art of war-第25节
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9。 Should the army forestall you in occupying a pass； do
not go after him if the pass is fully garrisoned； but only if it
is weakly garrisoned。
10。 With regard to PRECIPITOUS HEIGHTS； if you are
beforehand with your adversary； you should occupy the raised and
sunny spots； and there wait for him to come up。
＇Ts‘ao Kung says： 〃The particular advantage of securing
heights and defiles is that your actions cannot then be dictated
by the enemy。〃 ＇For the enunciation of the grand principle
alluded to； see VI。 ss。 2＇。 Chang Yu tells the following
anecdote of P‘ei Hsing…chien （A。D。 619…682）； who was sent on a
punitive expedition against the Turkic tribes。 〃At night he
pitched his camp as usual； and it had already been completely
fortified by wall and ditch； when suddenly he gave orders that
the army should shift its quarters to a hill near by。 This was
highly displeasing to his officers； who protested loudly against
the extra fatigue which it would entail on the men。 P‘ei Hsing…
chien； however； paid no heed to their remonstrances and had the
camp moved as quickly as possible。 The same night； a terrific
storm came on； which flooded their former place of encampment to
the depth of over twelve feet。 The recalcitrant officers were
amazed at the sight； and owned that they had been in the wrong。
'How did you know what was going to happen？' they asked。 P‘ei
Hsing…chien replied： 'From this time forward be content to obey
orders without asking unnecessary questions。' From this it may
be seen；〃 Chang Yu continues； 〃that high and sunny places are
advantageous not only for fighting； but also because they are
immune from disastrous floods。〃＇
11。 If the enemy has occupied them before you； do not
follow him； but retreat and try to entice him away。
＇The turning point of Li Shih…min's campaign in 621 A。D。
against the two rebels； Tou Chien…te； King of Hsia； and Wang
Shih…ch‘ung； Prince of Cheng； was his seizure of the heights of
Wu…lao； in spike of which Tou Chien…te persisted in his attempt
to relieve his ally in Lo…yang； was defeated and taken prisoner。
See CHIU T‘ANG； ch。 2； fol。 5 verso； and also ch。 54。＇
12。 If you are situated at a great distance from the enemy；
and the strength of the two armies is equal； it is not easy to
provoke a battle；
＇The point is that we must not think of undertaking a long
and wearisome march； at the end of which； as Tu Yu says； 〃we
should be exhausted and our adversary fresh and keen。〃＇
and fighting will be to your disadvantage。
13。 These six are the principles connected with Earth。
＇Or perhaps； 〃the principles relating to ground。〃 See；
however； I。 ss。 8。＇
The general who has attained a responsible post must be careful
to study them。
14。 Now an army is exposed to six several calamities； not
arising from natural causes； but from faults for which the
general is responsible。 These are： （1） Flight； （2）
insubordination； （3） collapse； （4） ruin； （5） disorganization； （6）
rout。
15。 Other conditions being equal； if one force is hurled
against another ten times its size； the result will be the FLIGHT
of the former。
16。 When the common soldiers are too strong and their
officers too weak； the result is INSUBORDINATION。
＇Tu Mu cites the unhappy case of T‘ien Pu ＇HSIN T‘ANG SHU；
ch。 148＇； who was sent to Wei in 821 A。D。 with orders to lead an
army against Wang T‘ing…ts‘ou。 But the whole time he was in
command； his soldiers treated him with the utmost contempt； and
openly flouted his authority by riding about the camp on donkeys；
several thousands at a time。 T‘ien Pu was powerless to put a
stop to this conduct； and when； after some months had passed； he
made an attempt to engage the enemy； his troops turned tail and
dispersed in every direction。 After that； the unfortunate man
committed suicide by cutting his throat。＇
When the officers are too strong and the common soldiers too
weak； the result is COLLAPSE。
＇Ts‘ao Kung says： 〃The officers are energetic and want to
press on； the common soldiers are feeble and suddenly collapse。〃＇
17。 When the higher officers are angry and insubordinate；
and on meeting the enemy give battle on their own account from a
