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Sun Zi's Art of War was written by Sun Wu in the final year of the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC - 476BC).
It is not only the oldest Chinese military work in existence but also the oldest book of military theory in the world, well-known for a long time in the history of the military academy in China and abroad.
Sun Zi's Art of War has altogether 13 chapters. Both concise and comprehensive, this book sum up the experience of ancient wars, bring to light the many laws of war which are of universal significance.

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Sun Zi Bing Fa Sun Tzu on the Art of War - X. Terrain - di xing pian di shi

原文：

dì xíng piān dì shí
地 形   篇   第 十 

sūn zi yuē : dì xíng yŏu tōng zhĕ , yŏu guà zhĕ , yŏu zhī zhĕ ,
孙  子 曰  ： 地 形   有  通   者  ， 有  挂  者  ， 有  支  者  ，
yŏu ài zhĕ , yŏu xiăn zhĕ , yŏu yuăn zhĕ . wŏ ké yí wăng , bĭ ké
有  隘 者  ， 有  险   者  ， 有  远   者  。 我 可 以 往   ， 彼 可
yĭ lái , yuē tōng . tōng xíng zhĕ , xiān jū gāo yáng , lì liáng
以 来  ， 曰  通   。 通   形   者  ， 先   居 高  阳   ， 利 粮   
dào,yĭ zhàn zé lì. ké yí wăng , nán yĭ făn,yuē guà .guà xíng
道  ， 以 战   则 利 。 可 以 往   ， 难  以 返  ， 曰  挂  。 挂  形  
zhĕ ,dí wú bèi,chū ér shèng zhī;dí ruò yŏu bèi ,chū ér bú shèng ,
者  ，敌 无 备  ，出  而 胜    之  ；敌 若  有  备  ， 出  而 不 胜    ，
nán yĭ făn , bú lì . wŏ chū ér bú lì, bĭ chū ér bú lì , yuē zhī .
难  以 返  ， 不 利 。 我 出  而 不 利 ， 彼 出  而 不 利 ， 曰  支  。
zhī xíng zhĕ ,dí suī lì wŏ ,wŏ wú chū yĕ ;yĭn ér qù zhī,lìng dí
支  形   者  ， 敌 虽  利 我 ， 我 无 出  也 ； 引  而 去 之  ， 令   敌
bàn chū ér jī zhī , lì . ài xíng zhĕ ,wŏ xiān jū zhī ,bì yíng zhī
半  出  而 击 之  ， 利 。 隘 形   者  ， 我 先   居 之  ， 必 盈   之 
yĭ dài dí. ruò dí xiān jū zhī, yíng ér wù cóng, bù yíng ér cóng
以 待  敌 。 若  敌 先   居 之  ， 盈   而 勿 从   ， 不 盈   而 从
zhī . xiăn xíng zhĕ , wŏ xiān jū zhī, bì jū gāo yáng yĭ dài dí ;
之  。 险   形   者  ， 我 先   居 之  ， 必 居 高  阳   以 待  敌 ；
ruò dí xiān jū zhī , yĭn ér qù zhī , wù cóng yĕ . yuăn xíng zhĕ ,
若  敌 先   居 之  ， 引  而 去 之  ， 勿 从   也 。 远   形   者  ，
shì jūn , nán yĭ tiăo zhàn ,zhàn ér bú lì .fán cĭ liù zhĕ ,dì zhī
势  均  ， 难  以 挑   战   ， 战   而 不 利 。 凡  此 六  者  ， 地 之
dào yĕ , jiāng zhī zhì rèn , bù kĕ bù chá yĕ .
道  也 ， 将    之  至  任  ， 不 可 不 察  也 。
　 　
gù bīng yŏu zŏu zhĕ, yŏu chí zhĕ , yŏu xiàn zhĕ, yŏu bēng zhĕ ,
故 兵   有  走  者  ， 有  驰  者  ， 有  陷   者  ， 有  崩   者  ，
yŏu luàn zhĕ ,yŏu bĕi zhĕ .fán cĭ liù zhĕ,fēi tiān zhī zāi ,jiāng
