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art of war-第28部分

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Ssu…ma's officers came to him and said:  〃If Meng Ta has leagued 

himself with Wu and Shu;  the matter should be thoroughly 

investigated before we make a move。〃  Ssu…ma I replied:  〃Meng Ta 

is an unprincipled man; and we ought to go and punish him at 

once; while he is still wavering and before he has thrown off the 

mask。〃  Then; by a series of forced marches; be brought his army 

under the walls of Hsin…ch‘eng with in a space of eight days。  

Now Meng Ta had previously said in a letter to Chu…ko Liang:  

〃Wan is 1200 LI from here。  When the news of my revolt reaches 

Ssu…ma I; he will at once inform his imperial master; but it will 

be a whole month before any steps can be taken; and by that time 

my city will be well fortified。  Besides; Ssu…ma I is sure not to 

come himself; and the generals that will be sent against us are 

not worth troubling about。〃  The next letter; however; was filled 

with consternation:  〃Though only eight days have passed since I 

threw off my allegiance; an army is already at the city…gates。  

What miraculous rapidity is this!〃  A fortnight later;  Hsin…

ch‘eng had fallen and Meng Ta had lost his head。   'See 

CHIN SHU;  ch。 1; f。 3。'  In 621 A。D。; Li Ching was sent from 

K‘uei…chou in Ssu…ch‘uan to reduce the successful rebel Hsiao 

Hsien;  who had set up as Emperor at the modern Ching…chou Fu in 

Hupeh。  It was autumn; and the Yangtsze being then in flood; 

Hsiao Hsien never dreamt that his adversary would venture to come 

down through the gorges; and consequently made no preparations。  

But Li Ching embarked his army without loss of time; and was just 

about to start when the other generals implored him to postpone 

his departure until the river was in a less dangerous state for 

navigation。  Li Ching replied:  〃To the soldier;  overwhelming 

speed is of paramount importance;  and he must never miss 

opportunities。  Now is the time to strike; before Hsiao Hsien 

even knows that we have got an army together。  If we seize the 

present moment when the river is in flood; we shall appear before 

his capital with startling suddenness; like the thunder which is 

heard before you have time to stop your ears against it。  'See 

VII。 ss。 19; note。'  This is the great principle in war。  Even if 

he gets to know of our approach; he will have to levy his 

soldiers in such a hurry that they will not be fit to oppose us。  

Thus the full fruits of victory will be ours。〃  All came about as 

he predicted;  and Hsiao Hsien was obliged to surrender;  nobly 

stipulating that his people should be spared and he alone suffer 

the penalty of death。'



take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness; make your way by 

unexpected routes; and attack unguarded spots。

     20。  The following are the principles to be observed by an 

invading force:  The further you penetrate into a country;  the 

greater will be the solidarity of your troops;  and thus the 

defenders will not prevail against you。

     21。  Make forays in fertile country in order to supply your 

army with food。



     'Cf。  supra; ss。 13。  Li Ch‘uan does not venture on a note 

here。'



     22。 Carefully study the well…being of your men;



     'For  〃well…being〃; Wang Hsi means; 〃Pet them;  humor them; 

give them plenty of food and drink;  and look after them 

generally。〃'



and do not overtax them。  Concentrate your energy and hoard your 

strength。



     'Ch‘en recalls the line of action adopted in 224 B。C。 by the 

famous   general Wang Chien;  whose military genius   largely 

contributed to the success of the First Emperor。  He had invaded 

the Ch‘u State; where a universal levy was made to oppose him。 

But; being doubtful of the temper of his troops; he declined all 

invitations to fight and remained strictly on the defensive。  In 

vain did the Ch‘u general try to force a battle:  day after day 

Wang Chien kept inside his walls and would not come out;  but 

devoted his whole time and energy to winning the affection and 

confidence of his men。  He took care that they should be well 

fed;  sharing his own meals with them; provided facilities for 

bathing;  and employed every method of judicious indulgence to 

weld them into a loyal and homogenous body。  After some time had 

elapsed; he told off certain persons to find out how the men were 

amusing themselves。  The answer was; that they were contending 

with one another in putting the weight and long…jumping。  When 

Wang Chien heard that they were engaged in these athletic 

pursuits;  he knew that their spirits had been strung up to the 

required pitch and that they were now ready for fighting。  By 

this time the Ch‘u army; after repeating their challenge again 

and again;  had marched away eastwards in disgust。  The Ch‘in 

general immediately broke up his camp and followed them; and in 

the battle that ensued they were routed with great slaughter。  

Shortly afterwards; the whole of Ch‘u was conquered by Ch‘in; and 

the king Fu…ch‘u led into captivity。'



