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