

What's Your Battle Standard?

The great Samurai warlord Takeda Shingen had a battle standard on which was written the characters "Fu Rin Ka Zan" which translate as "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain". A bizarre thing to write on a battle standard you may think, until you investigate further. The characters are an abbreviation of a section of Sun Tzu's Art of War which talks about the characteristics of an effective military force. "Therefore when it moves swiftly it is like the wind, when it goes slowly it is like a forest; it is rapacious as fire, immovable as mountains". An effective force must be able to move swiftly in order to overcome the enemies tactics, but it must also be well ordered like a forest. It must consume it's opponents completely but also be capable of being as immovable and intimidating as a mountain. (Musashi also comments on the characteristics of mountains, it's a very popular image). So Shingen was setting out his principles for all to see; his enemies, his own troops, his subjects etc. What he was also subtly doing was letting these people know that he was well read in political and military tactics so should be respected and perhaps feared. Shingen was indeed one of the most respected warrior lords of his era, so much so that when he died his life-long enemy Uesugi Kenshin wept with sorrow at the loss his passing represented. The question I have is, if you had one, what would be on your battle standard?

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