The Art of War: Sun Zi’s Military Methods

By far the longest in the Sun Zi, this chapter takes up yet again the question of different types of terrain. Here, however, the emphasis is more upon how to use one’s forces on different kinds of land than upon the different landforms themselves. Nonetheless, the tremendous amount of attention paid to topography in the Sun Zi certifies that this was a central concern of those who were responsible for the compilation. Aside from landforms, this chapter also notes the paramount importance of speed in military operations and the need for directing one’s forces toward a particular point in the enemy’s defenses, rather than indiscriminately spreading them across a broad front.

According to the method of waging war, there are the following types of terrain:¹ dispersed, easy, contested, intersecting, having a crossroads, encumbered, unfavorable, surrounded, desperate. When the feudal lords battle the enemy on their own territory, that is dispersed terrain.² When one’s forces enter the territory of the foe, but not deeply, that is easy terrain. When there is territory that is advantageous to me if I take it but is also advantageous to my foe if he takes it, that is contested terrain. When there is territory through which I may go but through which my opponent may also come, that is intersecting terrain. Where the territory of the feudal lords is triply connected,³ and where the first to arrive may gain the hosts of all under heaven, that is terrain having a crossroads. Where one’s forces enter deeply into the territory of the foe and are next to his walled cities and towns, that is encumbered terrain. Where one’s armies must march⁴ through mountains and forests, precipices and obstacles, marshes and swamps, wherever the way makes for a difficult march, that is unfavorable terrain. Where the entrance is narrow and exit is circuitous, and where the foe can strike my hosts with a small number of troops, that is surrounded terrain. Where my army will survive if we quickly do battle but will perish if we hesitate, that is desperate terrain.

I do not do battle on dispersed terrain;⁵ I do not linger on easy terrain; I do not attack on contested terrain; I do not break off communications on intersecting terrain; I maintain diplomatic linkages on terrain having a crossroads; I pillage on encumbered terrain; I march swiftly through unfavorable terrain; I formulate plans on surrounded terrain; I do battle on desperate terrain.⁶

The so-called⁷ ancients who were skilled at waging war could cause the men of the enemy to be unable to link up front and rear, the hosts and the smaller units to be unable to rely on each other, the nobles and the commoners to be unable to aid each other, the superiors and inferiors to be unable to cohere, the troops to separate and be unable to regroup, the soldiers who come together to do so unevenly.⁸

The way of a “guest”¹¹ army is to enter deeply into the territory of the enemy and to concentrate one’s forces so that the “host”¹² may not “conquer the guest.” Pillage in the rich countryside, so that the three armies will have enough to eat. Carefully nourish your soldiers and do not make them weary, so that they may conserve their energy and build up their strength. When you put your forces in motion, do so with calculated planning, so that the enemy will not be able to discern your aims.

Throw your forces into positions from which there is no outlet; there they may die, but they will not be put to rout. Since they are ready for death, the officers and men will exert themselves to the utmost. The soldiers and their officers will fear no pitfall whatever, so no matter where they go they will hold firm. Though they may enter deep into enemy territory, they will maintain their resolve and fight to the end if there is no other alternative.

such forces will be vigilant even without drilling; will fulfill their duties without being importuned; will assist each other without being compelled; will be trustworthy without being ordered. If you prohibit talk of omens and banish doubts, the troops will go anywhere, even unto death.

My officers getting rid of their extra belongings is not because they detest material goods; their willingness to give up the remainder of their allotted life span is not because they detest longevity. On the day when the order to set forth to war is issued, one’s officers and troops may sit weeping till their lapels are soaked with tears, and they may lie on their backs with tears streaming down their cheeks. But when you throw them into positions from which there is no outlet, they will be as brave as Zhuan Zhu and Cao Gui.¹³

he who is skilled at waging war may be compared to Shuairan. Shuairan is the name of a snake that lives on Mt. Heng.¹⁴ If you strike its head, the tail will come at you; if you strike its tail, the head will come at you; if you strike it in the middle, both the head and the tail will come at you.¹⁵

