Sunzi

“ If these precepts be observed, victory is certain.
A victory, even if popularly proclaimed as such by the common folk, may not be a true . To win in fight, and for the kingdom to say, "Well done", is not the perfection of attainment. To lift an autumn fleece [2] is no mark of strength; the eyes that only see the sun and moon are not the eagles; to hear the thunder is no great thing. ”

“ Disorder in the army is a sign that the general is disregarded.
A changing about of flags and banners is a sign that the army is unsettled.
If the officers are angry, it is because the soldiers are tired, and slow to obey.
The killing of horses for food shews that the enemy is short of provisions.
When they east away their cooking-pots, as if with no intention of returning, the soldiers are desperate. ”

“ The way to fight in foreign lands. When in the heart of the enemy’s country the soldiers minds are united in the presence of danger, their hosts cannot defeat them. Plunder fertile plains, then the army’s provisions are sufficient ; be careful of the health of the soldiers; do not tire them uselessly; keep courage; store up strength; plan well and secretly; if there be no refuge the soldiers will not fly from death.
If there be no alternative but death, the soldiers exert themselves to the utmost.
In desperate places, soldiers lose the sense of fear. ”

“ If the army be perplexed and distrustful, then do neighbouring princes conspire and the army is confounded.
This is to offer victory to the enemy.
Knowledge of these five matters bring victory:—
He conquers who knows when to fight, and when not to fight; who understands the employment of large and small numbers; whose Government and people are of one mind and of one desire; who, ever prepared, chooses the enemy’s unguarded moment for his attack; who, possessing ability, is not interfered with by his prince. ”

“ By making skilful dispositions, we may cause the enemy to conform to them. If we offer the enemy a point of advantage; he will certainly take it: we give him an advantage, set him in motion and then fall upon him.
Wherefore, the good fighter seeks victory from battle force, and not simply at the expense of his men: while careful in his choice, he does not regard his soldiers as his only weapons; yet, when an opening or advantage shews, he pushes it to its limits. ”

“ Therefore the master of war causes the enemy’s forces to yield, but without fighting; he takes possession of his fortress, but without besieging it; he overthrows his government, but without lengthy fighting; and with his army intact takes the enemy’s kingdom. Without tarnishing his weapons he gains the complete advantage. ”

“ He who knows that the enemy may be attacked with advantage, but knows not that his own men are incompetent, has no certainty of victory.
Confidence in the troops, right judgment when to attack the enemy, but improper appreciation of terrain, bring uncertain victory.
The wise soldier, once in motion, does not waver, and is never at a loss. ”

“ Wherefore, with regard to the foregoing, considering that with us lies the advantage, and the generals agreeing, we create a situation which promises victory; but as the moment and method cannot be fixed beforehand, the plan must be modified according to circumstances,
War is a thing of pretence: therefore when capable of action, we pretend disability; when near to the enemy, we pretend to be far; when far away, we pretend to be near. ”

“ If the enemy be many in number, prevent him from using his multitudes simultaneously with effect, and ascertain his plan of operations. Challenge the enemy and discover the weak and strong points of his position. Flap the wings, and unmask his sufficiency or insufficiency. By constant feints and excursions, we may produce on the enemy an impression of intangibility, which neither spies nor art can dispel.
A victory so gained cannot be understood by the soldiers; they see the result but they cannot appreciate the means.
If we gain a victory by a certain stratagem, we do not repeat it. ”

“ Do not make war unless victory may be gained thereby; if there be prospect of victory move, if there is no prospect do not move.
For anger may change to gladness, passion to joy: but a country once overturned, cannot be restored; the dead cannot be brought to life. ”

“ If we attack those positions which the enemy has not defended, we invariably take them: but on the defence we must be strong, even where we are not likely to be attacked.
Against those skilful in attack, the enemy does not know where to defend: against those skilful in defence, the enemy does not know where to attack. ”

“ The course of water is regulated by the shape of the ground; that of the army by the condition of the enemy.
Water has no settled shape; an army is no mechanical engine of destruction.
He who, varying his plans according to the enemy, gains the victory, is called a god. ”

