Arts of War《孙 子 兵 法》

Sūn zǐ bīnɡ fǎ

• The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise that is attributed to Sūn zǐ , a high ranking military general and strategist during the late Spring and Autumn period. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it is said to be the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time, and is still read for its military insights.

The contents

Chapter Pinyin translated by Lionel Giles

1. 始计 shǐjì Laying plans

2. 作战 zuòzhàn Waging war

3. 谋攻 móugōng Attack by stratagem

4. 军形 jūnxíng Tactical dispositions

5. 兵势 bīngshì Energy

6. 虚实 xūshí Weak points and strong points

7. 军争 jūnzhēng Maneuvering

8. 九变 jǐubiàn Variation of tactics

9. 行军 xíngjūn The army on the march

10. 地形 dìxíng Terrain

11. 九地 jǐudì The nine situations

12. 火攻 huǒgōng The attack by fire

13. 用间 yòngjìan The use of spies

Main ideas

• On warfare• On strategies

Ideas on warfare

•1.重战 : attach importance to it•2.慎战 : be cautious about it•3.备战 : be prepared for it

1.重战 : attach importance to it

•孙子曰：“兵者，国之大事，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察也。”

2.慎战 : be cautious about it

•非利不动，非得不用，非危不战。主不可以怒而兴师，将不可以愠而致战。

3.备战 : be prepared for it

•“故用兵之法，无恃其不来，恃吾有以待也；无恃其不攻，恃吾有所不攻也。”

On strategies

•1.全胜 : the supreme excellence•2.知胜 : the victor of knowing

everything

•3.速胜 : the quick victory

全胜

•“不战而屈人之兵，善之善者也。”

•“上兵伐谋 , 其次伐交 , 其次伐兵 , 其下攻城 .”

知胜

•“知彼知己，百战不殆；不知彼而知己，一胜一负；不知彼不知己，每战必败。

速胜

•“兵贵胜，不贵久。”

• 兵者，诡道也。 All warfare is based on deception.

• 故能而示之不能，用而示之不用，近而示之远，远而示之近。 Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

• 利而诱之，乱而取之， Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.

• 实而备之，强而避之， If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.

• 怒而挠之，卑而骄之， If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.

• 佚而劳之，亲而离之， If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them.

• 攻其无备，出其不意。 Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

• 是故百战百胜，非善之善也；不战而屈人之兵，善之善者也。 Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

• 故曰：知己知彼，百战不贻。 Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

• 故上兵伐谋，其次伐交，其次伐兵，其下攻城。 Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans; the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces; the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field; and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.

• 故用间有五：有因间，有内间，有反间，有死间，有生间。

• Hence the use of spies, of whom there are five classes: (1) Local spies; (2) inward spies; (3) converted spies; (4)doomed spies; (5) surviving spies