feeling of resentment； before the commander…in…chief can tell
whether or no he is in a position to fight； the result is RUIN。
＇Wang Hsi‘s note is： 〃This means； the general is angry
without cause； and at the same time does not appreciate the
ability of his subordinate officers； thus he arouses fierce
resentment and brings an avalanche of ruin upon his head。〃＇
18。 When the general is weak and without authority； when
his orders are not clear and distinct；
＇Wei Liao Tzu （ch。 4） says： 〃If the commander gives his
orders with decision； the soldiers will not wait to hear them
twice； if his moves are made without vacillation； the soldiers
will not be in two minds about doing their duty。〃 General Baden…
Powell says； italicizing the words： 〃The secret of getting
successful work out of your trained men lies in one nutshellin
the clearness of the instructions they receive。〃 ＇3＇ Cf。 also
Wu Tzu ch。 3： 〃the most fatal defect in a military leader is
difference； the worst calamities that befall an army arise from
hesitation。〃＇
when there are no fixes duties assigned to officers and men；
＇Tu Mu says： 〃Neither officers nor men have any regular
routine。〃＇
and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner； the
result is utter DISORGANIZATION。
19。 When a general； unable to estimate the enemy's
strength； allows an inferior force to engage a larger one； or
hurls a weak detachment against a powerful one； and neglects to
place picked soldiers in the front rank； the result must be ROUT。
＇Chang Yu paraphrases the latter part of the sentence and
continues： 〃Whenever there is fighting to be done； the keenest
spirits should be appointed to serve in the front ranks； both in
order to strengthen the resolution of our own men and to
demoralize the enemy。〃 Cf。 the primi ordines of Caesar （〃De
Bello Gallico；〃 V。 28； 44； et al。）。＇
20。 These are six ways of courting defeat； which must be
carefully noted by the general who has attained a responsible
post。
＇See supra； ss。 13。＇
21。 The natural formation of the country is the soldier's
best ally；
＇Ch‘en Hao says： 〃The advantages of weather and season are
not equal to those connected with ground。〃＇
but a power of estimating the adversary； of controlling the
forces of victory； and of shrewdly calculating difficulties；
dangers and distances； constitutes the test of a great general。
22。 He who knows these things； and in fighting puts his
knowledge into practice； will win his battles。 He who knows them
not； nor practices them； will surely be defeated。
23。 If fighting is sure to result in victory； then you must
fight； even though the ruler forbid it； if fighting will not
result in victory； then you must not fight even at the ruler's
bidding。
＇Cf。 VIII。 ss。 3 fin。 Huang Shih…kung of the Ch‘in dynasty；
who is said to have been the patron of Chang Liang and to have
written the SAN LUEH； has these words attributed to him： 〃The
responsibility of setting an army in motion must devolve on the
general alone； if advance and retreat are controlled from the
Palace； brilliant results will hardly be achieved。 Hence the
god…like ruler and the enlightened monarch are content to play a
humble part in furthering their country's cause ＇lit。； kneel down
to push the chariot wheel＇。〃 This means that 〃in matters lying
outside the zenana； the decision of the military commander must
be absolute。〃 Chang Yu also quote the saying： 〃Decrees from the
Son of Heaven do not penetrate the walls of a camp。〃＇
24。 The general who advances without coveting fame and
retreats without fearing disgrace；
＇It was Wellington； I think； who said that the hardest thing
of all for a soldier is to retreat。＇
whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service
for his sovereign； is the jewel of the kingdom。
＇A noble presentiment； in few words； of the Chinese 〃happy
warrior。〃 Such a man； says Ho Shih； 〃even if he had to suffer
punishment； would not regret his conduct。〃＇
25。 Regard your soldiers as your children； and they will
follow you into the deepest valleys； look upon them as your own
beloved sons； and they will stand by you even unto death。
＇Cf。 I。 ss。 6。 In this connection； Tu Mu draws for us an
engaging picture of the famous general Wu Ch‘i； from whose
treatise on war I hav
