雄牝城

Male and Female Cities

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雄城不可攻

Male Cities Cannot Be Attacked

城在渒澤之中，無亢山名谷，而有付丘於其四方者，雄城也，不可攻也。軍食流水，[生水也，不可攻]也。城前名谷，背亢山，雄城也，不可攻也。城中高外下者，雄城也，不可攻也。城中有付丘者，雄城也，不可攻也。

A city situated in a marsh, with no high mountains or notable valleys but with supporting hills on all four sides — this is a male city and cannot be attacked. An army supplied by flowing water — [this is living water and cannot be attacked]. A city with notable valleys in front and a high mountain behind — this is a male city and cannot be attacked. A city that is high in the center and low on the outside — this is a male city and cannot be attacked. A city that has supporting hills within — this is a male city and cannot be attacked.

Notes

1context

The 'male' (雄) and 'female' (牝) city classification uses yin-yang cosmology to categorize fortifications. 'Male' cities possess yang characteristics — height, elevation, commanding terrain, flowing water — that make them inherently strong. The term 雄 (male/dominant) implies a position of natural strength, while 牝 (female/submissive) implies vulnerability. This is one of the earliest systematic treatments of siege assessment in military literature.

牝城可擊

Female Cities Can Be Struck

營軍趣舍，毋回名水，傷氣弱志，可擊也。城背名谷，無亢山其左右，虛城也，可擊也。□盡燒者，死壤也，可擊也。軍食泛水者，死水也，可擊也。城在發澤中，無名谷付丘者，牝城也，可擊也。城在亢山間，無名谷付丘者，牝城也，可擊也。城前亢山，背名谷，前高后下者，牝城也，可擊也。

When an army camps and quarters with its back to notable waters — this damages morale and weakens resolve, and the army can be struck. A city with its back to a notable valley and no high mountains on its left or right — this is a hollow city and can be struck. [Land that has been] completely burned — this is dead ground and can be struck. An army supplied by stagnant water — this is dead water and can be struck. A city in a spreading marsh with no notable valleys or supporting hills — this is a female city and can be struck. A city between high mountains with no notable valleys or supporting hills — this is a female city and can be struck. A city with high mountains in front and notable valleys behind, high in front and low in the rear — this is a female city and can be struck.

Notes

1context

The criteria for identifying vulnerable ('female') cities are the inverse of the 'male' criteria: stagnant water instead of flowing, low rear instead of high, lack of supporting terrain features. The practical implication is a pre-battle checklist for determining whether to commit to a siege — a decision that could consume months and entire armies if miscalculated.

Edition & Source

Text: 《孫臏兵法》 Sun Bin Bingfa
Edition: 中華古詩文古書籍網 transcription (Yinqueshan bamboo strips reconstruction)
Commentary: Modern reconstruction from 1972 Yinqueshan tomb excavation