Calculation#
Sun Tzu said:
War is a matter of vital importance to the state,
the place of life and death, the way to survival or extinction,
it must be thoroughly examined.
Therefore, it is governed by five factors:
the first is the Way, the second is Heaven, the third is Earth, the fourth is the Commander, and the fifth is the Law.
The Way is to ensure that the people are in agreement with their leaders, thus they can live or die together without betrayal;
Heaven refers to the interplay of Yin and Yang, the seasons, and the weather;
Earth refers to the heights and depths, the expanses and constrictions, the distances and proximities, the dangers and opportunities, and life and death;
The Commander refers to wisdom, trustworthiness, benevolence, courage, and strictness;
The Law refers to the organization of the military, the regulations, and the command structure.
All five of these factors are known to every commander; those who understand them will win, while those who do not will lose.
Thus, one must assess the situation through calculations and inquire:
Who has the Way?
Who has the ability?
Who has the advantage of Heaven and Earth?
Who has the Law in effect?
Who has the stronger army?
Who has the more experienced soldiers?
Who has clear rewards and punishments?
From this, I can know victory or defeat.
If a commander listens to my calculations, they will surely win; if they do not, they will surely lose.
Calculating benefits leads to gaining advantages to assist externally;
The advantage is to take advantage of benefits to establish power; war is a matter of deception.
Thus, one can appear weak when strong, strong when weak;
appear near when far, far when near;
entice with benefits, confuse and seize;
be prepared when real, avoid when strong;
anger and disrupt, humble and provoke;
tire when at ease, separate when close;
attack when unprepared, strike when unexpected;
this is the victory of the military, which cannot be disclosed in advance.
Those who win before battle are those who have calculated well;
those who do not win before battle have calculated poorly.
Many calculations lead to victory, few calculations lead to defeat, and what of no calculations at all?
From this perspective, victory and defeat become clear.
Warfare#
Sun Tzu said:
In all military operations,
if you have a thousand chariots, a thousand cavalry, and a hundred thousand armored troops,
and you need to transport supplies for a thousand miles;
then the costs of internal and external support, the needs of guests, the materials for construction, and the maintenance of chariots and armor will cost thousands of gold each day;
only then can an army of a hundred thousand be mobilized.
In battle, victory is achieved;
but prolonged warfare dulls weapons and weakens strength, and attacking cities exhausts resources, leading to insufficient support for the state.
Dull weapons and weakened strength, exhausted resources, and depleted wealth will lead to the rise of the feudal lords, and even the wisest cannot manage the aftermath.
Thus, the military is known for its swift and clumsy actions, and has never been seen to be skillful for long;
there has never been a case where prolonged warfare benefits the state.
Therefore, those who do not fully understand the harms of warfare cannot gain its benefits.
Those who are skilled in warfare do not require repeated drafts, do not need to transport grain three times, take from the enemy's supplies, and thus can ensure the army is well-fed.
A state that is poor in military resources will suffer from distant supplies, leading to impoverished citizens;
a state that is close to the army will sell at high prices, leading to depleted wealth, and when wealth is depleted, the people will be forced into labor.
When strength is exhausted and wealth is depleted, the central plains will be empty of families, and the expenses of the state will be seven out of ten;
the expenses of the public will be six out of ten due to broken armies, tired horses, armor, arrows, shields, and carts.
Thus, a wise commander will seek to feed the enemy; one hour of the enemy's food is worth twenty hours of our own.
Thus, killing the enemy is driven by anger;
taking advantage of the enemy is driven by profit.
In chariot warfare, if you capture more than ten chariots, reward those who achieve it and change their banners;
if the chariots are mixed and the soldiers are well-trained, this is called defeating the enemy and becoming stronger.
Thus, victory in war is precious, not prolonged.
Thus, those who understand warfare are the masters of the people's fate and the guardians of the state's safety.
Strategy and Attack#
Sun Tzu said:
In all military operations,
preserving the state is paramount, defeating the enemy is secondary;
preserving the army is paramount, defeating the army is secondary;
preserving the battalion is paramount, defeating the battalion is secondary;
preserving the soldier is paramount, defeating the soldier is secondary;
preserving the squad is paramount, defeating the squad is secondary.
Therefore, winning a hundred battles does not mean one is the best;
defeating the enemy without fighting is the best strategy.