“ When, before battle, in council assembled before the shrine of the ancestors, consider well the plan of campaign. For thereby victory may be gained.
They who haplessly fight without plan are courting disaster.
The resourceful in stratagem win; the poor in stratagem do not conquer; hopeless indeed are they without it. ”

“ We become one body; the enemy being separated into ten parts. We attack the divided ten with the united one. We are many, the enemy is few, and in numbers there is strength.
The place selected for attack must be kept secret. If the enemy knows not where he will be attacked, he must prepare in every quarter, and so be weak at every point of attack.
If the enemy strengthens his front, he must weaken his rear; if he strengthens his right, his left is weakened; and if he strengthens his left, his right is weakened. ”

“ According to the ancient books on war: the drum and bell are used, because the voice does not carry; the flag is used to assist the sight. The use of bell, drum, banner, and flag, is to attract the united attention of eye and ear.
When all are united, the strong are not left to go forward alone, the cowardly are not free to retreat unrestricted. In the simultaneous employment of large numbers lies strength.
Therefore in night fighting, beacons and drums are largely used; in day fighting, a great number of banners and flags to confound the enemy’s eyes and ears. ”

“ Such a person is no general; he is no assistance to his lord; he is no master of victory.
The enlightened ruler and the able general who act, win, and are distinguished beyond the common, are informed beforehand. This knowledge is not to be got by calling on gods and demons; nor does it come of past experience; nor calculation. It is through men that knowledge of the enemy is gained.
Now the five kinds of spies are these; local spies, inner spies, converted spies, death spies, living spies. ”

“ If defeat is certain from the military standpoint, do not fight, even though the Lord commands it.
The general, who advances, from no thought of his own glory, or retires, regardless of punishment ; but merely strives for the peoples welfare, and his Lord’s advantage, is a treasure to the state. ”

“ Orders should not reveal the plan of the leader; nor should the soldiers be informed of any accompanying risks.
If the forces be plunged into danger, there is survival; from death ground there is retrieval; for the force in danger, gains victory and defeats the enemy.
Discover the enemy’s precise intentions by yielding tactics. When discovered, then, with one stroke, the general may be killed, even though he be one hundred leagues distant.
When war is declared, close the barriers; destroy passports; prevent the passage of the enemy’s spies ”

“ The good fighter contrives to make the enemy approach; he does not allow himself to be beguiled by the enemy.
By offering an apparent advantage, he induces the enemy to take up a position that will cause his defeat; he plants obstructions to dissuade him from acting in such a way as to threaten his own dispositions.
If the enemy be at rest in comfortable quarters, harass him; if he be living in plenty, cut off his supplies; if sitting composedly awaiting attack, cause him to move. ”

“ In general, the procedure of war is:—the General, having received orders from his lord, assembles the army.
Do not camp on marshy, or low lying ground; enter into friendly relations with neighbouring states; do not linger at a distance from the base; be prepared in mountainous and wooded country; when reduced to the last extremity, fight.
The general who knows the Nine Situations understands the use of troops; on the contrary, he who does not understand them, can make no use of his topographical knowledge. ”

“ War material and arms we obtain from home: but supplies sufficient for the army’s needs can be taken from the enemy.
The cost of supplying the army in distant fields is the chief drain on the resources of a state: if the war be distant, the citizens are impoverished.
Repeated wars cause high prices, and so the farmer’s money is used up. Likewise the state funds are exhausted, and frequent levies must be made; the strength of the army is dissipated; money is spent; the citizen’s home is made bare; in all 7/10ths of his income is forfeited. Again, as regards State property, chariots are broken ”

“ If the opportunity be favourable, set fire to the outside of the enemy’s camp, without waiting for the fire to originate.
When fire breaks out on the windward side, do not attack from the leeward. Wind that rises in the day lasts long. Wind that rises in the night time quickly passes away.
If the peculiarities of the five burnings are known, and the almanac studied, then, when the army brings fire to the attack, victory is clear. ”

