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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 -XII. The Attack by Fire - huo gong pian di shi er

原文：

huŏ gōng piān dì shí èr
火  攻   篇   第 十  二

sūn zi yuē : fán huŏ gōng yŏu wŭ : yì yuē huŏ rén , èr yuē huŏ jī ,
孙  子 曰  ： 凡  火  攻   有  五 ： 一 曰  火  人  ， 二 曰  火  积 ，
sān yuē huŏ zī , sì yuē huŏ kù , wŭ yuē huŏ duì .
三  曰  火  辎 ， 四 曰  火  库 ， 五 曰  火  队  。
　 　
xíng huŏ bì yŏu yīn,yān huŏ bì sù jù .fā huŏ yŏu shí , qí huŏ yŏu
行   火  必 有  因  ， 烟  火  必 素 具 。 发 火  有  时  ， 起 火  有
rì . shí zhĕ , tiān zhī zào yĕ . rì zhĕ , yuè zài jī 、 bì 、 yì 、
日 。 时  者  ， 天   之  燥  也 。 日 者  ， 月  在  箕 、 壁 、 翼 、
zhĕn yĕ . fán cĭ sì sù zhĕ , fēng qĭ zhī rì yĕ. fán huŏ gōng ,bì
轸   也 。 凡  此 四 宿 者  ， 风   起 之  日 也 。 凡  火  攻   ， 必
yīn wŭ huŏ zhī biàn ér yīng zhī : huŏ fā yú nèi ,zé zăo yīng zhī yú
因  五 火  之  变   而 应   之  ： 火  发 于 内  ， 则 早  应   之  于
wài;huŏ fā bīng jìng zhĕ ,dài ér wù gōng , jí qí huŏ lì , kĕ cóng
外  ； 火  发 兵   静   者  ， 待  而 勿 攻   ， 极 其 火  力 ， 可 从
ér cóng zhī , bù kĕ cóng ér zhĭ . huŏ kĕ fā yú wài , wú dài yú nèi ,
而 从   之  ， 不 可 从   而 止  。 火  可 发 于 外  ， 无 待  于 内  ，
yĭ shí fā zhī . huŏ fā shàng fēng , wú gōng xià fēng , zhòu fēng
以 时  发 之  。 火  发 上    风   ， 无 攻   下  风   ， 昼   风
jiŭ , yè fēng zhĭ fán jūn bì zhī yŏu wŭ huŏ zhī biàn ,yĭ shù shŏu
久  ， 夜 风   止。凡  军  必 知  有  五 火  之  变   ，以 数  守
zhī .
之  。
　 　
gù yĭ huŏ zuŏ gōng zhĕ míng , yĭ shuĭ zuŏ gōng zhĕ qiáng . shuĭ ké
故 以 火  佐  攻   者  明   ， 以 水   佐  攻   者  强    。 水   可
yĭ jué, bù ké yĭ duó .
以 绝  ， 不 可 以 夺  。
　 　
fū zhàn shèng gōng qŭ ér bù xiū qí gōng zhĕ xiōng , mìng yuē fèi liú .
夫 战   胜    攻   取 而 不 修  其 功   者  凶    ，命  曰  费  留  。
gù yuē : míng zhŭ lǜ zhī , liáng jiāng xiū zhī . fēi lì bú dòng,
故 曰  ： 明   主  虑 之  ， 良    将    修  之  。 非  利 不 动   ，
fēi dĕi bú yòng,fēi wēi bú zhàn .zhŭ bù ké yĭ nù ér xīng shī,jiāng
非  得  不 用   ， 非  危  不 战   。 主  不 可 以 怒 而 兴   师  ， 将
bù ké yĭ yùn ér zhì zhàn . hé yú lì ér dòng , bù hé yú lì ér zhĭ .
不 可 以 愠  而 致  战   。 合 于 利 而 动   ， 不 合 于 利 而 止  。
nù ké yĭ fù xĭ ,yùn ké yĭ fù yuè ,wáng guó bù ké yĭ fù cún ,sĭ zhĕ
怒 可 以 复 喜 ， 愠  可 以 复 悦  ， 亡   国  不 可 以 复 存  ， 死 者
bù ké yĭ fù shēng . gù míng jūn shèn zhī ,liáng jiāng jĭng zhī .cĭ
不 可 以 复 生    。 故 明   君  慎   之  ， 良    将    警   之  。 此
ān guó ān jūn zhī dào yĕ .
安 国  安 军  之  道  也 。

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

XII. THE ATTACK BY FIRE

1. Sun Tzu said: There are five ways of attacking with fire. The first is to burn soldiers in their camp; the second is to burn stores; the third is to burn baggage trains; the fourth is to burn arsenals and magazines; the fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the enemy.

2. In order to carry out an attack, we must have means available. The material for raising fire should always be kept in readiness.

3. There is a proper season for making attacks with fire, and special days for starting a conflagration.

4. The proper season is when the weather is very dry; the special days are those when the moon is in the constellations of the Sieve, the Wall, the Wing or the Cross-bar; for these four are all days of rising wind.

5. In attacking with fire, one should be prepared to meet five possible developments:

6. (1) When fire breaks out inside to enemy's camp, respond at once with an attack from without.

7. (2) If there is an outbreak of fire, but the enemy's soldiers remain quiet, bide your time and do not attack.

8. (3) When the force of the flames has reached its height, follow it up with an attack, if that is practicable; if not, stay where you are.

9. (4) If it is possible to make an assault with fire from without, do not wait for it to break out within, but deliver your attack at a favorable moment.

10. (5) When you start a fire, be to windward of it. Do not attack from the leeward.

11. A wind that rises in the daytime lasts long, but a night breeze soon falls.

12. In every army, the five developments connected with fire must be known, the movements of the stars calculated, and a watch kept for the proper days.

13. Hence those who use fire as an aid to the attack show intelligence; those who use water as an aid to the attack gain an accession of strength.

14. By means of water, an enemy may be intercepted, but not robbed of all his belongings.

15. Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise; for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.

16. Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources.

17. Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.

18. No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.

19. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are.

20. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content.

21. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.

22. Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution. This is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact.

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