Thus, the highest form of warfare is to attack the enemy's strategy, the next is to attack alliances, the next is to attack the military, and the lowest is to attack cities.
The method of attacking cities is a last resort;
building siege engines and preparing tools takes three months to complete;
if the siege is prolonged, it takes another three months to finish;
if the commander cannot contain their anger and rushes in, killing one-third of the soldiers without taking the city, this is a disaster of siege warfare.
Thus, a skilled commander can defeat the enemy's army without fighting, capture the enemy's city without attacking, and destroy the enemy's state without prolonged warfare, and must strive to preserve their own forces;
thus, the military does not falter, and benefits can be preserved, this is the method of strategy and attack.
Thus, the method of warfare is to surround with ten, attack with five, divide with double, engage when the enemy can fight, and retreat when they cannot; if not, avoid them.
Thus, a small enemy can be strong, while a large enemy can be captured.
The commander is the support of the state; if the support is strong, the state will be strong; if the support is weak, the state will be weak.
Thus, the three concerns of the ruler regarding the military are:
not knowing when the army cannot advance and calling it an advance, not knowing when the army cannot retreat and calling it a retreat, this is called mismanaging the army;
not knowing the affairs of the three armies while treating the three armies' governance the same will confuse the soldiers;
not knowing the authority of the three armies while treating the three armies' responsibilities the same will cause the soldiers to doubt.
When the three armies are confused and doubtful, the difficulties of the feudal lords will arise, this is called the chaos of the army leading to victory.
Thus, there are five ways to know victory:
knowing when to fight and when not to fight leads to victory;
waiting for the unprepared leads to victory;
understanding the use of numbers leads to victory;
having the same desires as the upper and lower ranks leads to victory;
the commander can act while the ruler does not interfere leads to victory.
All five of these are the ways to victory.
Thus, it is said:
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be in danger;
if you know your enemy but not yourself, you will win one and lose one;
if you do not know your enemy and do not know yourself, you will be in danger in every battle.
Form#
Sun Tzu said:
Those who are good at warfare,
first create conditions that are invincible, and then wait for the enemy to become vulnerable;
the invincible is within oneself, the vulnerable is within the enemy.
Thus, those who are good at warfare can create invincibility and cannot allow the enemy to become invincible.
Thus, it is said: victory can be known, but cannot be forced.
The invincible is to defend; the vulnerable is to attack.
Defense is insufficient, while attack is excessive.
Those who are good at defense hide beneath the earth, while those who are good at attack move above the heavens, thus they can protect themselves and achieve total victory.
Seeing victory is merely what everyone knows; it is not the best of the best;
winning in battle and being praised by the world is not the best of the best.
Thus, to lift a feather does not require great strength, to see the sun and moon does not require keen eyesight, to hear thunder does not require sharp hearing.
The ancient so-called good at warfare are those who easily defeat the easily defeated;
thus, the victories of those who are good at warfare do not rely on wisdom or bravery, thus their victories are not erratic; the erratic means that their actions must lead to victory, and they win against the already defeated.
Thus, those who are good at warfare stand in an invincible position while not losing sight of the enemy's defeat;
therefore, victorious armies win first and then seek battle, while defeated armies seek battle first and then seek victory.
Those who are skilled in warfare cultivate the Way and preserve the Law, thus they can govern the matters of victory and defeat.
The military strategy:
the first is measurement, the second is calculation, the third is numbers, the fourth is weight, the fifth is victory;
the land gives rise to measurement, measurement gives rise to calculation, calculation gives rise to numbers, numbers give rise to weight, weight gives rise to victory.
Victorious armies weigh their soldiers like weighing gold, while defeated armies weigh their soldiers like weighing silver.
Weighing the victory of the army is like pouring water into a deep ravine; this is form.
Power#
Sun Tzu said:
In managing a large crowd as in managing a small one, division is the principle;
fighting a large crowd as in fighting a small one, form is the name;
the multitude of the three armies can be made to face the enemy without defeat, the odd and the even are the principles;
the place where the army strikes is like throwing a stone at an egg, the void and the solid are the principles.
In battle, one uses the solid to engage, and the odd to win.
Those who are good at using the odd are as endless as heaven and earth, as inexhaustible as rivers and seas.
Ending and beginning, day and night are the principles;
death and rebirth, the four seasons are the principles.
