“A great general is born on a hill of ten thousand bones.” This ancient Chinese saying has always deeply intrigued me. Like all other pithy adages, this phrase can be interpreted numerous ways, and the interpretation is a reflection of the thinker.
The Powerful – True fame can only arise from repeated success, and those with both talent and persistence will triumph again and again over lesser and lazier men. There can be no glory without confrontation, and one should not shy away from conflict. Embrace challenges and prove yourself worthy! Those who only occupy marginal lands not contested by others can never truly be great.
The Fortunate – Innumerable chances affect outcomes in unpredictable ways, and for each man who achieves brilliant success, countless others tried and perished. The odds can improved for the gifted, but only ever so slightly. To walk the path of conquest is to accept the overwhelming chance of failure. The way of the warrior is not for those who imagine the comforts of the final victor, but for the masochistic bunch who plunge into the grinder with that mad gleam in their eyes.
The Strategic – Ten thousand bones is but the corpses of 50 men, and even an average Major should have caused the deaths of more than 50 during wartime. The great general kills few, for he realizes that the lives of men are not of equal value. Well-planned strikes minimize the casualties in his army, as well as in his current rivals and future subjugates. A good general can slaughter a million men, but good is an inadequate substitute for great.
Dave Zhang's Startup Blog 