地形

Sunzi said: There are six kinds of terrain: accessible, entangling, temporizing, narrow passes, precipitous, and distant.

Ground that both sides can freely traverse is called accessible. On accessible ground, occupy the sunny heights first, secure your supply lines, and fight — this is advantageous.

Ground you can advance into but cannot easily withdraw from is called entangling. On entangling ground, if the enemy is unprepared, strike and you will win. But if the enemy is prepared and you fail to win, retreat will be difficult — this is disadvantageous.

Ground where it is unfavorable for either side to advance is called temporizing. On temporizing ground, even if the enemy dangles an advantage, do not go out. Withdraw and lure the enemy halfway out, then strike — this is advantageous.

On narrow passes: if you occupy them first, you must fill them with troops and wait for the enemy. If the enemy occupies them first — if he has filled them, do not follow; if he has not filled them, follow.

On precipitous ground: if you occupy it first, you must hold the sunny heights and wait for the enemy. If the enemy occupies it first, withdraw and do not follow.

On distant ground, when forces are evenly matched, it is difficult to provoke battle, and fighting is disadvantageous.

These six are the principles of terrain. It is the general's paramount responsibility to study them carefully.

There are six calamities that befall an army: flight, insubordination, collapse, ruin, disorder, and rout. None of these six are natural disasters — they are the general's fault.

When forces are evenly matched but one attacks ten times its number, the result is flight.

When the soldiers are strong but the officers are weak, the result is insubordination.

When the officers are strong but the soldiers are weak, the result is collapse.

When senior officers are enraged and insubordinate, and on encountering the enemy rush into battle on their own authority — and the general does not know their capabilities — the result is ruin.

When the general is weak and lax, his instructions unclear, his officers and men without discipline, and his formations in disarray — the result is disorder.

When the general cannot assess the enemy, engages a larger force with a smaller one, strikes strength with weakness, and has no picked vanguard — the result is rout.

These six are the paths to defeat. It is the general's paramount responsibility to study them carefully.

Terrain is the soldier's ally. Assessing the enemy, controlling the victory, calculating the dangers and distances — this is the way of the superior general. He who knows these things and wages war will surely win; he who does not know them and wages war will surely lose.

Therefore: if the analysis of battle says you will win, you may fight even if the ruler forbids it. If the analysis says you will not win, you may refuse to fight even if the ruler commands it.

A general who advances without seeking glory, retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only concern is to protect the people and serve his lord's interests — such a man is a treasure to the state.

Treat your soldiers as infants, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys. Treat your soldiers as beloved sons, and they will stand by you unto death.

But if you are generous yet cannot command them, loving yet cannot enforce discipline, and they fall into disorder yet you cannot control them — they are like spoiled children, and cannot be used.

To know that your troops can strike but not know that the enemy cannot be struck — this is half of victory.

To know that the enemy can be struck but not know that your own troops are unable to strike — this is half of victory.

To know that the enemy can be struck and that your troops can strike, but not know that the terrain makes battle impossible — this is still only half of victory.

Therefore the one who truly understands warfare moves without confusion and acts without being confounded.

Hence the saying: know the enemy and know yourself, and your victory will never be imperiled. Know heaven and know earth, and your victory will be complete.