There are only five sounds, and the changes of the five sounds cannot be fully heard;
there are only five colors, and the changes of the five colors cannot be fully seen;
there are only five tastes, and the changes of the five tastes cannot be fully tasted;
the battle situation is only about the odd and the solid, and the changes of the odd and the solid cannot be fully exhausted.
The odd and the solid give rise to each other, like the endless cycle, who can exhaust it!
The swift current of water can sweep away stones, this is power;
the swift bird can destroy and break, this is timing.
Thus, those who are good at warfare have their power in danger and their timing short; power is like a drawn crossbow, timing is like the trigger.
In chaos and confusion, one fights without being confused;
in murky and indistinct situations, one appears round and cannot be defeated.
Chaos arises from order, cowardice arises from bravery, weakness arises from strength.
Order and chaos are numbers;
bravery and cowardice are power;
strength and weakness are form.
Thus, those who are good at moving against the enemy,
shape them, and the enemy must follow;
offer them, and the enemy must take.
Use benefits to move them, and use soldiers to wait.
Those who are good at warfare seek power, not blame others, thus they can choose people and utilize power.
Those who rely on power are like moving wood and stone;
the nature of wood and stone is that when safe, they are still; when in danger, they move; when square, they stop; when round, they move.
Void and Solid#
Sun Tzu said:
Those who occupy the battlefield first and wait for the enemy are at ease; those who arrive later and rush into battle are fatigued;
thus, those who are good at warfare lead others and do not allow themselves to be led.
To make the enemy come to you is to offer them benefits;
to make the enemy unable to come to you is to harm them.
Thus, the enemy at ease can be fatigued, the full can be made hungry, the secure can be moved.
Go where they do not tread, and tread where they do not expect.
To march a thousand miles without fatigue is to march in uninhabited areas.
To attack and be sure to capture is to attack where they do not defend;
to defend and be sure to hold is to defend where they do not attack.
Those who are good at attacking do not let the enemy know where they defend;
those who are good at defending do not let the enemy know where they attack.
Subtle to the point of invisibility;
mysterious to the point of silence;
thus they can control the enemy's fate.
To advance and be unassailable is to strike at their void;
to retreat and be unpursued is to be swift and unreachable.
Thus, if I wish to fight, even if the enemy has high ramparts and deep moats, they must fight me; I will attack where they must save;
if I do not wish to fight, I will draw the line and defend, and the enemy cannot fight me; I will lead them away from their destination.
Thus, if I shape the enemy and I remain formless, then I am concentrated while the enemy is divided;
if I concentrate as one, the enemy is divided into ten, thus I can attack one with ten, making me numerous while the enemy is few;
those who can strike the few with the many are those with whom I can fight.
The place where I fight is unknown; if it is unknown, then the enemy's preparations are many;
if the preparations are many, then those I fight are few.
Thus, those who prepare in front are few behind, those who prepare behind are few in front, those who prepare on the left are few on the right, those who prepare on the right are few on the left; those who are unprepared are not numerous.
The few are those who prepare others;
the many are those who make others prepare for themselves.
Thus, knowing the day of battle and the place of battle, one can meet a thousand miles away;
not knowing the day of battle, not knowing the place of battle,
then one cannot save the rear from the front, nor the front from the rear, nor the left from the right, nor the right from the left,
let alone those who are tens of miles away or those who are a few miles away?
From my perspective, even if the enemy's troops are many, what benefit is it to victory?
Thus it is said: victory can be achieved; even if the enemy is numerous, they can be made to fight without engaging.
Thus, by strategizing, one can know the calculations of gains and losses, by acting, one can know the principles of movement and stillness, by shaping, one can know the places of life and death, by confronting, one can know the areas of surplus and insufficiency.
The extreme of shaping the army is to the point of formlessness;
when formless, the deep gaps cannot be seen, and the wise cannot strategize.
Using form to deceive the many, the many cannot know;
everyone knows the form by which I win, but no one knows the form by which I control victory;
thus, their victories do not repeat, and they respond to form infinitely.
The military is like water; the shape of water avoids the high and seeks the low;
the shape of the military avoids the solid and strikes the void;
water flows according to the terrain, the military wins according to the enemy;
the military has no constant power, water has no constant shape; those who can change according to the enemy and achieve victory are called divine.
Thus, the five elements have no constant victory, the four seasons have no constant position, the sun has its lengths and shortness, the moon has its deaths and births.
