Learn Sun Tzu on the Art of War with eChineseLearning's best Chinese teacher!

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.

Want to know why business people like it so much? Come and learn Sun Zi's Art of War with eChineseLearning's professional teachers!

Sun Zi Bing Fa - Sun Tzu on the Art of War -VI.Weak Points and Strong - xu shi pian di liu

原文：

xū shí piān dì liù
虚 实  篇   第 六 

sūn zi yuē: fán xiān chù zhàn dì ér dài dí zhĕ yì ,hòu chù zhàn dì
孙  子 曰  ： 凡  先   处  战   地 而 待  敌 者  佚 ， 后  处  战   地
ér qū zhàn zhĕ láo . gù shàn zhàn zhĕ , zhì rén ér bú zhì yú rén .
而 趋 战   者  劳  。 故 善   战   者  ， 致  人  而 不 致  于 人  。
néng shĭ dí rén zì zhì zhĕ ,lì zhī yĕ ;néng shĭ dí rén bù dé zhìzhĕ ,
能   使  敌 人  自 至  者  ， 利 之  也 ；能  使  敌 人不 得 至  者 ，
hài zhī yĕ.gù dí yì néng láo zhī ,bǎo néng jī zhī ,ān néng dòng
害  之  也 。 故 敌 佚 能   劳  之  ， 饱  能   饥 之  ， 安 能   动
zhī . chū qí suŏ bù qū , qū qí suŏ bú yì .
之  。 出  其 所  不 趋 ， 趋 其 所  不 意 。

xíng qiān lĭ ér bù láo zhĕ ,xíng yú wú rén zhī dì yĕ ;gōng ér bì qŭ
行   千   里 而 不 劳  者  ， 行   于 无 人  之  地 也 ； 攻  而 必 取
zhĕ ,gōng qí suŏ bù shŏu yĕ ;shŏu ér bì gù zhĕ,shŏu qí suŏ bù gōng
者  ， 攻   其 所  不 守   也 ； 守   而 必 固 者  ， 守   其 所  不 攻
yĕ . gù shàn gōng zhĕ ,dí bù zhī qí suŏ shŏu;shàn shŏu zhĕ ,dí
也 。 故 善   攻   者  ， 敌 不 知  其 所  守   ； 善   守   者  ， 敌
bù zhī qí suŏ gōng . wēi hū wēi hū , zhì yú wú xíng ; shén hū shén
不 知  其 所  攻   。 微  乎 微  乎 ， 至  于 无 形   ； 神   乎 神
hū , zhì yú wú shēng , gù néng wéi dí zhī sī mìng .jìn ér bù kĕ yù
乎 ， 至  于 无 声    ， 故 能   为  敌 之  司 命   。 进  而 不 可 御
zhĕ , chōng qí xū yĕ ; tuì ér bù kĕ zhuī yĕ , sù ér bù kĕ jí yĕ .
者  ， 冲    其 虚 也 ； 退  而 不 可 追   也 ， 速 而 不 可 及 也 。
gù wŏ yù zhàn , dí suī gāo lĕi shēn gōu , bù dé bù yŭ wŏ zhàn zhĕ ,
故 我 欲 战   ， 敌 虽  高  垒  深   沟  ， 不 得 不 与 我 战   者  ，
gōng qí suŏ bì jiù yĕ ; wŏ bú yù zhàn , huà dì ér shŏu zhī , dí bù
攻   其 所  必 救  也 ； 我 不 欲 战   ， 画  地 而 守   之  ， 敌 不
dé yŭ wŏ zhàn zhĕ , guāi qí suŏ zhī yĕ. gù xíng rén ér wŏ wú xíng ,
得 与 我 战   者  ， 乖   其 所  之  也 。 故 形   人  而 我 无 形   ，
zé wŏ zhuān ér dí fēn . wŏ zhuān wéi yī , dí fēn wéi shí shì yĭ shí
则 我 专    而 敌 分  。 我 专    为  一 ， 敌 分  为  十  ， 是  以 十
gōng qí yì yĕ, zé wŏ zhòng ér dí guǎ. néng yĭ zhòng jī guǎ zhĕ ,
攻   其 一 也 ， 则 我 众    而 敌 寡  。 能   以 众    击 寡  者  ，
zé wú zhī suŏ yŭ zhàn zhĕ , yuē yĭ .wú suŏ yŭ zhàn zhī dì bù kĕ zhī ,
则 吾 之  所  与 战   者  ，约  矣 。吾 所  与 战  之  地 不 可 知  ，

