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第7章

art of war-第7章

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great originality perhaps; but gifted with admirable powers of 

lucid exposition。  His commentator is based on that of Ts‘ao 

Kung; whose terse sentences he contrives to expand and develop in 

masterly fashion。  Without Chang Yu; it is safe to say that much 

of Ts‘ao Kung's commentary would have remained cloaked in its 

pristine obscurity and therefore valueless。  His work is not 

mentioned in the Sung history; the T‘UNG K‘AO; or the YU HAI; but 

it finds a niche in the T‘UNG CHIH; which also names him as the 

author of the 〃Lives of Famous Generals。〃 '46'

     It is rather remarkable that the last…named four should all 

have flourished within so short a space of time。  Ch‘ao Kung…wu 

accounts for it by saying:  〃During the early years of the Sung 

dynasty the Empire enjoyed a long spell of peace; and men ceased 

to practice the art of war。  but when 'Chao' Yuan…hao's rebellion 

came '1038…42' and the frontier generals were defeated time after 

time;  the Court made strenuous inquiry for men skilled in war; 

and military topics became the vogue amongst all the high 

officials。  Hence it is that the commentators of Sun Tzu in our 

dynasty belong mainly to that period。 '47'



     Besides these eleven commentators; there are several others 

whose work has not come down to us。  The SUI SHU mentions four; 

namely Wang Ling (often quoted by Tu Yu as Wang Tzu); Chang Tzu…

shang;  Chia Hsu of Wei; '48' and Shen Yu of Wu。  The T‘ANG SHU 

adds Sun Hao; and the T‘UNG CHIH Hsiao Chi; while the T‘U SHU 

mentions a Ming commentator; Huang Jun…yu。  It is possible that 

some of these may have been merely collectors and editors of 

other commentaries; like Chi T‘ien…pao and Chi Hsieh;  mentioned 

above。





Appreciations of Sun Tzu







     Sun Tzu has exercised a potent fascination over the minds of 

some of China's greatest men。  Among the famous generals who are 

known to have studied his pages with enthusiasm may be mentioned 

Han Hsin (d。 196 B。C。); '49' Feng I (d。 34 A。D。); '50'  Lu Meng 

(d。 219); '51' and Yo Fei (1103…1141)。 '52'  The opinion of Ts‘ao 

Kung;  who disputes with Han Hsin the highest place in Chinese 

military annals;  has already been recorded。  '53'   Still more 

remarkable; in one way; is the testimony of purely literary men; 

such as Su Hsun (the father of Su Tung…p‘o); who wrote several 

essays on military topics;  all of which owe their   chief 

inspiration to Sun Tzu。  The following short passage by him is 

preserved in the YU HAI: '54' 



       Sun Wu's saying; that in war one cannot make certain of 

  conquering;  '55'  is very different indeed from what other 

  books tell us。 '56'  Wu Ch‘i was a man of the same stamp as 

  Sun Wu:  they both wrote books on war; and they are linked 

  together in popular speech as 〃Sun and Wu。〃  But Wu Ch‘i's 

  remarks on war are less weighty; his rules are rougher and 

  more crudely stated; and there is not the same unity of plan 

  as in Sun Tzu's work; where the style is terse;  but the 

  meaning fully brought out。



     The following is an extract from the 〃Impartial Judgments in 

the Garden of Literature〃 by Cheng Hou: 



       Sun Tzu's 13 chapters are not only the staple and base 

  of all military men's training; but also compel the most 

  careful attention of scholars and men of letters。  His 

  sayings   are terse yet elegant;  simple   yet   profound; 

  perspicuous and eminently practical。  Such works as the LUN 

  YU; the I CHING and the great Commentary; '57' as well as the 

  writings of Mencius; Hsun K‘uang and Yang Chu; all fall below 

  the level of Sun Tzu。



     Chu Hsi; commenting on this; fully admits the first part of 

the criticism; although he dislikes the audacious comparison with 

the venerated classical works。  Language of this sort; he says; 

〃encourages a ruler's bent towards unrelenting warfare and 

reckless militarism。〃





Apologies for War







     Accustomed as we are to think of China as the greatest 

peace…loving nation on earth; we are in some danger of forgetting 

that her experience of war in all its phases has also been such 

as no modern State can parallel。  Her long military annals 

stretch back to a point at which they are lost in the mists of 

time。  She had built the Great Wall and was maintaining a huge 

standing army along her frontier centuries before the first Roman 

legionary was seen on the Danube。  What with the perpetual 

collisions of the ancient feudal States; the grim conflicts with 

Huns;  Turks and other invaders after the centralization of 

government;   the terrific upheavals which   accompanied   the 

overthrow of so many dynasties; besides the countless rebellions 

and minor disturbances that have flamed up and flickered out 

again one by one; it is hardly too much to say that the clash of 

arms has never ceased to resound in one portion or another of the 

Empire。

     No less remarkable is the succession of illustrious captains 

to whom China can point with pride。  As in all countries;  the 

greatest are fond of emerging at the most fateful crises of her 

history。  Thus; Po Ch‘i stands out conspicuous in the period when 

Ch‘in was entering upon her final struggle with the remaining 

independent states。  The stormy years which followed the break…up 

of the Ch‘in dynasty are illuminated by the transcendent genius 

of Han Hsin。  When the House of Han in turn is tottering to its 

fall;  the great and baleful figure of Ts‘ao Ts‘ao dominates the 

scene。  And in the establishment of the T‘ang dynasty;one of the 

mightiest tasks achieved by man; the superhuman energy of Li 

Shih…min (afterwards the Emperor T‘ai Tsung) was seconded by the 

brilliant strategy of Li Ching。  None of these generals need fear 

comparison with the greatest names in the military history of 

Europe。

     In spite of all this; the great body of Chinese sentiment; 

from Lao Tzu downwards; and especially as reflected in the 

standard literature of Confucianism;  has been   consistently 

pacific and intensely opposed to militarism in any form。  It is 

such an uncommon thing to find any of the literati defending 

warfare on principle;  that I have thought it worth while to 

collect and translate a few passages in which the unorthodox view 

is upheld。  The following; by Ssu…ma Ch‘ien; shows that for all 

his ardent admiration of Confucius; he was yet no advocate of 

peace at any price: 



       Military weapons are the means used by the Sage to 

  punish violence and cruelty; to give peace to troublous 

  times;  to remove difficulties and dangers;  and to succor 

  those who are in peril。  Every animal with blood in its veins 

  and horns on its head will fight when it is attacked。  How 

  much more so will man; who carries in his breast the 

  faculties of love and hatred; joy and anger!   When he is 

  pleased;  a feeling of affection springs up within him;  when 

  angry; his poisoned sting is brought into play。  That is the 

  natural law which governs his being。。。。  What then shall be 

  said of those scholars of our time;  blind to all great 

  issues; and without any appreciation of relative values;  who 

  can only bark out their stale formulas about  〃virtue〃  and 

  〃civilization;〃 condemning the use of military weapons?  They 

  will surely bring our country to impotence and dishonor and 

  the loss of her rightful heritage; or; at the very least; 

  they will bring about invasion and rebellion;  sacrifice of 

  territory and general enfeeblement。  Yet they obstinately 

  refuse to modify the position they have taken up。  The truth 

  is that; just as in the family the teacher must not spare the 

  rod;  and punishments cannot be dispensed with in the State; 

  so military chastisement can never be allowed to fall into 

  abeyance in the Empire。  All one can say is that this power 

  will be exercised wisely by some; foo

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