Military Competition#
Sun Tzu said:
In all military operations, the commander receives orders from the ruler, gathers the army, and assembles the troops;
there is nothing more difficult than military competition.
The difficulty of military competition lies in turning the indirect into the direct and the misfortunes into benefits.
Thus, divert the route and entice with benefits; the later troops advance, the earlier troops arrive;
this is the strategy of knowing the indirect and direct.
Military competition is for benefits, military competition is for danger.
If you mobilize the army to compete for benefits, you will not succeed; if you abandon the army to compete for benefits, the supplies will be lost.
Thus, roll up your armor and rush, day and night without stopping, doubling the pace:
if you compete for benefits over a hundred miles, you will capture three generals, the strong go first, the tired go last, and the method is eleven to arrive;
if you compete for benefits over fifty miles, you will capture the general, and the method is half to arrive;
if you compete for benefits over thirty miles, you will arrive two-thirds.
Thus, an army without supplies will perish, without food will perish, without provisions will perish.
Thus, those who do not know the strategies of the feudal lords cannot anticipate alliances;
those who do not know the terrain of mountains, forests, dangers, and marshes cannot march;
those who do not use local guides cannot gain the advantage of the land.
Thus, the military is established through deception, moves through benefits, and changes through division and harmony;
thus, its speed is like the wind, its slowness is like the forest, its invasiveness is like fire, its immobility is like a mountain, its difficulty to know is like shadows, its movement is like thunder;
plundering the localities and dividing the benefits, suspending power and moving;
those who first know the strategy of indirect and direct will win; this is the method of military competition.
The "Military Administration" states: "If words are not heard, then use drums; if sights are not seen, then use banners."
Thus, night battles often use drums, while day battles often use banners;
the drums and banners are the eyes and ears of one person;
when one is focused, the brave cannot advance alone, and the cowardly cannot retreat alone; this is the method of using the many.
The three armies can be deprived of their morale, and the general can be deprived of their heart:
thus, the morning morale is sharp, the daytime morale is lazy, and the evening morale returns;
those who are skilled in warfare avoid their sharpness and strike their lazy return; this is the management of morale.
To manage order in chaos, to manage stillness in noise, this is the management of the heart.
To manage proximity with distance, to manage ease with labor, to manage fullness with hunger, this is the management of strength.
Do not invite the upright banners, do not strike the orderly formations, this is the management of change.
Thus, the method of warfare is:
do not face the high ground, do not go against the hills,
do not follow the feigned retreat, do not attack the sharp troops,
do not feed the enemy, do not obstruct the returning troops,
do not leave gaps in the besieged army, do not press the desperate enemy,
this is the method of warfare.
Nine Changes#
Sun Tzu said:
In all military operations, the commander receives orders from the ruler, gathers the army, and assembles the troops;
there are no places to stay in desolate areas, intersections must be avoided, there should be no lingering in blocked areas, strategies must be devised in besieged areas, and battles must be fought in desperate areas;
there are paths that should not be taken, armies that should not be attacked, cities that should not be besieged, lands that should not be contested, and commands from the ruler that should not be disobeyed.
Thus, a commander who understands the benefits of the nine changes knows how to use the military;
a commander who does not understand the benefits of the nine changes, even if they know the terrain, cannot gain the advantages of the land.
To manage the military without knowing the techniques of the nine changes, even if they know the five benefits, cannot utilize the people.
Thus, the wise must mix their considerations of benefits and harms;
mixing with benefits is untrustworthy, mixing with harms can be resolved.
Thus, to subdue the feudal lords with harm, to employ the feudal lords with work, to entice the feudal lords with benefits.
Thus, the method of warfare is not to rely on their not coming, but to rely on having something to wait for;
not to rely on their not attacking, but to rely on having something that cannot be attacked.
Thus, there are five dangers for a commander:
certain death can be killed;
certain survival can be captured;
anger and haste can be insulted;
integrity can be humiliated;
love for the people can be troublesome.
All five of these are the faults of the commander and the disasters of the military.
Overturning the army and killing the commander must be based on these five dangers; they cannot be overlooked.
Marching#
Sun Tzu said:
In all military deployments, when facing the enemy:
To cross mountains, rely on valleys; to see the living, stay high; do not ascend when descending, this is the military of the mountains.
