Military Strategy Classics of Ancient China

by Shawn Conners

  “He, who does not take from the people, takes the people. He, who does not take from the state, takes the state. He, who does not take from anything under Heaven, will take all under Heaven. He who does not take from the people, the people will profit. He who does not take from the states, states will profit. He who does not take from all under Heaven, all under Heaven will profit. Such actions lie in being unseen; such affairs lie in being unheard; and victory lies in what cannot be known. How marvelously subtle!”

  有大智的人不夸耀他的智慧，有深谋的人不暴露他的谋略，有大勇的人不只凭血气之勇，图大利的人不只顾自己利益。为天下谋利益的天下人都欢迎他，使天下人受害的，天下人都反对他。天下不是那一个人的天下，而是天下人的天下。想取得天下的人，就象猎取野兽一样，天下人都有分享猎物的心，也好象同船渡河一样，渡过了，大家就达到了共同的目的；失败了，大家都受害。这样做，天下人都只有欢迎他的理由而没有反对他的理由了。不掠夺人民利益的，可以取得人民的拥护；不掠夺别国利益的，可以取得别国的拥护；不掠夺天下利益的，可以取得天下的拥护。不掠夺人民利益的人，人民归向你，这是人民给你的利益；不掠夺别国利益的，别国归向你，这是别国给你的利益；不掠夺天下利益的，天下人归向你，这是天下人给你的利益。所以这种方法妙在使人不可见，事机秘密妙在使人不可闻，胜利妙在使人不可知。真是微妙呀！微妙呀！

  The Demised State

  “When an eagle is about to attack, it will fly low and draw in its wings. When a fierce wild cat is about to strike, it will lay back its ears and crouch down low. When the Sage is about to move, he will display a blank countenance.

  “Now there is the case of Shang, where the people were confused and suspicious of each other. The Shang Emperor’s indulgence in pleasure and sex were boundless.[4] This is a sign of a doomed state. I have observed their fields - weeds and grass overwhelm the crops. I have observed their people - the perverse and crooked overcome the honorable and upright. I have observed their officials - they are violent, perverse, inhumane and evil. They overthrow the laws and make chaos of the punishments. People from all ranks have not awakened to this state of affairs. It is time for their state to perish.

  “When the sun appears, the myriad of all things is illuminated. When great righteousness appears, the myriad of all things will profit. When the great army appears, the myriad of all things will submit. Great is the virtue of the Sage! Listening by himself, seeing by himself, this is his pleasure!”

  猛禽将要袭击目标，必先敛翅低飞；猛兽将要捕捉猎物，必先贴耳伏地；圣人将要采取行动，先示人以愚钝的样子。现在的商朝人民，疑虑相告，动乱不已，而商王仍然荒淫无度，这是亡国的征兆。我观察他的田地里，野草盖过了禾苗；我观察的群臣，荒诞邪僻的压倒了公平正直的；我观察他的官吏，都是暴虐残酷，违法乱刑，他们上下还执迷不悟，这是该亡国的时候了。日月当空就能普照万物，采取正义的行动对万民有利，大军出动就能使天下降服。伟大啊，圣人的德操，独到的见地，人所不及，自有乐在其中!

  Civil Instructions - How a Sage Governs

  King Wen asked Jiāng Zǐyá: “What does the Sage govern?”

  Jiāng Zǐyá said: “What worries does he have? What constraints? The myriad of things will realize their positions naturally. What constraints, what worries? The myriad of things all flourish naturally. No one should realize the transforming influence of government, similar to how no one realizes the effects of the passing of time. The Sage takes ‘action-less’ action and the myriad of things are transformed. What is exhausted? When things reach the end, they return again to the beginning. Relaxed and complacent, he turns about seeking it. Seeking it, he gains it and must store it. Having already stored it, he cannot but implement it. Having already implemented it, he does not turn about and make it clear that he did so. Now because Heaven and Earth need not let everyone know how they work, they are forever able to give birth to the myriad of things. The Sage does not pronounce what he is doing and he is able to attain a glorious name.”