有  乱   者  ， 有  北  者  。 凡  此 六  者  ， 非  天   之  灾  ， 将   
zhī guò yĕ . fū shì jūn ,yĭ yì jī shí, yuē zŏu ;zú qiáng lì ruò ,
之  过  也 。 夫 势  均  ， 以 一 击 十  ， 曰  走  ； 卒 强    吏 弱  ，
yuē chí ; lì qiáng zú ruò ,yuē xiàn ;dà lì nù ér bù fú ,yù dí duì
曰  驰  ； 吏 强    卒 弱  ， 曰  陷   ； 大 吏 怒 而 不 服 ， 遇 敌 怼
ér zì zhàn , jiāng bù zhī qí néng , yuē bēng ; jiāng ruò bù yán ,
而 自 战   ， 将    不 知  其 能   ， 曰  崩   ； 将    弱  不 严  ，
jiāo dào bù míng , lì zú wú cháng, chén bīng zòng héng , yuē luàn ;
教   道  不 明   ， 吏 卒 无 常    ， 陈   兵   纵   横   ， 曰  乱   ；
jiàng bù néng liào dí ,yĭ shăo hé zhòng ,yĭ ruò jī qiáng ,bīng wú
将    不 能   料   敌 ， 以 少   合 众    ， 以 弱  击 强    ， 兵   无
xuăn fēng , yuē bĕi. fán cĭ liù zhĕ , bài zhī dào yĕ , jiāng zhī
选   锋   ， 曰  北  。 凡  此 六  者  ， 败  之  道  也 ， 将    之
zhì rèn , bù kĕ bù chá yĕ.
至  任  ， 不 可 不 察  也 。
　 　
fū dì xíng zhĕ,bīng zhī zhù yĕ .liào dí zhì shèng ,jì xiăn è  yuăn
夫 地 形   者  ， 兵   之  助  也 。 料   敌 制  胜    ， 计 险   厄 远jìn ，
shàng jiāng zhī dào yĕ . zhī cĭ ér yòng zhàn zhĕ bì shèng ,bù
近  ， 上    将    之  道  也 。 知  此 而 用   战   者  必 胜    ， 不
zhī cĭ ér yòng zhàn zhĕ bì bài . gù zhàn dào bì shèng , zhŭ yuē wú
知  此 而 用   战   者  必 败  。 故 战   道  必 胜    ， 主  曰  无
zhàn,bì zhàn kĕ yĕ ;zhàn dào bú shèng ,zhŭ yuē bì zhàn, wú zhàn
战   ， 必 战   可 也 ； 战   道  不 胜    ， 主  曰  必 战   ， 无 战  
kĕ yĕ .gù jìn bù qiú míng, tuì bú bì zuì, wéi rén shì băo , ér
可 也 。 故 进  不 求  名   ， 退  不 避 罪  ， 惟  人  是  保  ， 而
lì hé yú zhŭ ,guó zhī băo yĕ .
利 合 于 主  ， 国  之  宝  也 。
　 　
shì zú rú yīng ér, gù ké yĭ yŭ zhī fù shēn xī ; shì zú rú ài zĭ,
视  卒 如 婴   儿 ， 故 可 以 与 之  赴 深   溪 ； 视  卒 如 爱 子 ，
gù kĕ yŭ zhī jù sĭ. hòu ér bù néng shĭ ,ài ér bù néng lìng ,luàn
故 可 与 之  俱 死 。 厚  而 不 能   使  ， 爱 而 不 能   令   ， 乱 
ér bù néng zhì ,pì ruò jiāo zĭ , bù kĕ yòng yĕ .
而 不 能   治  ， 譬 若  骄   子 ， 不 可 用   也 。
　 　
zhī wú zú zhī ké yĭ jī, ér bù zhī dí zhī bù kĕ jī, shèng zhī bàn
知  吾 卒 之  可 以 击 ， 而 不 知  敌 之  不 可 击 ， 胜    之  半
yĕ ; zhī dí zhī kĕ jī, ér bù zhī wŏ zú zhī bù ké yĭ jī ,shèng zhī
也 ； 知  敌 之  可 击 ， 而 不 知  我 卒 之  不 可 以 击 ， 胜    之 
bàn yĕ ;zhī dí zhī kĕ jī,zhī wú zú zhī ké yĭ jī ,ér bù zhī dì xíng
半  也 ； 知  敌 之  可 击 ， 知  吾 卒 之  可 以 击 ， 而 不 知  地 形  
zhī bù ké yĭ zhàn , shèng zhī bàn yĕ . gù zhī bīng zhĕ,dòng ér bù
之  不 可 以 战   ， 胜    之  半  也 。 故 知  兵   者  ， 动   而 不
mí , jŭ ér bù qióng. gù yuē : zhī bĭ zhī jĭ , shèng năi bú dài ;
迷 ， 举 而 不 穷    。 故 曰  ： 知  彼 知  己 ， 胜    乃  不 殆  ；

