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art of war-第6部分
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not fallen into this mistake。 In attempting to provide a
critical commentary for Sun Tzu's work; he does not lose
sight of the fact that these sayings were intended for states
engaged in internecine warfare; that the author is not
concerned with the military conditions prevailing under the
sovereigns of the three ancient dynasties; '43' nor with the
nine punitive measures prescribed to the Minister of War。
'44' Again; Sun Wu loved brevity of diction; but his meaning
is always deep。 Whether the subject be marching an army; or
handling soldiers; or estimating the enemy; or controlling
the forces of victory; it is always systematically treated;
the sayings are bound together in strict logical sequence;
though this has been obscured by commentators who have
probably failed to grasp their meaning。 In his own
commentary; Mei Sheng…yu has brushed aside all the obstinate
prejudices of these critics; and has tried to bring out the
true meaning of Sun Tzu himself。 In this way; the clouds of
confusion have been dispersed and the sayings made clear。 I
am convinced that the present work deserves to be handed down
side by side with the three great commentaries; and for a
great deal that they find in the sayings; coming generations
will have constant reason to thank my friend Sheng…yu。
Making some allowance for the exuberance of friendship; I am
inclined to endorse this favorable judgment; and would certainly
place him above Ch‘en Hao in order of merit。
9。 WANG HSI; also of the Sung dynasty; is decidedly
original in some of his interpretations; but much less judicious
than Mei Yao…ch‘en; and on the whole not a very trustworthy
guide。 He is fond of comparing his own commentary with that of
Ts‘ao Kung; but the comparison is not often flattering to him。
We learn from Ch‘ao Kung…wu that Wang Hsi revised the ancient
text of Sun Tzu; filling up lacunae and correcting mistakes。 '45'
10。 HO YEN…HSI of the Sung dynasty。 The personal name of
this commentator is given as above by Cheng Ch‘iao in the TUNG
CHIH; written about the middle of the twelfth century; but he
appears simply as Ho Shih in the YU HAI; and Ma Tuan…lin quotes
Ch‘ao Kung…wu as saying that his personal name is unknown。 There
seems to be no reason to doubt Cheng Ch‘iao's statement;
otherwise I should have been inclined to hazard a guess and
identify him with one Ho Ch‘u…fei; the author of a short treatise
on war; who lived in the latter part of the 11th century。 Ho
Shih's commentary; in the words of the T‘IEN…I…KO catalogue;
〃contains helpful additions〃 here and there; but is chiefly
remarkable for the copious extracts taken; in adapted form; from
the dynastic histories and other sources。
11。 CHANG YU。 The list closes with a commentator of no
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; h
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