  文王问太公说：圣人治理天下应该遵循什么原则呢？

  太公说：圣人无需去忧虑什么，也无需去制止什么，万物自会各得其所；不去制止什么，不去忧虑什么，万物自会繁荣滋长。政令的推行，要使人们在不知不觉中潜移默化，就象时间在不知不觉中自然推移一样。圣人遵循无为而治的原则，万物被他潜移默化，就象四季推移一样，周而复始，永无穷尽。从容优闲，无为而治的思想，君主必须反复探索；既已探索到了，那就不可不存之于心中；既已存于心中，那就不可不在政治上去实行；既已实行了，也就无需明告于天下。因为天地并不须宣告自己的规律，而万物就自会按其规律长生；圣人也不须宣告无为而治的思想，而自会显示出其辉煌的成就。

  Civil Instructions - Three Greats of Governance

  “The Sages of antiquity assembled people together as families, assembled families to compose states, and assembled states to constitute the realm of all under Heaven. They divided the realm and enfeoffed worthy men to administer the states. They officially designated this order the ‘Great Order’.

  “They promulgated the government’s instructions and accorded with the people’s customs. They transformed the multitude of ‘crooked’ behaviors into ‘straight’, changing their form and appearance. Although the customs of various states were not the same, they all took pleasure in their respective places. The people loved their rulers, so they termed this transformation as the ‘Great Settlement’.

  “Ah, the Sage concentrates on educating and transforming without notice, the Worthy focus on rectifying themselves. The stupid man cannot be transformed, others cannot rectify him, therefore he contends with other men. When the ruler creates too many rules, punishments become excessive. When punishment is excessive, the people are troubled. When the people are troubled, they leave and wander off. No one, of whatever position, can be settled in his life, and generations on end have no rest; this they termed the ‘Great Loss’.”

  古时圣人把人们聚集起来组成家庭，把许多家庭组成国家，把许多国家组成天下；分封贤人为各国诸侯，把这种制度叫做”大纪”。然后宣扬政教，顺应民俗，把邪僻行为化育为正直的风气，以移风移俗；各国之习俗虽不相同，但各自都喜爱本土，人人都敬其长上，这叫做”大定”。唉，圣王用清静无为的政治来治理天下，贤君用正己正人的规范来治理国家，愚君既不能正己又不能正人，所以与氏相手；君主政令烦多，就会使用多种刑罚；刑多，人民就会忧惧；民惧，就会流散逃亡。上下不安生业，长期动乱不休，这叫做”大失”。

  Civil Instructions - Governing the Populace

  “The people of the world are like flowing water. If you obstruct the water, it will stop. If you open a way, it will flow. If it is quiet, it will be clear. How spiritual! When the Sage sees the beginning, he knows the end.”

  King Wen asked: “How does one be at harmony with them?”

  Jiāng Zǐyá said: “Heaven has its constant forms and the people have their normal lives. If you work together with them, then the relationship will be tranquil. The pinnacle is to accord with them, the next-highest is to transform them. When the people are transformed, and follow their government, then affairs can be completed, even when no actions are taken. The people are enriched, even if no one gives to them. This is the virtue of the Sage.”

  King Wen said: “I agree with all that you have said. From dawn until midnight, I will think about it, never forgetting it, employing it as our constant principle.”

  天下人心的向背象流水一样，阻塞它就停止，开放它就流动，不搅动它就保持清彻。哦!人心变化真是神妙莫测！有�
�人看到它的萌芽，就能推断它的结果。

  文王说：怎样使天下安静呢?

  太公说：天有一定的变化规律，人有经常从事的生业，能与人民：共安生业，天下就会安静。最好的政治是顺应人心来治理人民，其次；是宣扬政教以感化人民。人民被潜移默化而服从政令，上天”无为”却能生长万物，人民也不需要施与，生活自能富裕，这就是圣人的德政。

  文王说：你说的深合我意，我一定朝思夕念，永志不忘，用它作为治理天下的原则。

  Civil Offense

  King Wen asked Jiāng Zǐyá: “What are the methods of civil offense tactics?”

  Jiāng Zǐyá replied: “There are 12 methods of civil offense tactics.”

