The Art of War — Sun Tzu

The Art of War

Sun Tzu · Licence: Public domain · Source

• 71. Better known as Hsiang Yu [233-202 B.C.]. ¶163
• 74. See XIII. ss. 27, note. Further details on T`ai Kung will be found in the SHIH CHI, ch. 32 ad init. Besides the tradition which makes him a former minister of Chou Hsin, two other accounts of him are there given, according to which he would appear to have been first raised from a humble private station by Wen Wang. ¶166
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• 5, 6. The MORAL LAW causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger. ¶172
• 7. HEAVEN signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons. ¶174
• 8. EARTH comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death. 9. The COMMANDER stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness. ¶176
• (2) Which of the two generals has most ability? (3) With whom lie the advantages derived from Heaven and Earth? ¶180
• (4) On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced? ¶182
• (6) On which side are officers and men more highly trained? ¶186
• (7) In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment? ¶188
• 14. By means of these seven considerations I can forecast victory or defeat. 15. The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: --let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat: --let such a one be dismissed! ¶190
• 16. While heading the profit of my counsel, avail yourself also of any helpful circumstances over and beyond the ordinary rules. 17. According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one's plans. ¶192
• 18. All warfare is based on deception. ¶194
• 19. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. 20. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him. ¶196
• 21. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. 22. If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. ¶198
• 23. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. ¶200
• If his forces are united, separate them. ¶202
• 24. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected. 25. These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand. 26. Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. ¶204
• The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose. ¶206
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• 1. Sun Tzu said: In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers, ¶211
• with provisions enough to carry them a thousand LI, ¶213
• 6. There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. 7. It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on. ¶217
• 8. The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy, neither are his supply-wagons loaded more than twice. ¶219
• 9. Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy. Thus the army will have food enough for its needs. ¶221
• 10. Poverty of the State exchequer causes an army to be maintained by contributions from a distance. Contributing to maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be impoverished. ¶223
• 11. On the other hand, the proximity of an army causes prices to go up; and high prices cause the people's substance to be drained away. ¶225
• 12. When their substance is drained away, the peasantry will be afflicted by heavy exactions. 13, 14. With this loss of substance and exhaustion of strength, the homes of the people will be stripped bare, and three-tenths of their income will be dissipated; ¶227
• 16. Now in order to kill the enemy, our men must be roused to anger; that there may be advantage from defeating the enemy, they must have their rewards. ¶231
• 20. Thus it may be known that the leader of armies is the arbiter of the people's fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in peril. ¶235
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• 1. Sun Tzu said: In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them. ¶238
• 2. Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. ¶240
• 3. Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans; ¶242
• the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces; ¶244
• the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field; ¶246
• and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities. ¶248
• 4. The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided. ¶249
• The preparation of mantlets, movable shelters, and various implements of war, will take up three whole months; ¶251
• and the piling up of mounds over against the walls will take three months more. ¶253

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