bù kĕ zhī , zé dí suŏ bèi zhĕ duō ; dí suŏ bèi zhĕ duō , zé wú suŏ
不 可 知  ， 则 敌 所  备  者  多  ； 敌 所  备  者  多  ， 则 吾 所
yŭ zhàn zhĕ guǎ yĭ . gù bèi qián zé hòu guǎ , bèi hòu zé qián guǎ ,
与 战   者  寡  矣 。 故 备  前   则 后  寡  ， 背  后  则 前   寡  ，
bèi zuŏ zé yòu guǎ ,bèi yòu zé zuŏ guǎ , wú suŏ bú bèi ，zé wú suŏ
备  左  则 右  寡  ， 备  右  则 左  寡  ， 无 所  不 备  ， 则 无 所
bù guǎ.guǎ zhĕ,bèi rén zhĕ yĕ ; zhòng zhĕ,shĭ rén bèi jĭ zhĕ yĕ .
不 寡。 寡 者, 备  人  者  也 ； 众    者  ， 使  人  备  己 者  也 。

gù zhī zhàn zhī dì , zhī zhàn zhī rì , zé kĕ qiān lĭ ér huì zhàn ;
故 知  战   之  地 ， 知  战   之  日 ， 则 可 千   里 而 会  战   ；
bù zhī zhàn dì,bù zhī zhàn rì,  zé zuŏ bù néng jiù yòu , yòu bù néng
不 知  战   地 ， 不 知  战   日 ， 则 左  不 能   救  右  ， 右  不 能
jiù zuŏ ,qián bù néng jiù hòu,hòu bù néng jiù qián ,ér kuàng yuǎn
救  左  ， 前   不 能   救  后  ， 后  不 能   救  前   ， 而 况    远
zhĕ shù shí lĭ , jìn zhĕ shù lĭ hū !
者  数  十  里 ， 近  者  数  里 乎 ！

yĭ wú dù zhī ,yuè rén zhī bīng suī duō , yì xī yì yú shèng bài zāi ?
以 吾 度 之  ， 越  人  之  兵   虽  多  ， 亦 奚 益 于 胜  败  哉  ？
gù yuē : shèng kĕ wéi yĕ . dí suī zhòng , kĕ shĭ wú dòu .
故 曰  ： 胜    可 为  也 。 敌 虽  众    ， 可 使  无 斗  。

gù cè zhī ér zhī dé shī zhī jì, zuò zhī ér zhī dòng jing zhī lĭ ,
故 策 之  而 知  得 失  之  计 ， 作  之  而 知  动   静   之  理 ，
xíng zhī ér zhī sĭ shēng zhī dì,jiǎo zhī ér zhī yŏu yú bù zú zhī chù .
形  之  而 知  死 生  之  地 ， 角  之  而 知  有  余 不 足 之  处  。
gù xíng bīng zhī jí,zhì yú wú xíng. wú xíng , zé shēn jiān bù néng
故 形   兵   之  极 ， 至  于 无 形   。 无 形   ， 则 深   间   不 能  
kuī , zhì zhĕ bù néng móu . yīn xíng ér cuò shèng yú zhòng , zhòng
窥  ， 智  者  不 能   谋  。 因  形   而 错  胜    于 众    ， 众 
bù néng zhī .rén jiē zhī wŏ suó yĭ shèng zhī xíng ,ér mò zhī wú suó
不 能   知  。 人  皆  知  我 所  以 胜    之  形   ， 而 莫 知  吾 所
yĭ zhì shèng zhī xíng . gù qí zhàn shèng bú fù , ér yīng xíng yú wú
以 制  胜    之  形   。 故 其 战   胜    不 复 ， 而 应   形   于 无
qióng .
穷    。

 fū bīng xíng xiàng shuĭ,shuĭ zhī xíng , bì gāo ér qū xià ; bīng zhī
夫 兵   形   象    水   ， 水   之  行   ， 避 高  而 趋 下  ； 兵   之
xíng ，bì shí ér jī xū; shuĭ yīn dì ér zhì liú ,bīng yīn dí ér zhì
形   ， 避 实  而 击 虚 ； 水   因  地 而 制  流  ， 兵   因  敌 而 制
shèng. gù bīng wú cháng shì ,shuĭ wú cháng xíng .néng yīn dí biàn
胜    。 故 兵   无 常    势  ， 水   无 常    形   。 能   因  敌 变
huà ér qŭ shèng zhĕ ,wèi zhī shén .gù wŭ xíng wú cháng shèng sì shí
化  而 取 胜    者  ， 谓  之  神   。 故 五 行   无 常    胜  ， 四 时
wú cháng wèi , rì yŏu duǎn cháng , yuè yŏu sĭ shēng.
无 常    位  ， 日 有  短   长    ， 月  有  死 生    。 

Study Here with Professional Teacher!

