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第13章

art of war-第13章

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two;  however;  Chang Yu gives the exact figures of 100 and 5 

respectively。'



     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。



     'Here again; no modern strategist but will approve the words 

of the old Chinese general。  Moltke's greatest triumph;  the 

capitulation   of the huge French army at Sedan;  was   won 

practically without bloodshed。'



     3。  Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the 

enemy's plans; 



     'Perhaps the word 〃balk〃 falls short of expressing the full 

force of the Chinese word; which implies not an attitude of 

defense;  whereby one might be content to foil the enemy's 

stratagems one after another; but an active policy of counter…

attack。  Ho Shih puts this very clearly in his note:  〃When the 

enemy has made a plan of attack against us; we must anticipate 

him by delivering our own attack first。〃'



the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces;



     'Isolating him from his allies。  We must not forget that Sun 

Tzu; in speaking of hostilities; always has in mind the numerous 

states or principalities into which the China of his day was 

split up。'



the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field;



     'When he is already at full strength。'



and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities。



     4。  The rule is; not to besiege walled cities if it can 

possibly be avoided。



     'Another sound piece of military theory。  Had the Boers 

acted upon it in 1899; and refrained from dissipating their 

strength before Kimberley; Mafeking; or even Ladysmith;  it is 

more than probable that they would have been masters of the 

situation before the British were ready seriously to oppose 

them。'



     The preparation of mantlets; movable shelters; and various 

implements of war; will take up three whole months;



     'It is not quite clear what the Chinese word;   here 

translated as 〃mantlets〃; described。  Ts‘ao Kung simply defines 

them as 〃large shields;〃 but we get a better idea of them from Li 

Ch‘uan; who says they were to protect the heads of those who were 

assaulting the city walls at close quarters。  This seems to 

suggest a sort of Roman TESTUDO; ready made。  Tu Mu says they 

were wheeled vehicles used in repelling attacks;  but this is 

denied by Ch‘en Hao。  See supra II。 14。  The name is also applied 

to turrets on city walls。  Of the 〃movable shelters〃 we get a 

fairly clear description from several commentators。  They were 

wooden missile…proof structures on four wheels;  propelled from 

within; covered over with raw hides; and used in sieges to convey 

parties of men to and from the walls; for the purpose of filling 

up the encircling moat with earth。  Tu Mu adds that they are now 

called 〃wooden donkeys。〃'



and the piling up of mounds over against the walls will take 

three months more。



     'These were great mounds or ramparts of earth heaped up to 

the level of the enemy's walls in order to discover the weak 

points in the defense; and also to destroy the fortified turrets 

mentioned in the preceding note。'



     5。  The general; unable to control his irritation;  will 

launch his men to the assault like swarming ants;



     'This vivid simile of Ts‘ao Kung is taken from the spectacle 

of an army of ants climbing a wall。  The meaning is that the 

general; losing patience at the long delay; may make a premature 

attempt to storm the place before his engines of war are ready。'



with the result that one…third of his men are slain;  while the 

town still remains untaken。  Such are the disastrous effects of a 

siege。



     'We are reminded of the terrible losses of the Japanese 

before Port Arthur; in the most recent siege which history has to 

record。'



     6。  Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops 

without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying 

siege to them;  he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy 

operations in the field。



     'Chia Lin notes that he only overthrows the Government;  but 

does no harm to individuals。  The classical instance is Wu Wang; 

who after having put an end to the Yin dynasty was acclaimed 

〃Father and mother of the people。〃'



     7。  With his forces intact he will dispute the mastery of 

the Empire; and thus; without losing a man; his triumph will be 

complete。



     'Owing to the double meanings in the Chinese text;  the 

latter part of the sentence is susceptible of quite a different 

meaning:   〃And thus; the weapon not being blunted by use;  its 

keenness remains perfect。〃'



This is the method of attacking by stratagem。

     8。  It is the rule in war; if our forces are ten to the 

enemy's one; to surround him; if five to one; to attack him;



     'Straightway; without waiting for any further advantage。'



if twice as numerous; to divide our army into two。



     'Tu Mu takes exception to the saying; and at first sight; 

indeed;  it appears to violate a fundamental principle of war。  

Ts'ao Kung; however; gives a clue to Sun Tzu's meaning:   〃Being 

two to the enemy's one; we may use one part of our army in the 

regular way; and the other for some special diversion。〃  Chang Yu 

thus further elucidates the point:  〃If our force is twice as 

numerous as that of the enemy; it should be split up into two 

divisions;  one to meet the enemy in front; and one to fall upon 

his rear; if he replies to the frontal attack; he may be crushed 

from behind;  if to the rearward attack; he may be crushed in 

front。〃   This is what is meant by saying that 'one part may be 

used in the regular way;  and the other for some special 

diversion。'   Tu Mu does not understand that dividing one's army 

is simply an irregular; just as concentrating it is the regular; 

strategical method;  and he is too hasty in calling this a 

mistake。〃'



     9。  If equally matched; we can offer battle;



     'Li Ch‘uan;  followed by Ho Shih;  gives the following 

paraphrase:   〃If attackers and attacked are equally matched in 

strength; only the able general will fight。〃'



if slightly inferior in numbers; we can avoid the enemy;



     'The meaning; 〃we can WATCH the enemy;〃 is certainly a great 

improvement on the above; but unfortunately there appears to be 

no very good authority for the variant。  Chang Yu reminds us that 

the saying only applies if the other factors are equal; a small 

difference in numbers is often more than counterbalanced by 

superior energy and discipline。'



if quite unequal in every way; we can flee from him。

     10。  Hence; though an obstinate fight may be made by a small 

force; in the end it must be captured by the larger force。

     11。  Now the general is the bulwark of the State;  if the 

bulwark is complete at all points; the State will be strong;  if 

the bulwark is defective; the State will be weak。



     'As Li Ch‘uan tersely puts it:  〃Gap indicates deficiency; 

if the general's ability is not perfect (i。e。  if he is not 

thoroughly versed in his profession);  his army will   lack 

strength。〃'



     12。  There are three ways in which a ruler can bring 

misfortune upon his army:

     13。  (1)  By commanding the army to advance or to retreat; 

being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey。  This is called 

hobbling the army。



     'Li Ch‘uan adds the comment:  〃It is like tying together the 

legs of a thoroughbred; so that it is unable to gallop。〃   One 

would naturally think of 〃the ruler〃 in this passage as being at 

home;  and trying to direct the movements of his army from a 

distance。  But the commentators understand just the reverse;  and 

quote the saying of T‘ai Kung:   〃A kingdom should not be 

governed from without;  and army should not be directed from 

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