zhī tiān zhī dì , shèng năi bù qióng .
知  天   知  地 ， 胜    乃  不 穷    。

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Translation:(Translated from the Chinese version By LIONEL GILES, M.A. (1910))

X. TERRAIN

1. Sun Tzu said: We may distinguish six kinds of terrain, to wit: (1) Accessible ground; (2) entangling ground; (3) temporizing ground; (4) narrow passes; (5) precipitous heights; (6) positions at a great distance from the enemy.

2. Ground which can be freely traversed by both sides is called accessible.

3. With regard to ground of this nature, be before the enemy in occupying the raised and sunny spots, and carefully guard your line of supplies. Then you will be able to fight with advantage.

4. Ground which can be abandoned but is hard to re-occupy is called entangling.

5. From a position of this sort, if the enemy is unprepared, you may sally forth and defeat him. But if the enemy is prepared for your coming, and you fail to defeat him, then, return being impossible, disaster will ensue.

6. When the position is such that neither side will gain by making the first move, it is called temporizing ground.

7. In a position of this sort, even though the enemy should offer us an attractive bait, it will be advisable not to stir forth, but rather to retreat, thus enticing the enemy in his turn; then, when part of his army has come out, we may deliver our attack with advantage.

8. With regard to narrow passes, if you can occupy them first, let them be strongly garrisoned and await the advent of the enemy.

9. Should the army forestall you in occupying a pass, do not go after him if the pass is fully garrisoned, but only if it is weakly garrisoned.

10. With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up.

11. If the enemy has occupied them before you, do not follow him, but retreat and try to entice him away.

12. If you are situated at a great distance from the enemy, and the strength of the two armies is equal, it is not easy to provoke a battle, and fighting will be to your disadvantage.

13. These six are the principles connected with Earth. The general who has attained a responsible post must be careful to study them.

14. Now an army is exposed to six several calamities, not arising from natural causes, but from faults for which the general is responsible. These are: (1) Flight; (2) insubordination; (3) collapse; (4) ruin; (5) disorganization; (6) rout.

15. Other conditions being equal, if one force is hurled against another ten times its size, the result will be the flight of the former.

16. When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result is insubordination. When the officers are too strong and the common soldiers too weak, the result is collapse.

17. When the higher officers are angry and insubordinate, and on meeting the enemy give battle on their own account from a feeling of resentment, before the commander-in-chief can tell whether or no he is in a position to fight, the result is ruin.

18. When the general is weak and without authority; when his orders are not clear and distinct; when there are no fixes duties assigned to officers and men, and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner, the result is utter disorganization.

19. When a general, unable to estimate the enemy's strength, allows an inferior force to engage a larger one, or hurls a weak detachment against a powerful one, and neglects to place picked soldiers in the front rank, the result must be rout.

20. These are six ways of courting defeat, which must be carefully noted by the general who has attained a responsible post.

21. The natural formation of the country is the soldier's best ally; but a power of estimating the adversary, of controlling the forces of victory, and of shrewdly calculating difficulties, dangers and distances, constitutes the test of a great general.

22. He who knows these things, and in fighting puts his knowledge into practice, will win his battles. He who knows them not, nor practices them, will surely be defeated.

23. If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler's bidding.

24. The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.

25. Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.

26. If, however, you are indulgent, but unable to make your authority felt; kind-hearted, but unable to enforce your commands; and incapable, moreover, of quelling disorder: then your soldiers must be likened to spoilt children; they are useless for any practical purpose.

27. If we know that our own men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the enemy is not open to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory.

28. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, but are unaware that our own men are not in a condition to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory.

29. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, and also know that our men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the nature of the ground makes fighting impracticable, we have still gone only halfway towards victory.

30. Hence the experienced soldier, once in motion, is never bewildered; once he has broken camp, he is never at a loss.

31. Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.

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