“Historical Illustration” [Reflections on Ralph D. Sawyer's Translation of One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies - Battle Tactics of Chinese Warfare – Intro]

One hundred (I’ll speak of it as)
As author’s name is gone, and has
A role of editor-in-chief;
Unique in one respect is he –

Seven Classics (used as source for it),
Was basis for exams, and it
Was compilation of the best
Of theory that survived the test –

Of time – so “ed” pulled out the best –
Used his vast knowledge for the rest,
As illustration of each tact
(As essence, not importance) – that –

Was what was so unique to him;
But context, which they all were in
Is even more significant –
Five thousand years of turbulent –

Relations with each other – fights
Rebellions, squabbles day and night,
Combined with the written records meant
That manuals from such events –

Emerged, and with each other merged,
Were edited – did not diverge
Too much in later centuries,
As Seven Classics served their needs.

An eighth, once lost, was found again
In 1997, became
Another source of great respect –
For military seeking texts.

On Sawyer’s writing of his book,
He adds some notes; and undertook
To share some context, history,
To help address the readers’ needs.

The book speaks to “The Flexible”;
Assumes you base your “usual”
On solid research – know your facts,
Then do the math before you act.

But here “ed” speaks to shift and change
As a circumstances re-arrange
Your process, Tao, to victory –
Your base, plus flexibility.

For me, it amplifies once more
Paul’s comment, I’ve explained before –
Christ’s role – “Field General” with a task
Assigned by Father-God – who asked –

Him to address the evil one
Whose antics satan sees as fun;
But that’s the “evil” which has wrecked
Up life on earth – continues yet.

But Paul adds in that we can join
Christ in His task, as He is going
To put down evil, rescue man,
Through us as “Body” – so He can –

Have presence here through us as well,
Gifts interacting, as Paul tells
Us to see selves as “body parts”
Who join the “head”, Christ – then we start.

So Lord, I see this as a help –
The seven or eight books on the shelf
Could also help, but summary
By “Ed”, might be enough for me.

Thanks Lord for this.

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