  “In regard to your target: First, accord with what he likes in order to accommodate his wishes. This will feed his arrogance and he will invariably mount some perverse plan. We can then use the situation to our advantage and be able to eliminate him.

  “Second, be close with those he loves in order to fragment his reputation. When men have two different inclinations, their primary loyalty invariably declines. When his court no longer has any loyal ministers, the state will inevitably be endangered.

  “Third, bribe his assistants; secretly foster a deep relationship with them. While they stand in his court physically, their thoughts and inclinations will be directed outside it. The state will certainly suffer harm.

  “Fourth, foster his licentiousness and his indulgence in entertainment in order to dissipate his will. Present to him generous gifts of pearls and jade, ply him with beautiful women. Speak deferentially, listen respectfully, follow his commands, and agree with him in everything. He will never imagine you might be in conflict with him and will unleash his treacherous ways.

  “Fifth, treat the ruler’s loyal officials generously, but reduce your gifts to the ruler. When the ruler himself comes as emissary, delay him, appeal to his vanity but do not actually assist him. When he sends other men as emissaries, treat them with sincerity, embrace and demonstrate trust in them. The ruler will then again feel you are in harmony with him. If you can to obtain the loyalty of his officials by treating them generously, his state can then be plotted against.

  “Sixth, make secret alliances with his most respected ministers. Sow discord between the ruler and his officials who are not in court. Make it advantageous for his talented people assist other enemy states. Entice other enemy states to encroach upon his territory. Few states have faced such a situation and survived.

  “Seventh, if you wish to obtain his trust, you must offer him generous gifts. Gather in his assistants, loyal associates and loved ones, by secretly showing them the gains they can realize by allying with you. Have his assistants slight their work, and then his preparation will be futile.

  “Eighth, present him with great treasures, and pretend to conspire with him. When your plans are successful and profit him, he will have faith in you because of his profits. This is what is called ‘being closely embraced’. The result of being closely embraced is that he can be easily manipulated. When someone rules a state but is externally manipulated, he will inevitably be defeated.

  “Ninth, honor him and praise him. Avoid anything that will cause him personal discomfort. Display the proper respect owed to a great power, and you will surely be trusted. Glorify and praise him; magnify his image; proclaim his virtues; humbly embellish him as a Sage. Then his state will suffer great misfortune.

  “Tenth, be courteous and submissive to him so that he will trust you. Thereby you may learn about his true situation. Embrace his ideas and respond to his affairs as if you were his brother. Once you have achieved full knowledge of his affairs, you can subtly control him. Thus, when the time comes, it will seem as if all Heaven wants him to be destroyed.

  “Eleventh, disrupt his channels of information. There will be found no one among his subordinates who does not value rank and wealth or hate danger and misfortune. Secretly express great respect towards them, and gradually bestow valuable gifts in order to subvert his best talent. Build your own resources until they become very substantial, but present an appearance of shortage. Secretly bring in wise and able counselors, and entrust them with planning great strategy. Attract courageous generals, and encourage their fighting spirit. Even when they are adequately rich and honored, continue to add to their riches. When your faction has been fully established, you will have attained the objective of ‘blocking his information channels’. If one is the head of a state, but his information channels are blocked, how can he control his state?

  “Twelfth, support his self-indulgent and immoral officials in order to confuse him. See that he is provided beautiful women and licentious music in order to befuddle him. Send him hunting dogs and outstanding horses in order to tire him. From time to time, allow him to exercise great power in order to entice him to greater arrogance. Then investigate his transgressions and plot with the world against him.

  “By full implementation of these twelve methods, they will become a military weapon. Once the signs that your plans have been achieved are obvious, that is the time to attack.”

  文王问太公说：文伐的方法如何?

