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Strike at its head, and you will be attacked by its tail; strike

at its tail, and you will be attacked by its head; strike at its

middle, and you will be attacked by head and tail both.

30. Asked if an army can be made to imitate the shuai-jan,

[That is, as Mei Yao-ch'en says, "Is it possible to make the

front and rear of an army each swiftly responsive to attack on

the other, just as though they were part of a single living

body?"]

I should answer, Yes. For the men of Wu and the men of Yueh are

enemies;

[Cf. VI. § 21.]

yet if they are crossing a river in the same boat and are caught

by a storm, they will come to each other's assistance just as the

left hand helps the right.