“ Water may be used to divide the enemy in two ; but it only causes him temporary inconvenience. For, a victory or a capture which has no important results, and from which the enemy quickly recovers, is to be condemned. The war drags on, and money is spent.
Let the enlightened Lord consider well; and the good general keep the main object in view. If no advantage is to be gained thereby do not move; without prospect of victory, do not use the soldiers; fight not unless the country be endangered. ”

“ We attack, and the enemy cannot resist, because we attack his weakly held positions; we retire, and the enemy cannot pursue, because we retire too quickly.
Again, when we are anxious to fight, but the enemy is serenely secure behind high walls and deep moats; we attack some such other place that he must certainly come out to relieve. ”

“ Strategy was highly specialised, and schools of strategy existed, which, however, were apt to ignore what Western minds consider main issues; and differ in regard to some subtle point, much after the manner of the sects of Buddhism.
In any case, the Chinese realised to the full that war was a matter for a specialist. Behind the popular general or the ambitious ruler was the strategist, who evolved the plan of campaign, and, it must be added, consulted the stars and the ancient books for signs and indications. ”

“ Strong soldiers with weak under officers, cause relaxation.
Able officers with feeble soldiers cause distress.
Enraged senior officers, who take the law into their own hands because the general cannot appreciate their ability, produce disorganisation.
Weak and amiable generals, whose directions and leadership are vague; whose officer’s and men’s duties are not fixed; and whose disposition of troops are contradictory; produce confusion.
Generals, ignorant of the enemy, who oppose small numbers to large; weakness to strength; and who do not put picked men in the van of the army ”

“ In reducing an enemy to submission, inflict all possible damage upon him; make him undertake useless adventures; also make neighbouring rulers depend on your good offices.
Wherefore in the conduct of war do not depend on the enemy’s not coming, but rely on your own preparations; do not count on the enemy not attacking your fortress, but leave nothing undefended. ”

“ If there are defects, give an appearance of perfection, and awe the enemy. Pretend to be strong, and so cause the enemy to avoid you. Make him angry, and confuse his plans. Pretend to be inferior, and cause him to despise you. ”

“ As has been said aforetime, the able warrior gains the victory without desperate and bloody engagements, but wins thereby no reputation for wisdom or brave deeds, for it seems a thing that cannot be helped; his performance is such that the enemy seems preordained to defeat. ”

“ When the order for attack is given, the collars of those who are sitting with bowed heads may be wet with tears; tears may roll down the cheeks of those reclining; but these men when in a desperate place, will fight with the courage of Sho Kwai. ”

“ Skilful soldiers can make their armies invincible, but they cannot always put the enemy in a conquerable position.
The conditions necessary for victory may be present, but it cannot always be obtained.
If the enemy be invincible, we stand on the defensive and await an opportunity; if he be vulnerable, we attack. ”

“ He who has not a complete knowledge of the Nine Grounds, cannot rise superior to neighbouring rulers.
An able ruler, when attacking an important state, can prevent the enemy from concentrating his forces. ”

“ In path ridden ground, cultivate intercourse.
In deeply involved, ground, be careful of supplies.
In difficult ground, hurry away.
In enclosed ground, reject an opening offered by the enemy.
On death ground, make it plain that without fighting there is no chance of survival.
Wherefore if the soldiers are surrounded, their hearts are in the defence. When compelled there- to, they fight with energy.
When in a position of great danger they are easily led.
He who knows not the ambitions of other rulers, cannot make profitable alliances with them. ”

“ Do not attack where serried rows of banners shew, nor a regular battle array; but patiently await your time.
Do not attack an enemy on high ground, nor one who has high ground at his back. Do not pursue an enemy who is imitating flight; do not attack a spirited enemy.
If the enemy offers an allurement, do not be caught by it. Do not interfere with an enemy who has struck camp; and is about to retire. When surrounding an enemy ”

“ He who without taking thought makes light of the enemy, is certain to be captured.
If a general who is strange to the troops punishes them, they cease to obey him. If they are not obedient, they cannot be usefully employed. ”

“ After crossing waters, pass on immediately to a distance. When the enemy is crossing a stream, do not meet and engage him. Do not advance on an enemy near water; but having decided where safety lies, place the army on high ground. ”