To cross water, one must go far; if the enemy comes from the water, do not meet them in the water, let them half cross and then strike, this is advantageous;
if you wish to battle, do not attach to the water and meet the enemy;
to see the living, stay high, do not meet the flowing water, this is the military of the waters.
To cross marshes, one must leave quickly without lingering;
if you engage the army in the marshes, you must rely on the water and grass and turn your back on the trees, this is the military of the marshes.
Flat land is easy to deploy, while the right side is high, the front is death, and the back is life, this is the military of flat land.
All these four military advantages are why the Yellow Emperor defeated the Four Emperors.
In all armies, they prefer high ground and despise low ground, value the sunny side and devalue the shady side, nurture life and occupy the solid; an army without a hundred ailments is called certain victory.
In hilly areas, one must occupy the sunny side and turn their back on it.
This is the advantage of the military, the assistance of the land.
When it rains, the water flows; if one wishes to cross, wait until it settles.
In all terrains, there are steep ravines, heavenly wells, heavenly prisons, heavenly nets, heavenly traps, and heavenly gaps; one must leave quickly and not approach.
If I stay far away, the enemy will approach; if I welcome them, the enemy will turn their back.
When marching, if there are dangers, swamps, reeds, mountains, forests, or thickets, one must carefully search for them, as this is where ambushes are located.
If the enemy is close and quiet, they rely on their dangers;
if they are far and challenging, they want the people to advance;
where they are easy to occupy is advantageous;
if many trees are moving, they are coming;
if many grasses are obstructing, they are suspicious;
if birds rise, they are ambushing;
if beasts are frightened, they are ambushed;
if dust rises sharply, chariots are coming;
if low and wide, infantry are coming;
if scattered and clear, they are woodcutters;
if few and coming and going, they are military camps.
If they speak humbly and increase their preparations, they are advancing;
if they speak strongly and advance aggressively, they are retreating;
if light chariots come out first to their side, they are forming;
if they come without agreement and ask for peace, they are scheming;
if they rush and set up their chariots, they are signaling;
if they advance and retreat halfway, they are luring.
If they lean on their staffs, they are hungry;
if they draw water and drink first, they are thirsty;
if they see benefits and do not advance, they are fatigued;
if birds gather, they are empty;
if they call at night, they are fearful;
if the army is disturbed, the commander is not heavy;
if banners move, they are confused;
if officials are angry, they are weary;
if horses are restless and the army has no hanging banners, they are desperate;
if they speak softly and gently, they are losing the crowd;
if rewards are frequent, they are in distress;
if punishments are frequent, they are in trouble;
if they are aggressive first and then fear the crowd, this is the extreme of incompetence;
if they come to apologize, they wish to rest;
if the army is angry and meets them, and they do not unite for a long time, nor do they separate, they must be carefully observed.
The military does not benefit from being numerous; it only requires no weapons to advance, enough to combine strength, assess the enemy, and capture people.
Only those who are untroubled and can easily defeat the enemy will surely capture them.
If soldiers have not yet attached and are punished, they will not obey; if soldiers have already attached and punishment does not proceed, they cannot be used.
Thus, command them with civility, align them with military discipline, this is called certain capture.
If you command those with good conduct to teach the people, then the people will obey;
if you command those without good conduct to teach the people, then the people will not obey.
Command those with good conduct, and they will align with the crowd.
Terrain#
Sun Tzu said:
Terrain has passable areas, hanging areas, supporting areas, narrow areas, dangerous areas, and distant areas.
I can go, and the enemy can come, this is passable;
the passable terrain is to occupy the high sunny side first, benefiting the supply routes, and in battle, it is advantageous.
If I can go but cannot return, this is hanging;
the hanging terrain is where the enemy is unprepared, and I can emerge and defeat them;
if the enemy is prepared, I cannot emerge and will not win, making it difficult to return, which is disadvantageous.
If I emerge and it is disadvantageous, and the enemy emerges and it is disadvantageous, this is supporting;
the supporting terrain is where the enemy may benefit me, but I cannot emerge;
lead them away and let the enemy half emerge and then strike, this is advantageous.
The narrow terrain is where I occupy first, and I must fill it to await the enemy;
if the enemy occupies it first, I must not fill it and follow them.
The dangerous terrain is where I occupy first, and I must occupy the high sunny side to await the enemy;
if the enemy occupies it first, lead them away and do not follow.
