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第26章

art of war-第26章

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

themselves more obstinately than ever。  Once again T‘ien Tan sent 

back converted spies who reported these words to the enemy:  

〃What I dread most is that the men of Yen may dig up the 

ancestral tombs outside the town;  and by inflicting   this 

indignity on our forefathers cause us to become faint…hearted。'  

Forthwith the besiegers dug up all the graves and burned the 

corpses lying in them。  And the inhabitants of Chi…mo; witnessing 

the outrage from the city…walls; wept passionately and were all 

impatient to go out and fight;  their fury being increased 

tenfold。  T‘ien Tan knew then that his soldiers were ready for 

any enterprise。  But instead of a sword;   he himself too a 

mattock in his hands; and ordered others to be distributed 

amongst his best warriors; while the ranks were filled up with 

their wives and concubines。  He then served out all the remaining 

rations and bade his men eat their fill。  The regular soldiers 

were told to keep out of sight; and the walls were manned with 

the old and weaker men and with women。  This done;  envoys were 

dispatched to the enemy's camp to arrange terms of surrender; 

whereupon the Yen army began shouting for joy。  T‘ien Tan also 

collected 20;000 ounces of silver from the people; and got the 

wealthy citizens of Chi…mo to send it to the Yen general with the 

prayer that;  when the town capitulated; he would allow their 

homes to be plundered or their women to be maltreated。  Ch‘i 

Chieh; in high good humor; granted their prayer; but his army now 

became increasingly slack and careless。  Meanwhile; T‘ien Tan got 

together a thousand oxen; decked them with pieces of red silk; 

painted their bodies; dragon…like; with colored stripes;  and 

fastened sharp blades on their horns and well…greased rushes on 

their tails。  When night came on; he lighted the ends of the 

rushes; and drove the oxen through a number of holes which he had 

pierced in the walls; backing them up with a force of 5000 picked 

warriors。  The animals; maddened with pain;   dashed furiously 

into the enemy's camp where they caused the utmost confusion and 

dismay; for their tails acted as torches; showing up the hideous 

pattern on their bodies; and the weapons on their horns killed or 

wounded any with whom they came into contact。  In the meantime; 

the band of 5000 had crept up with gags in their mouths; and now 

threw themselves on the enemy。  At the same moment a frightful 

din arose in the city itself; all those that remained behind 

making as much noise as possible by banging drums and hammering 

on bronze vessels; until heaven and earth were convulsed by the 

uproar。  Terror…stricken; the Yen army fled in disorder;  hotly 

pursued by the men of Ch‘i; who succeeded in slaying their 

general Ch‘i Chien。。。。  The result of the battle was the ultimate 

recovery of some seventy cities which had belonged to the Ch‘i 

State。〃'



Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are 

signs that he will retreat。

     25。  When the light chariots come out first and take up a 

position on the wings; it is a sign that the enemy is forming for 

battle。

     26。  Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenant 

indicate a plot。



     'The reading here is uncertain。  Li Ch‘uan indicates  〃a 

treaty confirmed by oaths and hostages。〃  Wang Hsi and Chang Yu; 

on the other hand; simply say 〃without reason;〃 〃on a frivolous 

pretext。〃'



     27。  When there is much running about



     'Every man hastening to his proper place under his own 

regimental banner。'



and the soldiers fall into rank; it means that the critical 

moment has come。

     28。  When some are seen advancing and some retreating; it is 

a lure。

     29。  When the soldiers stand leaning on their spears;  they 

are faint from want of food。

     30。  If those who are sent to draw water begin by drinking 

themselves; the army is suffering from thirst。



     'As Tu Mu remarks:  〃One may know the condition of a whole 

army from the behavior of a single man。〃'



     31。  If the enemy sees an advantage to be gained and makes 

no effort to secure it; the soldiers are exhausted。

     32。  If birds gather on any spot; it is unoccupied。



     'A useful fact to bear in mind when; for instance; as Ch‘en 

Hao says; the enemy has secretly abandoned his camp。'



Clamor by night betokens nervousness。



     33。  If there is disturbance in the camp;  the general's 

authority is weak。  If the banners and flags are shifted about; 

sedition is afoot。  If the officers are angry; it means that the 

men are weary。



     'Tu Mu understands the sentence differently:  〃If all the 

officers of an army are angry with their general; it means that 

they are broken with fatigue〃 owing to the exertions which he has 

demanded from them。'



     34。  When an army feeds its horses with grain and kills its 

cattle for food;



     'In the ordinary course of things; the men would be fed on 

grain and the horses chiefly on grass。'



and when the men do not hang their cooking…pots over the camp…

fires; showing that they will not return to their tents; you may 

know that they are determined to fight to the death。



     'I may quote here the illustrative passage from the HOU HAN 

SHU;  ch。 71; given in abbreviated form by the P‘EI WEN YUN FU:  

〃The rebel Wang Kuo of Liang was besieging the town of Ch‘en…

ts‘ang;  and Huang…fu Sung; who was in supreme command; and Tung 

Cho were sent out against him。  The latter pressed for hasty 

measures; but Sung turned a deaf ear to his counsel。  At last the 

rebels were utterly worn out; and began to throw down their 

weapons of their own accord。  Sung was not advancing to the 

attack;  but Cho said:  'It is a principle of war not to pursue 

desperate men and not to press a retreating host。'   Sung 

answered:  'That does not apply here。  What I am about to attack 

is a jaded army; not a retreating host; with disciplined troops I 

am falling on a disorganized multitude; not a band of desperate 

men。'   Thereupon he advances to the attack unsupported by his 

colleague; and routed the enemy; Wang Kuo being slain。〃'



     35。  The sight of men whispering together in small knots or 

speaking in subdued tones points to disaffection amongst the rank 

and file。

     36。  Too frequent rewards signify that the enemy is at the 

end of his resources;



     'Because; when an army is hard pressed; as Tu Mu says; there 

is always a fear of mutiny; and lavish rewards are given to keep 

the men in good temper。'



too many punishments betray a condition of dire distress。



     'Because in such case discipline becomes relaxed;  and 

unwonted severity is necessary to keep the men to their duty。'



     37。  To begin by bluster; but afterwards to take fright at 

the enemy's numbers; shows a supreme lack of intelligence。



     'I follow the interpretation of Ts‘ao Kung; also adopted by 

Li Ch‘uan;  Tu Mu; and Chang Yu。  Another possible meaning set 

forth by Tu Yu; Chia Lin; Mei Tao…ch‘en and Wang Hsi; is:   〃The 

general who is first tyrannical towards his men;  and then in 

terror lest they should mutiny; etc。〃  This would connect the 

sentence with what went before about rewards and punishments。'



     38。  When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths; 

it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce。



     'Tu Mu says:   〃If the enemy open friendly relations be 

sending hostages;  it is a sign that they are anxious for an 

armistice; either because their strength is exhausted or for some 

other reason。〃   But it hardly needs a Sun Tzu to draw such an 

obvious inference。'



     39。  If the enemy's troops march up angrily and remain 

facing ours for a long time without either joining battle or 

taking themselves off again; the situation is one th

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