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

VI. WEAK POINTS AND STRONG

1. Sun Tzu said: Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted.

2. Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.

3. By holding out advantages to him, he can cause the enemy to approach of his own accord; or, by inflicting damage, he can make it impossible for the enemy to draw near.

4. If the enemy is taking his ease, he can harass him; if well supplied with food, he can starve him out; if quietly encamped, he can force him to move.

5. Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected.

6. An army may march great distances without distress, if it marches through country where the enemy is not.

7. You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended.You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked.

8. Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

9. O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be invisible, through you inaudible; and hence we can hold the enemy's fate in our hands.

10. You may advance and be absolutely irresistible, if you make for the enemy's weak points; you may retire and be safe from pursuit if your movements are more rapid than those of the enemy.

11. If we wish to fight, the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch. All we need do is attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve.

12. If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground. All we need do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way.

13. By discovering the enemy's dispositions and remaining invisible ourselves, we can keep our forces concentrated, while the enemy's must be divided.

14. We can form a single united body, while the enemy must split up into fractions. Hence there will be a whole pitted against separate parts of a whole, which means that we shall be many to the enemy's few

. 15. And if we are able thus to attack an inferior force with a superior one, our opponents will be in dire straits.

16. The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points; and his forces being thus distributed in many directions, the numbers we shall have to face at any given point will be proportionately few.

17. For should the enemy strengthen his van, he will weaken his rear; should he strengthen his rear, he will weaken his van; should he strengthen his left, he will weaken his right; should he strengthen his right, he will weaken his left. If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.

18. Numerical weakness comes from having to prepare against possible attacks; numerical strength, from compelling our adversary to make these preparations against us.

19. Knowing the place and the time of the coming battle, we may concentrate from the greatest distances in order to fight.

20. But if neither time nor place be known, then the left wing will be impotent to succor the right, the right equally impotent to succor the left, the van unable to relieve the rear, or the rear to support the van. How much more so if the furthest portions of the army are anything under a hundred LI apart, and even the nearest are separated by several LI!

21. Though according to my estimate the soldiers of Yueh exceed our own in number, that shall advantage them nothing in the matter of victory. I say then that victory can be achieved.

22. Though the enemy be stronger in numbers, we may prevent him from fighting. Scheme so as to discover his plans and the likelihood of their success.

23. Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots.

24. Carefully compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where strength is superabundant and where it is deficient.

25. In making tactical dispositions, the highest pitch you can attain is to conceal them; conceal your dispositions, and you will be safe from the prying of the subtlest spies, from the machinations of the wisest brains.

26. How victory may be produced for them out of the enemy's own tactics--that is what the multitude cannot comprehend.

27. All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.

28. Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.

29. Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards.

30. So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.

31. Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing.

32. Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions.

33. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain.

34. The five elements (water, fire, wood, metal, earth) are not always equally predominant; the four seasons make way for each other in turn. There are short days and long; the moon has its periods of waning and waxing. |To Top]

Learn Chinese by Listening to ChineseCast Recordings for FREE!

Learn Chinese by listening to our online Chinese lessons for FREE! These recordings are chosen from ChineseCast, our online daily broadcast program specifically designed for Chinese learners for various levels.

Chinese Lesson List (File Format: MP3)

1. Learn Chinese Online - Shopping    (Beginner Level)	Listen Online    Download
Learn how to bargain in a Chinese shop.
2. Learn Chinese Online - Nice to Meet You!    (Beginner Level)	Listen Online    Download
Learn how to greet people in Chinese.
3. Learn Chinese Online - Where Is the Bank?    (Beginner Level)	Listen Online    Download
Learn how to ask directions in Chinese.
4. Learn Chinese Online - How Was Your Weekend? (Intermediate Level)	Listen Online    Download
Learn how to relax yourself at weekend.
5. Learn Chinese Online -Go on A Date    (Intermediate Level)	Listen Online    Download
Learn how to express your feelings about a date.
More Chinese Lessons