Six Secret Teachings, Dragon Teaching — Appointing the General六韜 立將
1The rite of appointing a general — handing him the axe with the words "From here upward to Heaven, the general shall rule"
武王問太公曰：「立將之道奈何？」太公曰：「凡國有難，君避正殿，召將而詔之曰：『社稷安危，一在將軍。今某國不臣，願將軍帥師應之。』將既受命，乃命太史卜，齋三日，之太廟鑽靈龜，卜吉日，以授斧鉞。君入廟門，西面而立；將入廟門，北面而立。君親操鉞，持首，授將其柄，曰：『從此上至天者，將軍制之。』復操斧，持柄，授將其刃，曰：『從此下至淵者，將軍制之。見其虛則進，見其實則止。勿以三軍為眾而輕敵，勿以受命為重而必死，勿以身貴而賤人，勿以獨見而違眾，勿以辯說為必然。士未坐勿坐，士未食勿食，寒暑必同。如此，則士眾必盡死力。』將已受命，拜而報君曰：『臣聞國不可從外治，軍不可從中御；二心不可以事君，疑志不可以應敵。臣既受命，專斧鉞之威，臣不敢生還。願君亦垂一言之命於臣。君不許臣，臣不敢將。』君許之，乃辭而行。軍中之事，不聞君命，皆由將出，臨敵決戰，無有二心。若此，則無天於上，無地於下，無敵於前，無君於後。是故智者為之謀，勇者為之鬥，氣厲青雲，疾若馳騖，兵不接刃，而敵降服。戰勝於外，功立於內，吏遷士賞，百姓歡悅，將無咎殃。是故風雨時節，五穀豐熟，社稷安寧。」武王曰：「善哉！」
King Wu asked Taigong, "What is the way of appointing a general?" Taigong said, "When the state is in trouble, the ruler leaves the main hall, summons the general, and charges him, saying, 'The safety or the danger of the altars of the state rests with you alone, general. A certain state now refuses to be a subject, and I ask that you lead the army against it.' When the general has received the charge, the ruler orders the grand scribe to take the omens. He fasts for three days, goes to the great ancestral temple, bores the sacred tortoise shell, and divines a lucky day, and on it he hands over the axes. The ruler enters the temple gate and stands facing west, and the general enters the temple gate and stands facing north. The ruler himself takes the great axe, holds it by the head, and gives the general the handle, saying, 'From here upward to Heaven, the general shall rule.' Then he takes the lesser axe, holds it by the handle, and gives the general the blade, saying, 'From here downward to the deeps, the general shall rule. When you see that he is empty, go forward; when you see that he is full, halt. Do not hold the enemy light because the three armies are many. Do not set your mind on dying because the charge laid on you is heavy. Do not hold other men cheap because your own person is honorable. Do not go against the many because of what you alone have seen. Do not take fine speaking for the certain truth. Do not sit before the soldiers have sat, do not eat before the soldiers have eaten, and share cold and heat with them. If you do this, the soldiers will surely spend their last strength.' When the general has received the charge, he bows and answers the ruler, saying, 'I have heard that a state cannot be governed from outside and an army cannot be directed from within, that a man of two hearts cannot serve his ruler and a man of doubting purpose cannot face an enemy. Having received the charge and taken sole hold of the awe of the axes, I do not dare to come back alive. I ask that my lord too lay a single word of command upon me. If my lord does not grant it, I do not dare to be general.' The ruler grants it, and the general takes his leave and goes. Then the affairs of the army do not wait upon the ruler's commands but all come from the general, and when he faces the enemy and joins battle there is no second heart in him. In this way there is no Heaven above him and no earth below him, no enemy before him and no ruler behind him. So the wise plan for him and the brave fight for him, their spirit fierce enough to reach the blue clouds and their speed like a galloping horse, and before the weapons have crossed their blades the enemy submits. The battle is won abroad and merit is set up at home, the officers are promoted and the soldiers rewarded, the common people rejoice, and no blame or disaster comes upon the general. So the wind and the rain come in season, the five grains ripen in plenty, and the altars of the state are at peace." King Wu said, "Good."