The Hidden Moon – “The moon, shrouded in the clouds, lets darkness reign while it observes from the sky. Like the moon, let your true intentions be hidden, observing and directing the events from the shadows.”
The “Hidden Moon” principle is the idea of maintaining an obscured, behind-the-scenes presence in a situation, while still exerting influence and control. Just as the moon, even when hidden behind clouds, continues to pull the tides and provide a faint glow, one applying this principle remains subtly influential without directly revealing their intentions or involvement. The aim here is to stay in the background, quietly observing and guiding events, while allowing others to take the spotlight.
Applying the Principle to Political Power
When applied to political power, the “Hidden Moon” principle can be a strategic tool for leaders and decision-makers. This could involve quietly influencing policy, making alliances, or setting events in motion from behind the scenes, while allowing others to be the visible face of these decisions. By doing so, the politician is able to guide outcomes according to their intentions, while minimizing direct scrutiny or opposition. This allows for a degree of maneuverability and control that may not be possible when one is constantly in the public eye.
Historical Example
A classic pre-gunpowder example of the “Hidden Moon” principle in warfare is the strategy employed by the Persian King Cyrus the Great during his conquest of the Babylonian Empire in the 6th Century BC.
Cyrus had set his sights on the fortified city of Babylon, the heart of the empire. Instead of a direct assault, Cyrus chose to remain hidden like the moon behind the clouds. He had his soldiers divert the flow of the Euphrates River which ran through the city. Meanwhile, he spread rumors of a massive attack at a distant location, drawing the Babylonian forces away from the city.
On the night of the operation, while the Babylonians were focused on defending against the supposed attack, the water level of the Euphrates dropped, exposing a passageway beneath the city walls. Cyrus’s army, guided by his behind-the-scenes planning, walked through the riverbed and into the city, capturing Babylon with almost no resistance.
Cyrus’s victory was not won through the force of arms, but through his ability to influence events while remaining hidden, demonstrating the power of the “Hidden Moon” principle.
[Black Watch | Scrolls of Shunya | Scroll of the Shrouded Moon]
Last Modified: 10/22/2023