Keep your army continually on the move;



     'In order that the enemy may never know exactly where you 

are。  It has struck me; however; that the true reading might be 

〃link your army together。〃'



and devise unfathomable plans。

     23。  Throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no 

escape; and they will prefer death to flight。  If they will face 

death; there is nothing they may not achieve。



     'Chang Yu quotes his favorite Wei Liao Tzu (ch。 3):  〃If one 

man were to run amok with a sword in the market…place;  and 

everybody else tried to get our of his way; I should not allow 

that this man alone had courage and that all the rest were 

contemptible cowards。  The truth is; that a desperado and a man 

who sets some value on his life do not meet on even terms。〃'



Officers and men alike will put forth their uttermost strength。



     'Chang Yu says:  〃If they are in an awkward place together; 

they will surely exert their united strength to get out of it。〃'



     24。  Soldiers when in desperate straits lose the sense of 

fear。  If there is no place of refuge; they will stand firm。  If 

they are in hostile country; they will show a stubborn front。  If 

there is no help for it; they will fight hard。

     25。  Thus;  without waiting to be marshaled;  the soldiers 

will be constantly on the qui vive; without waiting to be asked; 

they will do your will;



     'Literally; 〃without asking; you will get。〃'



without restrictions;  they will be faithful;  without giving 

orders; they can be trusted。

     26。  Prohibit the taking of omens;  and do away with 

superstitious doubts。  Then;  until death itself comes;   no 

calamity need be feared。



     'The superstitious; 〃bound in to saucy doubts and fears;〃 

degenerate into cowards and 〃die many times before their deaths。〃  

Tu Mu quotes Huang Shih…kung:  〃'Spells and incantations should 

be strictly forbidden;  and no officer allowed to inquire by 

divination into the fortunes of an army; for fear the soldiers' 

minds should be seriously perturbed。'   The meaning is;〃  he 

continues;  〃that if all doubts and scruples are discarded;  your 

men will never falter in their resolution until they die。〃'



     27。  If our soldiers are not overburdened with money; it is 

not because they have a distaste for riches; if their lives are 

not unduly long;  it is not because they are disinclined to 

longevity。



     'Chang Yu has the best note on this passage:   〃Wealth and 

long   life are things for which all men have a   natural 

inclination。  Hence; if they burn or fling away valuables;  and 

sacrifice their own lives; it is not that they dislike them;  but 

simply that they have no choice。〃  Sun Tzu is slyly insinuating 

that;  as soldiers are but human; it is for the general to see 

that temptations to shirk fighting and grow rich are not thrown 

in their way。'



     28。  On the day they are ordered out to battle;  your 

soldiers may weep;



     'The word in the Chinese is 〃snivel。〃  This is taken to 

indicate more genuine grief than tears alone。'



those sitting up bedewing their garments; and those lying down 

letting the tears run down their cheeks。



     'Not because they are afraid; but because; as Ts‘ao Kung 

says;  〃all have embraced the firm resolution to do or die。〃   We 

may remember that the heroes of the Iliad were equally childlike 

in showing their emotion。  Chang Yu alludes to the mournful 

parting at the I River between Ching K‘o and his friends;  when 

the former was sent to attempt the life of the King of Ch‘in 

(afterwards First Emperor) in 227 B。C。  The tears of all flowed 

down like rain as he bade them farewell and uttered the following 

lines:   〃The shrill blast is blowing; Chilly the burn;  Your 

champion is goingNot to return。〃 '1' '



But let them once be brought to bay; and they will display the 

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