The distant terrain is where the forces are equal, making it difficult to challenge, and fighting is disadvantageous.
All six of these are the principles of the land;
the commander's responsibilities cannot be overlooked.
Thus, the military has fleeing, rushing, trapping, collapsing, chaos, and retreating.
All six of these are not disasters from heaven, but faults of the commander.
When the forces are equal, one can strike ten, this is fleeing;
when the soldiers are strong and the officials are weak, this is rushing;
when the officials are strong and the soldiers are weak, this is trapping;
when the high officials are angry and do not obey, encountering the enemy and fighting themselves, the commander does not know their abilities, this is collapsing;
when the commander is weak and not strict, the teachings are unclear, the officials and soldiers are inconsistent, and the formations are chaotic, this is chaos;
when the commander cannot assess the enemy, using the few to engage the many, using the weak to strike the strong, and the military has no chosen edge, this is retreating.
All six of these are the paths to defeat;
the commander's responsibilities cannot be overlooked.
The terrain is the assistance of the military.
Assessing the enemy and achieving victory, calculating dangers and distances, is the way of the upper generals.
Knowing this and using warfare will surely lead to victory; not knowing this and using warfare will surely lead to defeat.
Thus, the path of warfare must lead to victory; if the ruler says no battle, there must be a battle;
if the path of warfare does not lead to victory, if the ruler says there must be a battle, there can be no battle.
Thus, when advancing, do not seek fame; when retreating, do not avoid blame; only the people are to be protected, and benefits align with the ruler, which is the treasure of the state.
View the soldiers as infants, thus they can be led into deep streams;
view the soldiers as beloved children, thus they can be led to die together.
If one is thick but cannot command, loves but cannot order, is chaotic but cannot govern, it is like a spoiled child, and cannot be used.
To know that my soldiers can strike, but not knowing that the enemy cannot be struck, is half the victory;
to know that the enemy can be struck, but not knowing that my soldiers cannot be struck, is half the victory;
to know that the enemy can be struck, to know that my soldiers can strike, but not knowing the terrain cannot be fought, is half the victory.
Thus, those who understand warfare move without confusion, act without exhaustion.
Thus it is said:
Know the enemy and know yourself, and victory will not be in danger;
know the heavens and know the earth, and victory will not be exhausted.
Nine Terrains#
Sun Tzu said:
In warfare,
there are scattered terrains, light terrains, contested terrains,
intersecting terrains, thoroughfares, and heavy terrains,
blocked terrains, besieged terrains, and desperate terrains.
The feudal lords fight for their own lands, which is scattered terrain;
entering the enemy's land but not deep is light terrain;
where I gain benefits and the enemy also gains benefits is contested terrain;
where I can go and the enemy can come is intersecting terrain;
the lands of the feudal lords belong to three categories; the one who arrives first and gains the multitude of the world is thoroughfare;
entering the enemy's land deeply, with many cities behind is heavy terrain;
traveling through mountains, forests, dangers, and marshes, all difficult paths are blocked terrain;
where entry is narrow, where return is indirect, and where the few can strike my many is besieged terrain;
where swift battles lead to survival and slow battles lead to death is desperate terrain.
Thus,
in scattered terrain, there is no battle; in light terrain, there is no stopping; in contested terrain, there is no attacking;
in intersecting terrain, there is no severing; in thoroughfare, there is combined intersection; in heavy terrain, there is plundering;
in blocked terrain, there is movement; in besieged terrain, there is strategy; in desperate terrain, there is battle.
The so-called ancient masters of warfare,
can make the enemy's front and back not connect, the many and few not rely on each other, the rich and poor not rescue each other, the upper and lower ranks not unite, the soldiers separate and do not gather, the troops unite but do not synchronize;
they act according to benefits and stop when benefits do not align.
Dare I ask: "If the enemy comes in great numbers and is well-organized, how should I wait for them?"
It is said: "First seize what they love, and then they will listen."
The nature of warfare is to act swiftly, to take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness, to attack where they are not vigilant.
In all matters of being a guest,
if one goes deep, they are focused, and the host cannot resist;
plundering in abundant fields, the three armies are well-fed;
carefully nurture and do not tire, gather strength and energy, and strategize for the unpredictable;
if thrown without direction, even in death, they will not retreat, and in death, how can one not exert their utmost!
