贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > art of war >

第23章

art of war-第23章

小说: art of war 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




topographical knowledge is supplemented by versatility of mind?〃'



     6。  So; the student of war who is unversed in the art of war 

of varying his plans; even though he be acquainted with the Five 

Advantages; will fail to make the best use of his men。



     'Chia Lin tells us that these imply five obvious and 

generally advantageous lines of action; namely:  〃if a certain 

road is short; it must be followed; if an army is isolated;  it 

must be attacked; if a town is in a parlous condition; it must be 

besieged; if a position can be stormed; it must be attempted; and 

if consistent with military operations; the ruler's commands must 

be obeyed。〃  But there are circumstances which sometimes forbid a 

general to use these advantages。  For instance; 〃a certain road 

may be the shortest way for him; but if he knows that it abounds 

in natural obstacles; or that the enemy has laid an ambush on it; 

he will not follow that road。  A hostile force may be open to 

attack;  but if he knows that it is hard…pressed and likely to 

fight with desperation; he will refrain from striking;〃  and so 

on。'



     7。  Hence in the wise leader's plans;  considerations of 

advantage and of disadvantage will be blended together。



     '〃Whether in an advantageous position or a disadvantageous 

one;〃  says Ts‘ao Kung; 〃the opposite state should be always 

present to your mind。〃'



     8。  If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way; 

we may succeed in accomplishing the essential part of our 

schemes。



     'Tu Mu says:  〃If we wish to wrest an advantage from the 

enemy; we must not fix our minds on that alone; but allow for the 

possibility of the enemy also doing some harm to us; and let this 

enter as a factor into our calculations。〃'



     9。  If; on the other hand; in the midst of difficulties we 

are always ready to seize an advantage;  we may extricate 

ourselves from misfortune。



     'Tu Mu says:   〃If I wish to extricate myself from a 

dangerous position; I must consider not only the enemy's ability 

to injure me; but also my own ability to gain an advantage over 

the enemy。  If in my counsels these two considerations are 

properly blended; I shall succeed in liberating myself。。。。  For 

instance;  if I am surrounded by the enemy and only think of 

effecting an escape; the nervelessness of my policy will incite 

my adversary to pursue and crush me; it would be far better to 

encourage my men to deliver a bold counter…attack; and use the 

advantage thus gained to free myself from the enemy's toils。〃  

See the story of Ts‘ao Ts‘ao; VII。 ss。 35; note。'



     10。  Reduce the hostile chiefs by inflicting damage on them;



     'Chia Lin enumerates several ways of inflicting this injury; 

some of which would only occur to the Oriental mind:〃Entice 

away the enemy's best and wisest men; so that he may be left 

without counselors。  Introduce traitors into his country;  that 

the government policy may be rendered futile。  Foment intrigue 

and deceit;  and thus sow dissension between the ruler and his 

ministers。   By means of every artful   contrivance;   cause 

deterioration amongst his men and waste of his treasure。  Corrupt 

his morals by insidious gifts leading him into excess。  Disturb 

and unsettle his mind by presenting him with lovely women。〃  

Chang Yu (after Wang Hsi) makes a different interpretation of Sun 

Tzu here:  〃Get the enemy into a position where he must suffer 

injury; and he will submit of his own accord。〃'



and make trouble for them;



     'Tu Mu; in this phrase; in his interpretation indicates that 

trouble   should   be make for the   enemy   affecting   their 

〃possessions;〃 or; as we might say; 〃assets;〃 which he considers 

to be  〃a large army; a rich exchequer;  harmony amongst the 

soldiers;  punctual fulfillment of commands。〃  These give us a 

whip…hand over the enemy。'



and keep them constantly engaged;



     'Literally;  〃make servants of them。〃  Tu Yu says  〃prevent 

the from having any rest。〃'



hold out specious allurements; and make them rush to any given 

point。



     'Meng Shih's note contains an excellent example of the 

idiomatic use of:  〃cause them to forget PIEN (the reasons for 

acting otherwise than on their first impulse); and hasten in our 

direction。〃'



     11。  The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood 

of the enemy's not coming; but on our own readiness to receive 

him;  not on the chance of his not attacking; but rather on the 

fact that we have made our position unassailable。

     12。  There are five dangerous faults which may affect a 

general:  (1)  Recklessness; which leads to destruction;



     '〃Bravery without forethought;〃 as Ts‘ao Kung analyzes it; 

which causes a man to fight blindly and desperately like a mad 

bull。  Such an opponent; says Chang Yu; 〃must not be encountered 

with brute force; but may be lured into an ambush and slain。〃  

Cf。 Wu Tzu; chap。 IV。 ad init。:  〃In estimating the character of 

a general;  men are wont to pay exclusive attention to his 

courage;  forgetting that courage is only one out of many 

qualities which a general should possess。  The merely brave man 

is prone to fight recklessly; and he who fights recklessly; 

without any perception of what is expedient; must be condemned。〃  

Ssu…ma Fa; too; make the incisive remark:  〃Simply going to one's 

death does not bring about victory。〃'



     (2)  cowardice; which leads to capture;



     'Ts‘ao Kung defines the Chinese word translated here as 

〃cowardice〃  as being of the man 〃whom timidity prevents from 

advancing to seize an advantage;〃 and Wang Hsi adds 〃who is quick 

to flee at the sight of danger。〃  Meng Shih gives the closer 

paraphrase 〃he who is bent on returning alive;〃 this is; the man 

who will never take a risk。  But; as Sun Tzu knew; nothing is to 

be achieved in war unless you are willing to take risks。  T‘ai 

Kung said:   〃He who lets an advantage slip will subsequently 

bring upon himself real disaster。〃  In 404 A。D。; Liu Yu pursued 

the rebel Huan Hsuan up the Yangtsze and fought a naval battle 

with him at the island of Ch‘eng…hung。  The loyal troops numbered 

only a few thousands; while their opponents were in great force。  

But Huan Hsuan;  fearing the fate which was in store for him 

should be be overcome; had a light boat made fast to the side of 

his war…junk;  so that he might escape;  if necessary;  at a 

moment's notice。  The natural result was that the fighting spirit 

of his soldiers was utterly quenched; and when the loyalists made 

an attack from windward with fireships; all striving with the 

utmost ardor to be first in the fray; Huan Hsuan's forces were 

routed;  had to burn all their baggage and fled for two days and 

nights without stopping。  Chang Yu tells a somewhat similar story 

of Chao Ying…ch‘i;  a general of the Chin State who during a 

battle with the army of Ch‘u in 597 B。C。 had a boat kept in 

readiness for him on the river; wishing in case of defeat to be 

the first to get across。'



     (3)  a hasty temper; which can be provoked by insults;



     'Tu Mu tells us that Yao Hsing; when opposed in 357 A。D。  by 

Huang Mei;  Teng Ch‘iang and others shut himself up behind his 

walls and refused to fight。  Teng Ch‘iang said:  〃Our adversary 

is of a choleric temper and easily provoked; let us make constant 

sallies and break down his walls; then he will grow angry and 

come out。  Once we can bring his force to battle; it is doomed to 

be our prey。〃  This plan was acted upon; Yao Hsiang came out to 

fight;  was lured as far as San…yuan by the enemy's pretended 

flight; and finally attacked and slain。'



     (4)  a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame;



     'This need not be taken to mean that a sense of honor is 

really a defect in a general。  What Sun Tzu condemns is rather an 

exaggerated sen

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的