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第30章

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

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