Sun Tzu's Art of War: Collected Annotations

Author: Huang Pumin et al. / Country:
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Publishing Date: 2002-12-01
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Mao Gong Chapter: Cao Cao said: "To attack an enemy, one must first strategize." Li Qian said: "Combining formations for battle, besieging a city is called attack; thus this chapter follows 'Battle' in order." Du Mu said: "On the imperial court, calculations are set, war equipment and grain expenses are fully prepared, one can then strategize for attack. Therefore, it is called 'Strategic Attack.'" Wang Xi said: "Strategizing against an enemy's advantages and disadvantages should employ the whole strategy to take them, not just rely on attacking their troops and cities." Zhang Yu said: "When calculations are set, war equipment is gathered, one can then use wisdom to attack, hence it follows 'Operating the Army.'" Sun Tzu said: "In all military strategies, subjugating the entire nation is superior, followed by breaking it." Cao Cao said: "Raising troops and advancing deep, separating them from their city walls, cutting off their internal and external connections, if the enemy submits with the whole nation, it is superior; if defeated and taken, it is the next best." Li Qian said: "It does not value killing. Han Xin captured King Bao of Wei, took Xia Yue, and executed Cheng'an Jun—this is breaking a nation. Later, by using Guangwu Jun's strategy, turning north to the road of Yan, sending a single messenger with a short letter, Yan followed like the wind—this is subjugating the entire nation." Jia Lin said: "Subjugating the entire nation, and our own nation remaining whole, is superior." Du You said: "If the enemy nation submits, it is superior; if defeated, it is the next best." Wang Xi said: "Like Han Xin's subjugation of Yan." He Shi said: "Using strategy and momentum to make the enemy submit their entire nation is the best strategy." Zhang Yu said: "The 'Wu Liezi' says: 'Discussing military affairs and assessing the enemy makes their morale decline and the army disperse. Even if they appear intact, they are useless—this is victory through strategy. Breaking an army and killing a general, seizing fortifications and triggering mechanisms, gathering troops to seize land—this is victory through force.' Thus, strategy victory and force victory refer to subjugating and breaking a nation. For mourning the people and punishing the guilty, complete victory is superior; if and it comes to breaking, it is the next best."
Form Chapter: Cao Cao said: "The form of the army." When we move, they respond; the two enemies observe each other—this is the situation. Li Qian said: "Form refers to the shapes of the host and guest, attack and defense, eight formations, five camps, yin and yang, and front and back. Du Mu said: "Seeing the situation through the form. Without form, the situation is dense; with form, the situation is loose; dense means victory, loose means defeat." Wang Xi said: "Form refers to a fixed shape, meaning the strengths and weaknesses of the two enemies have a fixed shape. A skilled commander can change their form and use the enemy to achieve victory." Zhang Yu said: "The form of two armies attacking and defending. Concealed, it is unknown to others; revealed, the enemy exploits it. The form manifests through attack and defense, hence it follows 'Strategic Attack.'" (Note: The chapter title in the Han bamboo slips was "Xing" (), which is an ancient character for "Xing" (). The Wu Jing edition was titled "Military Form.") Sun Tzu said: "The ancient skilled warriors first created invincibility. Zhang Yu said: "This refers to knowing oneself." (Note: In the Han bamboo slips, there is no "" after ".") To wait for the enemy's vulnerability. Mei Yaojun said: "Conceal the form, govern internally, and wait for their emptiness and exhaustion." Zhang Yu said: "This refers to knowing the enemy. Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability is in the enemy." Cao Cao said: "Self-repair and wait for the enemy's emptiness and exhaustion." Li Qian said: "A skilled commander: when defending, digs deep walls, prepares abundant military provisions, trains well; when attacking a city, uses frames, cloud ladders, earth mounds, and underground tunnels. Formations are in mountains and hills, with isolated backs and hollow fronts, attacking from doubt and the south, from intervals. A skilled commander's pincer-like formations are connected, with the head and tail responding—this is invincibility. A skilled commander can create invincibility but cannot force the enemy to be vulnerable. Therefore, it is said: 'Victory can be known but not forced; invincibility is defense; vulnerability is attack.' These are the principles of vulnerability.
Terrain Chapter: Cao Cao said: "To fight, one must examine the terrain to establish victory." Li Qian said: "After the army departs, the terrain may change. Wang Xi said: "Favorable terrain should be known for dangers, narrow passes, branching paths, and hanging valleys." Zhang Yu said: "When the army moves, first observe the mountain and river formations within fifty miles to detect hidden troops. The general then inspects the terrain's advantages and disadvantages, thus planning accordingly. Therefore, when leading troops across borders, examine the terrain to establish victory. Hence it follows 'Marching the Army.'" (Note: The Han bamboo slips had a chapter title of "()" in the wooden slips before "Nine Lands Chapter," seemingly the same as this chapter, but no bamboo slips of this chapter were found in the Han slips.) Sun Tzu said: "Terrain has open areas." Mei Yaojun said: "Roads intersect." Mei Yaojun said: "Net-like terrain, where movement is entangled." Mei Yaojun said: "Holding ground." Mei Yaojun said: "Narrow passes between two mountains."