I make bold to ask, “Can armed forces be made to behave like Shuairan?” Answer: “Yes. The people of Wu and the people of Yue dislike each other, but if they encounter a storm when crossing a river in the same boat, they will help each other like someone’s left and right hand.”¹⁶

if you tether your horses in lines and bury the wheels of your chariots in the soil, this is not a reliable method for keeping them in formation. If you want your brave warriors to act in concert as one, it is a matter of exercising leadership; to make the most of both the hard and the soft, it is a question of utilizing the different types of terrain.

he who is skilled at waging war leads his army by the hand as easily as if he were dispatching a single person. It is because he places them in a situation where they have no alternative but to act in unison.¹⁷

Generalship requires calmness and reserve, correctness and control. The general should stupefy¹⁸ the eyes and ears of his officers and troops, so that they will have no knowledge.¹⁹ Change your affairs, alter your plans, so that the people will have no recognition.²⁰ Change your dwelling, make your path circuitous, so that the people will not be concerned about them.

If the commander has an agreement with his army, it is as though they climbed high up and he pulled the ladder out from under them.²¹ When he leads his army deep into the territory of the feudal lords, he releases his men as though he were pulling the trigger²² of a crossbow. He burns his army’s boats and destroys their cauldrons.²³ He drives them as if they were a herd of goats; he drives them this way and that, but they know not where they are going. He assembles the hosts of his three armies and throws them into precarious places; this is the business of a general.

When one leads his army out of his own kingdom and crosses over the border, he is said to have entered inaccessible terrain. Where there are thoroughfares leading in all four directions, that is terrain having a crossroads. Where one enters deeply, that is encumbered terrain. Where one enters shallowly, that is easy terrain. Where one has his back to solid landforms and it is narrow in front, that is surrounded terrain. Where there is no outlet, that is desperate terrain.

on dispersed terrain I shall unify their will; on easy terrain I shall cause my troops to maintain a command structure; on contested terrain I shall rush to the rear; on intersecting terrain I shall guard it carefully; on terrain with crossroads I shall solidify my ties with the feudal lords; on encumbered terrain I shall ensure a strong supply of grain; on unfavorable terrain I shall pass along the path quickly; on surrounded terrain I shall seal up the openings; on desperate terrain I shall reveal the spirit of being ready to give up one’s life.²⁴

the emotions of one’s soldiers are such that, when surrounded, they will resist the enemy; when they have no alternative, they will fight to the death; when they have crossed over into perilous territory, they will follow my commands.

he who does not know the plans of the feudal lords should not forge diplomatic ties with them.²⁵ He who does not know the forms of mountains and forests, precipices and obstacles, and marshes and swamps should not march an army. He who does not use local guides cannot obtain the advantages of the different types of terrain. If one does not know the advantages and disadvantages of even a single one of the four plus five,²⁶ he cannot be the leader of the forces of a hegemon king. The forces of a hegemon king can chastise the great states, so that they will not be able to assemble their hosts; they can intimidate the enemy so that he will not be able to forge ties with other states.

do not compete in forging alliances with all under heaven, do not expand your authority throughout all under heaven. Trust in your own power and use it to intimidate the enemy.

you will be able to uproot his cities and destroy his state. Offer rewards that exceed the legal limits; deliver orders that go beyond administrative norms—you will be able to drive the hosts of the three armies as though you were directing a single man. Drive them to carry out tasks, but don’t tell them the reasons why; drive them with advantages, but don’t tell them the disadvantages—if you throw them upon forsaken terrain, they will still survive; if you sink them in desperate terrain,²⁷ they will still live. Even if one’s hosts sink in disadvantage, they can still overcome defeat.

the matter of war lies in pretending to go along with the enemy’s intention while directing your forces at a single spot in his perimeter. Thus you will be able to kill one of his generals, even at a distance of a thousand tricents. This is called “using cleverness to achieve great things.”

on the day when war is declared, seal the passes and abrogate contracts. Cut off communications with the enemy’s emissaries. Hone your calculations in the temple²⁸ in order to assess the matter at hand. If there are any gaps in the enemy’s defenses, you must exploit them immediately. First occupy that which the enemy favors most; do not enter into any agreements with him. Before laying down any guidelines, adjust to the circumstances of the enemy to determine the affairs of battle.²⁹