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art of war-第25章

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victories over Yen Ti and Ch‘ih Yu。  In the LIU T‘AO it is 

mentioned that he  〃fought seventy battles and pacified the 

Empire。〃   Ts‘ao Kung's explanation is; that the Yellow Emperor 

was the first to institute the feudal system of vassals princes; 

each of whom (to the number of four) originally bore the title of 

Emperor。  Li Ch‘uan tells us that the art of war originated under 

Huang Ti; who received it from his Minister Feng Hou。'



     11。  All armies prefer high ground to low。



     '〃High Ground;〃  says Mei Yao…ch‘en;  〃is not only more 

agreement and salubrious; but more convenient from a military 

point of view; low ground is not only damp and unhealthy;  but 

also disadvantageous for fighting。〃'



and sunny places to dark。

     12。  If you are careful of your men;



     'Ts‘ao Kung says:  〃Make for fresh water and pasture;  where 

you can turn out your animals to graze。〃'



and camp on hard ground; the army will be free from disease of 

every kind;



     'Chang Yu says:  〃The dryness of the climate will prevent 

the outbreak of illness。〃'



and this will spell victory。

     13。  When you come to a hill or a bank; occupy the sunny 

side;  with the slope on your right rear。  Thus you will at once 

act for the benefit of your soldiers and utilize the natural 

advantages of the ground。

     14。  When; in consequence of heavy rains up…country; a river 

which you wish to ford is swollen and flecked with foam; you must 

wait until it subsides。

     15。  Country in which there are precipitous cliffs with 

torrents running between; deep natural hollows;



     'The latter defined as 〃places enclosed on every side by 

steep banks; with pools of water at the bottom。'



confined places;



     'Defined as 〃natural pens or prisons〃 or 〃places surrounded 

by precipices on three sideseasy to get into; but hard to get 

out of。〃'



tangled thickets;



     'Defined as 〃places covered with such dense undergrowth that 

spears cannot be used。〃'



quagmires



     'Defined as 〃low…lying places; so heavy with mud as to be 

impassable for chariots and horsemen。〃'



and crevasses;



     'Defined by Mei Yao…ch‘en as 〃a narrow difficult way between 

beetling cliffs。〃  Tu Mu's note is 〃ground covered with trees and 

rocks;  and intersected by numerous ravines and pitfalls。〃   This 

is very vague;  but Chia Lin explains it clearly enough as a 

defile or narrow pass; and Chang Yu takes much the same view。  On 

the whole; the weight of the commentators certainly inclines to 

the rendering 〃defile。〃  But the ordinary meaning of the Chinese 

in one place is 〃a crack or fissure〃 and the fact that the 

meaning of the Chinese elsewhere in the sentence indicates 

something in the nature of a defile; make me think that Sun Tzu 

is here speaking of crevasses。'



should be left with all possible speed and not approached。

     16。  While we keep away from such places; we should get the 

enemy to approach them; while we face them; we should let the 

enemy have them on his rear。

     17。  If in the neighborhood of your camp there should be any 

hilly country; ponds surrounded by aquatic grass; hollow basins 

filled with reeds; or woods with thick undergrowth; they must be 

carefully routed out and searched; for these are places where men 

in ambush or insidious spies are likely to be lurking。



     'Chang Yu has the note:  〃We must also be on our guard 

against traitors who may lie in close covert; secretly spying out 

our weaknesses and overhearing our instructions。〃'



     18。  When the enemy is close at hand and remains quiet;  he 

is relying on the natural strength of his position。



     'Here begin Sun Tzu's remarks on the reading of signs;  much 

of which is so good that it could almost be included in a modern 

manual like Gen。 Baden…Powell's 〃Aids to Scouting。〃'



     19。  When he keeps aloof and tries to provoke a battle;  he 

is anxious for the other side to advance。



     'Probably because we are in a strong position from which he 

wishes to dislodge us。  〃If he came close up to us; says Tu Mu; 

〃and tried to force a battle; he would seem to despise us;  and 

there would be less probability of our responding to the 

challenge。〃'



     20。  If his place of encampment is easy of access;  he is 

tendering a bait。

     21。  Movement amongst the trees of a forest shows that the 

enemy is advancing。



     'Ts‘ao Kung explains this as 〃felling trees to clear a 

passage;〃  and Chang Yu says:  〃Every man sends out scouts to 

climb high places and observe the enemy。  If a scout sees that 

the trees of a forest are moving and shaking; he may know that 

they are being cut down to clear a passage for the enemy's 

march。〃'



The appearance of a number of screens in the midst of thick grass 

means that the enemy wants to make us suspicious。



     'Tu Yu's explanation; borrowed from Ts‘ao Kung's;  is as 

follows:   〃The presence of a number of screens or sheds in the 

midst of thick vegetation is a sure sign that the enemy has fled 

and;  fearing pursuit; has constructed these hiding…places in 

order to make us suspect an ambush。〃  It appears that these 

〃screens〃  were hastily knotted together out of any long grass 

which the retreating enemy happened to come across。'



     22。  The rising of birds in their flight is the sign of an 

ambuscade。



     'Chang Yu's explanation is doubtless right:   〃When birds 

that are flying along in a straight line suddenly shoot upwards; 

it means that soldiers are in ambush at the spot beneath。〃'



Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming。

     23。  When there is dust rising in a high column; it is the 

sign of chariots advancing; when the dust is low; but spread over 

a wide area; it betokens the approach of infantry。



     '〃High and sharp;〃  or rising to a peak;  is of course 

somewhat exaggerated as applied to dust。  The commentators 

explain the phenomenon by saying that horses and chariots;  being 

heavier than men; raise more dust; and also follow one another in 

the same wheel…track; whereas foot…soldiers would be marching in 

ranks;  many abreast。  According to Chang Yu; 〃every army on the 

march must have scouts some way in advance; who on sighting dust 

raised by the enemy; will gallop back and report it to the 

commander…in…chief。〃  Cf。 Gen。 Baden…Powell:  〃As you move along; 

say;  in a hostile country; your eyes should be looking afar for 

the enemy or any signs of him:  figures;  dust rising;  birds 

getting up; glitter of arms; etc。〃 '1' '



When it branches out in different directions;  it shows that 

parties have been sent to collect firewood。  A few clouds of dust 

moving to and fro signify that the army is encamping。



     'Chang Yu says:   〃In apportioning the defenses for a 

cantonment;  light horse will be sent out to survey the position 

and   ascertain the weak and strong points all along   its 

circumference。  Hence the small quantity of dust and   its 

motion。〃'



     24。  Humble words and increased preparations are signs that 

the enemy is about to advance。



     '〃As though they stood in great fear of us;〃 says Tu Mu。  

〃Their object is to make us contemptuous and careless;  after 

which they will attack us。〃  Chang Yu alludes to the story of 

T‘ien Tan of the Ch‘i…mo against the Yen forces;  led by Ch‘i 

Chieh。  In ch。 82 of the SHIH CHI we read:  〃T‘ien Tan openly 

said:   'My only fear is that the Yen army may cut off the noses 

of their Ch‘i prisoners and place them in the front rank to fight 

against us; that would be the undoing of our city。'   The other 

side being informed of this speech;  at once acted on the 

suggestion;  but those within the city were enraged at seeing 

their fellow…countrymen thus mutilated; and fearing only lest 

they should fall into the enemy's hands; were nerved 

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