  太公说：文伐的方法有十二种：

  一是，依照敌人的喜好，顺从他的心愿，使他滋长骄傲情绪必会去做些邪恶的事情，我再巧妙地加以利用，就必能将他除掉。

  二是拉拢敌君的近臣，以削弱敌国的力量。敌之近臣既然怀有二心，其忠诚程度必然降低。敌人朝中没有了忠臣，它的国家就必定处于危亡的境地。

  三是，贿赂敌国的近臣，和他建立深厚的情谊，他们身居国内心向国外，敌国就必将发生祸害了。

  四是，助长敌国君主过份的享乐行为，扩大他的荒淫意趣。用大量珠玉贿赂他，赠送美女讨好他。言词卑下，曲意听认。顺从其命令，迎合其心意。这样，他就忘记与我作斗争而放肆发展其邪恶的行为了。

  五是，对敌国的忠臣要尊敬，少给他些礼物。他当使者前来交涉时，要故意拖延他，不要听从他的意见。极力促使敌君改派他人来替代，然后给他透露一些真实情况，表示亲近他信赖他以结友好。如能这样地用不同的方法去对待敌国忠臣与奸佞，就可以谋取他的国家了。

  六是，收买敌国君主左右的大臣，离间他边远的大臣，使其有才干的大臣都帮助外国，再加以外国的入侵，这个国家就很少有不灭亡的了。

  七是，要想使敌国君主对我深信不疑，就必须赠送他大量礼物，收买他左右亲信的大臣，暗中给他们好处，使其君臣忽视生产，造成其国家积蓄空虚。

  八是，赠送敌国君以重宝，进而与他同谋别国，所图谋的又对他有利。由于对他有利，他必然信任我，这就密切了敌国君主与我的关系。关系越密切，敌国君主必为我所利用。他有国而被外国利用，其国必亡。

  九是，用煊赫的名号颂扬他，不让他受到危难，给他势倾天下的感觉，必恭必敬地顺从他；以至高无上的名位尊崇他，先夸耀他的功绩显荣，再恭维他德比圣人，这样他必然会狂妄自大而对于国事懈怠废驰了。

  十是，对他要表示恭顺诚信，以取得他的友情和信任；顺承他的意图办事，好象兄弟一般地亲密；既已得到他的友情和信任，就进一步微妙地控制他；时机一到，就象上天叫他灭亡一样而把他消灭了。

  十一是，闭塞敌国君主视听的方法：凡是臣民没有不渴望富贵而厌恶危难与灾祸的，用暗中许给尊贵的官位，秘密送给大量财宝的方法，收买敌国的英雄豪杰。国内 积蓄很多，外表却装作穷困。暗中收纳智士以制定谋略；收纳勇土以提高士气。要满足他们取得富贵的愿望，而不断发展壮大，结成自己的党徒，聚集起力量。这样 做就能闭塞人的视听而秘密壮大自己了。敌人虽有国家，但耳目已为人�
��闭塞，那还能够保住他的国家呢？

  十二是，扶植敌国的乱臣，以迷乱其君主的心智；进献美女淫声，以迷惑其君主的意志；送他良犬骏马，使他沉溺在犬马游猎之中而神形疲惫；又常报以有利的形势，使他高枕无忧；然后，观察有利时机与天下人共谋而奇取他的国家。

  以上十二种计谋能善为运用，就可成全武功。所谓上察天时，下察地利，等到各种有利的征侯都己显露时，就可举兵征伐了。

  According with the People

  King Wen asked Jiāng Zǐyá: “What should one do so that he can best govern the populace?”

  Jiāng Zǐyá said: “When your greatness spreads over all the populace, only then will you be able to govern it completely. When your trustworthiness spreads over the populace, only then will you be able to make covenants with it. When your benevolence spreads over the populace, only then will you be able to embrace it. When your grace has spread over the populace, only then can you preserve it. When your authority covers the populace, only then will you be able not to lose it. Govern without doubt, similar to the revolutions of Heaven or the changes of the seasons; nothing can change them. Only when these six are complete will you be able to establish complete governance over the populace.

  “Accordingly, one who profits the populace will find them open to him. One who harms the populace will find them closed to him. If one gives life to the populace, they will regard him as virtuous. If one kills the populace, they will want to be rid of him. If one acts in accordance with the wishes of the populace, they will be accessible to him; if one impoverishes the populace, they will regard him as their enemy. One who gives peace to the populace, the populace will rely on; one who endangers the populace, the populace will view as a disaster. The populace is not the realm of one man. Only that ruler who can run the State according to the Way can dwell in the ultimate position of authority.”