The Biography of Sun Tzu: Sun Wu was from Qi. He presented his military strategies to King Hui Lu of Wu. Hui Lu said: "Your thirteen chapters, I have fully read. Can you test them with a small army?" He replied: "Yes." Hui Lu said: "Can you test them with women?" He replied: "Yes." Hui Lu agreed. He selected 180 palace beauties. Sun Wu divided them into two teams, appointing the two favorite concubines of the king as captains, all armed with spears. He ordered: "Do you understand your heart, left hand, and right hand, and back?" The women replied: "Yes." Sun Wu said: "When advancing, look at the heart; when turning left, look at the left hand; when turning right, look at the right hand; when retreating, look at the back." The women replied: "Understood." With the rules set, he placed an iron axe and repeated the orders three times and five times. Then, he beat the right drum, and the women laughed. Sun Wu said: "The rules were unclear, and the orders were not well-repeated—this is the general's fault." He repeated the orders three times and five times, then beat the left drum, and the women laughed again. Sun Wu said: "The rules were unclear, and the orders were not well-repeated—this is the general's fault. If already clear but not followed, it is the fault of the officers and soldiers." He intended to execute the two captains. From the palace balcony, King Hui Lu saw this and was alarmed, quickly sending a messenger to order: "I now know you can command an army! Without these two concubines, I cannot eat or sleep—please do not execute them." Sun Wu said: "Having accepted the command as a general, in the army, the king's orders are not always followed." He executed the two captains as an example and appointed the next in line as captains. Then, he beat the drum again, and the women knelt, stood, and moved left and right, all in perfect formation, without a word. Sun Wu sent a messenger to the king: "The army is now well-organized. You may come down to watch. As you wish, even if they plunge into water and fire, they can do so." King Hui Lu said: "General, please rest. I do not wish to come down." Sun Wu said: "You merely like the words but not the deeds." Thus, Hui Lu knew Sun Wu could command an army and appointed him as general. Sun Wu defeated the strong Chu, entered Ying, intimidated Qi and Jin in the north, and gained fame among the feudal lords, all with Sun Wu's contribution. After Sun Wu's death, over a hundred years later, Sun Bin appeared. Sun Bin was born between A and Jian, and was also a descendant of Sun Wu.
Xunzi said: "Not so. What I advocate is the army of benevolent rulers and the ambitions of kings. What the ruler values is strategy and advantage, what is practiced is attack and seizure, deception—this is the affair of feudal lords."—"Xunzi on Warfare" Within the state, everyone talks of war, and households possess books by Sun Wu and Wu Qi, yet the army grows weaker, while those who speak of war are many, but those who wear armor are few.—"Han Feizi on the Five Insects" I manage production like Yi Yin and Luo Shang's strategy, Sun Wu and Wu Qi's military tactics, and Shang Yang's laws. Therefore, those who lack wisdom for adaptation, courage for decision-making, benevolence for giving and taking, and strength for holding fast, even if they wish to learn my methods, I will not teach them.—"·," from Bai Gui's words Since then, famous scholars rose one after another, Jin used Jiu Fan, Qi used Wang Zhi, Wu used Sun Wu, clarifying military rules, ensuring rewards and punishments were trustworthy, ultimately becoming feudal lords and expanding their territories. Though they did not match the grand oaths of the Three Dynasties, they were honored by the ruler, respected by the state, and renowned in their time—can this not be called glory? How can it be compared to the ignorant scholars of later generations, who misunderstood the big picture, failed to weigh the importance, falsely claimed moral transformation, and believed war was unnecessary? Greatly, it led to the ruler's disgrace and loss of territory; smallly, it caused invasion and weakening. They stubbornly held their views unchanged!—"·" Without war, a state cannot be strong; without virtue, it cannot prosper. Huangdi, Tang, and Wu rose through war, while Jie and Zhou perished through it. Must we not be cautious? The "Sima Fa" has a long history. Taigong, Sun Wu, Wu Qi, and Wang Zhi inherited and clarified it, close to the modern era, reaching the extremes of human change.—"·" After the Spring and Autumn Period, the weak were and the small were swallowed, becoming the heroes of the Warring States. They used strategy and deception to overthrow each other. Wu had Sun Wu, Qi had Sun Bin, Wei had Wu Qi, and Qin had Shang Yang, all capturing enemies and achieving victories, recorded in books. At that time, alliances and counter-alliances were formed, armies attacked each other, alternating as the strong and weak. Qi Min was strong in martial arts; Wei Hui was powerful with his warriors; Qin Zhao was victorious with his elite soldiers. The world competed for profit, and those who spoke persuasively followed Sun Wu and Wu Qi as their guides.—"·" Sun Wu and Hui Lu were the masters of warfare. Those who knew or learned their methods would surely win in battle; those who did not understand the formations of "what to do" or the techniques of striking and thrusting, even if forced into battle, would be defeated without their methods.—"·" Cao Cao heard that in ancient times, the bow was a great weapon. The "Analects" say: "Sufficient troops." The "Book of Documents" lists eight policies as "army." The "Book of Changes" says: "When the army is virtuous, the elder is auspicious." The "Book of Songs" says: "The king is furious and attacks his army." Huangdi, Tang, and Wu all used weapons to govern the world. The "Sima Fa" says: "People kill people, and killing them is justified." Those who rely on force perish, those who rely on culture perish—Fuchai and King Yan are examples. The sage's use of war is to wait for the right time and act when necessary. I have read many military books and strategies, and Sun Wu's writings are profound! Sun Wu was from Qi, named Wu. He wrote thirteen chapters of military strategies for King Hui Lu of Wu, tested them with women, and was eventually appointed as general. He defeated the strong Chu, entered Ying, and intimidated Qi and Jin. Over a hundred years later, Sun Bin appeared, a descendant of Sun Wu. His calculations were meticulous, his plans clear, and his teachings profound—later generations did not fully understand his profound instructions, let alone the detailed and rich texts that circulated, losing their essence. Therefore, I compiled this "Brief Explanation."—"·," from Cao Cao's words