art of war-第30章
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prostrated with thirst; we can dictate our own terms without
moving。 Or if you think that the pass I mention is too far off;
we could make a stand against him at the I…wu pass; which is
nearer。 The cunning and resource of Tzu…fang himself would be
expended in vain against the enormous strength of these two
positions。〃 Liang Hsi; refusing to act on this advice; was
overwhelmed and swept away by the invader。'
5。 Ground on which each side has liberty of movement is
open ground。
'There are various interpretations of the Chinese adjective
for this type of ground。 Ts‘ao Kung says it means 〃ground
covered with a network of roads;〃 like a chessboard。 Ho Shih
suggested: 〃ground on which intercommunication is easy。〃'
6。 Ground which forms the key to three contiguous states;
'Ts‘au Kung defines this as: 〃Our country adjoining the
enemy's and a third country conterminous with both。〃 Meng Shih
instances the small principality of Cheng; which was bounded on
the north…east by Ch‘i; on the west by Chin; and on the south by
Ch‘u。'
so that he who occupies it first has most of the Empire at his
command;
'The belligerent who holds this dominating position can
constrain most of them to become his allies。'
is a ground of intersecting highways。
7。 When an army has penetrated into the heart of a hostile
country; leaving a number of fortified cities in its rear; it is
serious ground。
'Wang Hsi explains the name by saying that 〃when an army has
reached such a point; its situation is serious。〃'
8。 Mountain forests;
'Or simply 〃forests。〃'
rugged steeps; marshes and fensall country that is hard to
traverse: this is difficult ground。
9。 Ground which is reached through narrow gorges; and from
which we can only retire by tortuous paths; so that a small
number of the enemy would suffice to crush a large body of our
men: this is hemmed in ground。
10。 Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction
by fighting without delay; is desperate ground。
'The situation; as pictured by Ts‘ao Kung; is very similar
to the 〃hemmed…in ground〃 except that here escape is no longer
possible: 〃A lofty mountain in front; a large river behind;
advance impossible; retreat blocked。〃 Ch‘en Hao says: 〃to be on
'desperate ground' is like sitting in a leaking boat or crouching
in a burning house。〃 Tu Mu quotes from Li Ching a vivid
description of the plight of an army thus entrapped: 〃Suppose an
army invading hostile territory without the aid of local guides:
it falls into a fatal snare and is at the enemy's mercy。 A
ravine on the left; a mountain on the right; a pathway so
perilous that the horses have to be roped together and the
chariots carried in slings; no passage open in front; retreat cut
off behind; no choice but to proceed in single file。 Then;
before there is time to range our soldiers in order of battle;
the enemy is overwhelming strength suddenly appears on the scene。
Advancing; we can nowhere take a breathing…space; retreating; we
have no haven of refuge。 We seek a pitched battle; but in vain;
yet standing on the defensive; none of us has a moment's respite。
If we simply maintain our ground; whole days and months will
crawl by; the moment we make a move; we have to sustain the
enemy's attacks on front and rear。 The country is wild;
destitute of water and plants; the army is lacking in the
necessaries of life; the horses are jaded and the men worn…out;
all the resources of strength and skill unavailing; the pass so
narrow that a single man defending it can check the onset of ten
thousand; all means of offense in the hands of the enemy; all
points of vantage already forfeited by ourselves:in this
terrible plight; even though we had the most valiant soldiers and
the keenest of weapons; how could they be employed with the
slightest effect?〃 Students of Greek history may be reminded of
the awful close to the Sicilian expedition; and the agony of the
Athenians under Nicias and Demonsthenes。 'See Thucydides; VII。
78 sqq。'。'
11。 On dispersive ground; therefore; fight not。 On facile
ground; halt not。 On contentious ground; attack not。
'But rather let all your energies be bent on occupying the
advantageous position first。 So Ts‘ao Kung。 Li Ch‘uan and
others; however; suppose the meaning to be that the enemy has
already forestalled us; sot that it would be sheer madness to
attack。 In the SUN TZU HSU LU; when the King of Wu inquires what
should be done in this case; Sun Tzu replies: 〃The rule with
regard to contentious ground is that those in possession have the
advantage over the other side。 If a position of this kind is
secured first by the enemy; beware of attacking him。 Lure him
away by pretending to fleeshow your banners and sound your
drumsmake a dash for other places that he cannot afford to
losetrail brushwood and raise a dustconfound his ears and
eyesdetach a body of your best troops; and place it secretly in
ambuscade。 Then your opponent will sally forth to the rescue。〃'
12。 On open ground; do not try to block the enemy's way。
'Because the attempt would be futile; and would expose the
blocking force itself to serious risks。 There are two
interpretations available here。 I follow that of Chang Yu。 The
other is indicated in Ts‘ao Kung's brief note: 〃Draw closer
together〃i。e。; see that a portion of your own army is not cut
off。'
On the ground of intersecting highways; join hands with your
allies。
'Or perhaps; 〃form alliances with neighboring states。〃'
13。 On serious ground; gather in plunder。
'On this; Li Ch‘uan has the following delicious note: 〃When
an army penetrates far into the enemy's country; care must be
taken not to alienate the people by unjust treatment。 Follow the
example of the Han Emperor Kao Tsu; whose march into Ch‘in
territory was marked by no violation of women or looting of
valuables。 'Nota bene: this was in 207 B。C。; and may well cause
us to blush for the Christian armies that entered Peking in 1900
A。D。' Thus he won the hearts of all。 In the present passage;
then; I think that the true reading must be; not 'plunder;' but
'do not plunder。'〃 Alas; I fear that in this instance the worthy
commentator's feelings outran his judgment。 Tu Mu; at least; has
no such illusions。 He says: 〃When encamped on 'serious ground;'
there being no inducement as yet to advance further; and no
possibility of retreat; one ought to take measures for a
protracted resistance by bringing in provisions from all sides;
and keep a close watch on the enemy。〃'
In difficult ground; keep steadily on the march。
'Or; in the words of VIII。 ss。 2; 〃do not encamp。'
14。 On hemmed…in ground; resort to stratagem。
'Ts‘au Kung says: 〃Try the effect of some unusual
artifice;〃 and Tu Yu amplifies this by saying: 〃In such a
position; some scheme must be devised which will suit the
circumstances; and if we can succeed in deluding the enemy; the
peril may be escaped。〃 This is exactly what happened on the
famous occasion when Hannibal was hemmed in among the mountains
on the road to Casilinum; and to all appearances entrapped by the
dictator Fabius。 The stratagem which Hannibal devised to baffle
his foes was remarkably like that which T‘ien Tan had also
employed with success exactly 62 years before。 'See IX。 ss。 24;
note。' When night came on; bundles of twigs were fastened to the
horns of some 2000 oxen and set on fire; the terrified animals
being then quickly driven along the mountain side towards the
passes which were beset by the enemy。 The strange spectacle of
these rapidly moving lights so alarmed and di