When soldiers are deeply trapped, they are fearless; when there is nowhere to go, they are steadfast;
if they go deep, they are constrained, and if they must fight, they will.
Thus, their soldiers are not trained and yet are vigilant, do not seek and yet gain, do not agree and yet are close, do not command and yet are trusted, banish omens and dispel doubts, and until death, they have nowhere to go.
My soldiers have no surplus wealth, not because of avarice; they have no surplus life, not because of a desire for longevity.
When the day of mobilization arrives, the soldiers sitting have tears on their collars, and those lying down have tears on their cheeks.
If thrown without direction, they are like the brave of the army.
Thus, those who are good at warfare are like the swift snake;
strike the head, and the tail arrives; strike the tail, and the head arrives; strike the middle, and both head and tail arrive.
Dare I ask: "Can the army be made to act like the swift snake?" It is said: "Yes."
When the Wu people and the Yue people are at odds, when they are in the same boat and encounter wind, their rescue is like the left and right hands.
Thus,
if the square horse is buried in the wheel, it cannot be relied upon;
if the courage is united as one, this is the way of governance;
if both hardness and softness are obtained, this is the principle of the land.
Thus, those who are good at warfare can work together as if they are one person, and cannot be avoided.
The matters of the general:
be still in the quiet, be upright in governance;
be able to deceive the ears and eyes of the soldiers, making them unaware;
make their tasks easier, change their strategies, making people unrecognizable;
make their dwellings easy, divert their paths, making people not worry.
When leading, it is like climbing high and removing the ladder;
when leading into the lands of the feudal lords, and launching the opportunity, burning boats and breaking cauldrons, like driving a flock of sheep, driving them forward, driving them back, no one knows where to go.
Gather the multitude of the three armies and throw them into danger; this is called the matter of the general.
The changes of the nine terrains, the benefits of bending and stretching, the principles of human nature, cannot be overlooked.
In all matters of being a guest, if deep, they are focused; if shallow, they are scattered.
Leaving the country and crossing borders to mobilize is blocked terrain;
if reaching all directions, it is thoroughfare;
if entering deeply, it is heavy terrain;
if entering shallowly, it is light terrain;
if turning their back on solid fronts, it is besieged terrain;
if turning their back on the enemy, it is desperate terrain;
if there is nowhere to go, it is exhausted terrain.
Thus,
in scattered terrain, I will unify my intentions;
in light terrain, I will make them belong;
in contested terrain, I will drive them from behind;
in intersecting terrain, I will carefully guard;
in thoroughfare, I will solidify my connections;
in heavy terrain, I will continue my supplies;
in blocked terrain, I will advance my path;
in besieged terrain, I will seal their gaps;
in desperate terrain, I will show them they cannot survive.
Thus, the nature of warfare is to besiege and defend; if unavoidable, then fight, if excessive, then follow.
Thus,
those who do not know the strategies of the feudal lords cannot anticipate alliances;
those who do not know the shapes of mountains, forests, dangers, and marshes cannot march;
those who do not use local guides cannot gain the advantage of the land.
Those who do not know the four or five cannot know one, and are not the armies of kings and hegemons.
The armies of kings and hegemons, when attacking great nations, cannot gather their multitude;
when their power is imposed on the enemy, their alliances cannot unite.
Thus, not engaging in the alliances of the world, not nurturing the powers of the world, trusting in one's own interests, imposing power on the enemy, thus their cities can be taken, their nations can be destroyed.
Imposing rewards without law, suspending orders without governance,
offending the multitude of the three armies is like offending one person;
offending them with matters, do not inform with words;
offending them with benefits, do not inform with harms;
throw them into a land of death and then preserve them, trap them in a land of despair and then let them live.
Thus, when the multitude is trapped in harm, they can then achieve victory or defeat.
Thus, in matters of warfare, it lies in following the enemy's intentions, aligning with the enemy's direction, and killing the general from a thousand miles away; this is called the skillful ability to accomplish matters.
Thus,
on the day of governance, break the seals and destroy the tokens, do not allow their messages to pass;
be strict in the halls and temples, to punish their matters.
When the enemy opens and closes, one must urgently enter;
first seize what they love, and subtly set a date;
trample the ink and follow the enemy, to decide the matters of battle.
Thus,
begin like a virgin, when the enemy opens; later like a fleeing rabbit, the enemy cannot refuse.