Sun Tzu's Art of War: A New Translation

Author: Li Xingbin et al. Translated and Annotated by: Li Xingbin, Yang Ling
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Publishing Date: 2001-06-01
Features: The fourth book of the "Military Forms" primarily discusses how to achieve the goal of "self-preservation and complete victory" by skillfully using the two basic forms of combat—attack and defense—based on the strengths and weaknesses of both the enemy and oneself. Sun Tzu believed that whether an enemy could be defeated depends on the enemy, while whether one can be defeated depends on oneself. Therefore, the war strategist should first create conditions that prevent the enemy from defeating them and seize opportunities when the enemy can be defeated (i.e., "stand in an invincible position without losing the enemy's chance of defeat"). Sun Tzu pointed out that "victorious armies" always "seek victory before engaging in battle," while "defeated armies" always "engage in battle before seeking victory." Meanwhile, "rectifying the way" and "preserving methods" are key to "standing in an invincible position." The term "Form" () carries meanings such as image and form, referring to all objective, visible, and relatively stable factors related to strength in warfare. The discussion in this chapter primarily addresses how material conditions and preparations decisively influence the outcome of war, hence the name "Form."
Sun Tzu said: "In ancient times, the skilled warriors first created an invincible position and then awaited the enemy's vulnerability. The invincibility lies with oneself, while the vulnerability lies with the enemy. Therefore, skilled warriors can create an invincible position but cannot force the enemy to be inevitably vulnerable. Thus, it is said: Victory can be known but not forced. The invincible is defense; the vulnerable is offense. In defense, there is (insufficiency)[sufficiency]; in offense, there is (sufficiency)[insufficiency]①. The skilled defender hides in the depths of the nine earths②; the skilled attacker moves in the heights of the nine heavens④, thus achieving self-preservation and complete victory."① In this sentence, the original text and the bamboo slip version are reversed, but the meaning is still clear. ② The "Nine Earths": Contrasted with the "Nine Heavens," it describes the deepest parts of the earth. One interpretation suggests it refers to the star regions corresponding to the nine palaces of the heavens, also known as the "Nine Fields." In this case, it refers not to depth but to breadth. ③ The bamboo slip version does not include these three characters. However, based on the context, they should be present, so they remain unchanged. ④ The "Nine Heavens": Describes the highest parts of the sky. One interpretation suggests it refers to the heavens divided into nine regions according to the nine palaces.
Sun Tzu said: "In ancient times, the skilled warriors in battle first ensured they could not be defeated and then awaited the opportunity to defeat the enemy. The invincibility of oneself depends entirely on oneself, while the vulnerability of the enemy depends on the enemy. Therefore, skilled warriors can create conditions for invincibility but cannot force the enemy to be inevitably defeated. Thus, it is said: Victory can be known but not forced. To avoid being defeated, one must defend skillfully; when the enemy presents an opportunity for defeat, one must strike promptly. [When the strength is fixed], adopting a defensive stance will give the impression of sufficiency in strength; adopting an offensive stance will give the impression of insufficiency. The skilled defender hides as if in the depths of the nine earths, [making the enemy unable to find them]; the skilled attacker moves as if descending from the heights of the nine heavens, [catching the enemy off guard]. Thus, they can both protect themselves and achieve complete victory."
To anticipate victory beyond what ordinary people can see does not qualify as the highest level of skill. To win battles and have the world praise it does not qualify as the highest level of skill. Therefore, lifting a hair does not prove great strength; seeing the sun and moon does not prove sharp vision; hearing thunder does not prove keen hearing. The ancient skilled warriors in battle achieved victory by defeating those who were already vulnerable. Therefore, the skilled warrior, after winning, neither boasts of wisdom nor of bravery. Yet, their victories are never in error. "In error" means that the measures they take place to ensure the enemy's defeat, making it certain that the enemy is bound to lose. Thus, the skilled warrior always stands in an invincible position and does not miss the enemy's moment of defeat. Therefore, the victorious army seeks victory before engaging in battle, while the defeated army engages in battle before seeking victory. The skilled warrior in battle cultivates rectitude, strengthens internal unity, and ensures the implementation of laws and regulations, thus becoming the master of victory and defeat.
