The Art of War Sun Tzu (most read books of all time txt) 📖

Tu Mu says: 所以委質來謝此乃勢已窮或有他故必欲休息也 “If the enemy opens friendly relations by sending hostages, it is a sign that they are anxious for an armistice, either because their strength is exhausted or for some other reason.” But it hardly needs a Sun Tzǔ to draw such an obvious inference; and although Tu Mu is supported by Mei Yao-chʽên and Chang Yü, I cannot think that hostages are indicated by the word 委. ↩

Capt. Calthrop falls into a trap which often lurks in the word 相. He translates: “When both sides, eager for a fight, face each other for a considerable time, neither advancing nor retiring,” etc. Had he reflected a little, he would have seen that this is meaningless as addressed to a commander who has control over the movements of his own troops. 相迎, then, does not mean that the two armies go to meet each other, but simply that the other side comes up to us. Likewise with 相去. If this were not perfectly clear of itself, Mei Yao-chʽên’s paraphrase would make it so: 怒而來逆我, etc. As Tsʽao Kung points out, a manoeuvre of this sort may be only a ruse to gain time for an unexpected flank attack or the laying of an ambush. ↩

Wang Hsi’s paraphrase, partly borrowed from Tsʽao Kung, is 權力均足矣. Another reading, adopted by Chia Lin and the Tʽu Shu, is 兵非貴益多, which Capt. Calthrop renders, much too loosely: “Numbers are no certain mark of strength.” ↩

Literally, “no martial advance.” That is to say, 正 “chêng” tactics and frontal attacks must be eschewed, and stratagem resorted to instead. ↩

This is an obscure sentence, and none of the commentators succeed in squeezing very good sense out of it. The difficulty lies chiefly in the words 取人, which have been taken in every possible way. I follow Li Chʽüan, who appears to offer the simplest explanation: 惟得人者勝也 “Only the side that gets more men will win.” Tsʽao Kung’s note, concise as usual to the verge of incomprehensibility, is 廝養足也. Fortunately we have Chang Yü to expound its meaning to us in language which is lucidity itself: 兵力旣均又未見便雖未足剛進足以取人於廝養之中以并兵合力察敵而取勝不必假他兵以助己 “When the numbers are even, and no favourable opening presents itself, although we may not be strong enough to deliver a sustained attack, we can find additional recruits amongst our sutlers and camp-followers, and then, concentrating our forces and keeping a close watch on the enemy, contrive to snatch the victory. But we must avoid borrowing foreign soldiers to help us.” He then quotes from Wei Liao Tzǔ, ch. 3: 助卒名為十萬其實不過數萬耳 “The nominal strength of mercenary troops may by 100,000, but their real value will be not more than half that figure.” According to this interpretation, 取人 means “to get recruits,” not from outside, but from the ragtag and bobtail which follows in the wake of a large army. This does not sound a very soldierly suggestion, and I feel convinced that it is not what Sun Tzǔ meant. Chia Lin, on the other hand, takes the words in a different sense altogether, namely “to conquer the enemy” (cf. note 187 on I). But in that case they could hardly be followed by 而已. Better than this would be the rendering “to make isolated captures,” as opposed to 武進 “a general attack.” ↩

The force of 夫惟 is not easy to appreciate. Chʽên Hao says 殊無遠慮但輕敵者, thus referring 惟 to the second verb. He continues, quoting from the Tso Chuan: 蜂蠆有毒而况國乎則小敵亦不可輕 “If bees and scorpions carry poison, how much more will a hostile state! [僖公, XXII 3.] Even a puny opponent, then, should not be treated with contempt.” ↩

This is wrongly translated by Capt. Calthrop: “If the troops know the general, but are not affected by his punishments, they are useless.” ↩

文 and 武, according to Tsʽao Kung, are here equivalent to 仁 and 法 respectively. Compare our two uses of the word “civil.” 晏子 Yen Tzǔ (BC 493) said of 司馬穰苴 Ssǔ-ma Jang-chü: 文能附衆武能威敵也 “His civil virtues endeared him to the people; his martial prowess kept his enemies in awe.” Cf. Wu Tzǔ, ch. 4 init.: 夫總文武者軍之將也兼剛柔者兵之事也 “The ideal commander unites culture with a warlike temper; the profession of arms requires a combination of hardness and tenderness.” Again I must find fault with Capt. Calthrop’s translation: “By humane treatment we obtain obedience; authority brings uniformity.” ↩

The Tʽung Tien and Yü Lan read: 令素行以教其人者也令素行則人服令素不行則人不服. ↩

The original text has 令素行者. 令素 is certainly awkward without 行, but on the other hand it is clear that Tu Mu accepted the Tʽung Tien text, which is identical with ours. He says: “A general ought in time of peace to show kindly confidence in his men and also make his authority respected, so that when they come to face the enemy, orders may be executed and discipline maintained, because they all trust and look up to him.” What Sun Tzǔ has said in