The five criteria for judging victory in warfare are: "measure," "quantity," "number," "comparison," and "victory." The differences in the territory of the enemy and oneself give rise to different land areas; different land areas give rise to different quantities of material resources; different quantities of material resources give rise to different numbers of troops; different numbers of troops give rise to different strengths of military power; and different strengths of military power give rise to different outcomes of victory. Therefore, the victorious army is like weighing a yin (576 units) against a zhu (1 unit), while the defeated army is like weighing a zhu against a yin. In a strength comparison, the victorious army uses its people to fight as if diverting the waters of a mountain stream from a thousand-foot cliff—this is "Form"!
To advance and make the enemy unable to resist is to strike at their emptiness. To retreat and make the enemy unable to pursue is to move swiftly and escape their reach. Therefore, if I wish to fight, even if the enemy has high ramparts and deep ditches, they will be forced to fight because I attack where they must come to aid. If I do not wish to fight, even if I mark the ground and defend it②, the enemy will not be able to fight me because I mislead them and divert their direction③.② Marking the ground and defending it refers to defending without walls or fortifications, making it seem extremely easy. ③ To mislead the enemy and divert their direction. "" (jiao) means to deceive or mislead, anciently pronounced "miao," which is synonymous with "" (miao), meaning "error." "" (guai) and "" (miao) are mutually explanatory in meaning.
To make the enemy unable to resist when advancing is to strike at their emptiness. To make the enemy unable to pursue when retreating is to move swiftly and escape their reach. Therefore, if I wish to fight, even if the enemy has high ramparts and deep ditches, they will be forced to fight because I attack where they must come to aid. If I do not wish to fight, even if I mark the ground and defend it, the enemy will not be able to fight me because I mislead them and divert their direction.
Thus, to make the enemy's form visible while keeping one's own form invisible, one's forces will be concentrated while the enemy's will be divided. When one's forces are concentrated against a single enemy, it becomes a case of ten attacking one. Thus, one's forces will appear strong while the enemy's will appear weak. When one can strike the weak with the strong, the enemy one faces will be fewer. The location of battle is unknown to the enemy, and the more unknown, the more places the enemy must defend. The more places the enemy defends, the fewer enemies one faces. Therefore, defending the front weakens the rear; defending the rear weakens the front; defending the left weakens the right; defending the right weakens the left. Defending everywhere makes one weak everywhere. Weakness comes from passively defending everywhere; strength comes from actively making the enemy defend oneself.
Thus, knowing the place and day of battle allows one to march a thousand miles to engage in battle. Not knowing the place or day of battle will leave the left unable to aid the right, the right unable to aid the left, the front unable to aid the rear, and the rear unable to aid the front—let alone distances of tens of miles or just a few miles? Based on my judgment, even if the Yue people have a large army, how does that help in winning? Therefore, it is said: Victory can be achieved. Even if the enemy has many troops, one can make them unable to fight.
Thus, by analyzing the enemy's situation, one can understand the gains and losses of their plans; by provoking the enemy and making them act, one can discover their patterns of movement; by showing form to the enemy and luring them into revealing their intentions, one can observe the dangers and advantages of the terrain; by engaging in small-scale confrontations with the enemy, one can understand the strengths and weaknesses of their troop deployment. Therefore, when feigning form reaches its extreme, one can become invisible. When invisible, even the deepest spies cannot discern one's intentions, and even the wisest enemy cannot counter us. By defeating the enemy according to the specific situation and presenting this victory to the public, even the public cannot understand its intricacies. People know how one defeats the enemy, but they do not know why one can defeat the enemy using that method. Thus, each victory is not repeated, but adapts infinitely to the changing circumstances.
① To analyze: To analyze the enemy's plans based on objective conditions. ② To provoke: To provoke the enemy into action. ③ To show form: To display one's intentions to the enemy. ④ To engage: To test the enemy, referring to probe attacks to understand their troop deployment. ⑤ Not to repeat victory: Strategic and tactical flexibility, where each victory is achieved differently.