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9。 Bring war material with you from home； but forage on the
enemy。 Thus the army will have food enough for its needs。
＇The Chinese word translated here as 〃war material〃
literally means 〃things to be used〃； and is meant in the widest
sense。 It includes all the impedimenta of an army； apart from
provisions。＇
10。 Poverty of the State exchequer causes an army to be
maintained by contributions from a distance。 Contributing to
maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be
impoverished。
＇The beginning of this sentence does not balance properly
with the next； though obviously intended to do so。 The
arrangement； moreover； is so awkward that I cannot help
suspecting some corruption in the text。 It never seems to occur
to Chinese commentators that an emendation may be necessary for
the sense； and we get no help from them there。 The Chinese words
Sun Tzu used to indicate the cause of the people's impoverishment
clearly have reference to some system by which the husbandmen
sent their contributions of corn to the army direct。 But why
should it fall on them to maintain an army in this way； except
because the State or Government is too poor to do so？＇
11。 On the other hand； the proximity of an army causes
prices to go up； and high prices cause the people's substance to
be drained away。
＇Wang Hsi says high prices occur before the army has left
its own territory。 Ts‘ao Kung understands it of an army that has
already crossed the frontier。＇
12。 When their substance is drained away； the peasantry
will be afflicted by heavy exactions。
13； 14。 With this loss of substance and exhaustion of
strength； the homes of the people will be stripped bare； and
three…tenths of their income will be dissipated；
＇Tu Mu and Wang Hsi agree that the people are not mulcted
not of 3/10； but of 7/10； of their income。 But this is hardly to
be extracted from our text。 Ho Shih has a characteristic tag：
〃The PEOPLE being regarded as the essential part of the State；
and FOOD as the people's heaven； is it not right that those in
authority should value and be careful of both？〃＇
while government expenses for broken chariots； worn…out horses；
breast…plates and helmets； bows and arrows； spears and shields；
protective mantles； draught…oxen and heavy wagons； will amount to
four…tenths of its total revenue。
15。 Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the
enemy。 One cartload of the enemy's provisions is equivalent to
twenty of one's own； and likewise a single PICUL of his provender
is equivalent to twenty from one's own store。
＇Because twenty cartloads will be consumed in the process of
transporting one cartload to the front。 A PICUL is a unit of
measure equal to 133。3 pounds （65。5 kilograms）。＇
16。 Now in order to kill the enemy； our men must be roused
to anger； that there may be advantage from defeating the enemy；
they must have their rewards。
＇Tu Mu says： 〃Rewards are necessary in order to make the
soldiers see the advantage of beating the enemy； thus； when you
capture spoils from the enemy； they must be used as rewards； so
that all your men may have a keen desire to fight； each on his
own account。〃＇
17。 Therefore in chariot fighting； when ten or more
chariots have been taken； those should be rewarded who took the
first。 Our own flags should be substituted for those of the
enemy； and the chariots mingled and used in conjunction with
ours。 The captured soldiers should be kindly treated and kept。
18。 This is called； using the conquered foe to augment
one's own strength。
19。 In war； then； let your great object be victory； not
lengthy campaigns。
＇As Ho Shih remarks： 〃War is not a thing to be trifled
with。〃 Sun Tzu here reiterates the main lesson which this
chapter is intended to enforce。〃＇
20。 Thus it may be known that the leader of armies is the
arbiter of the people's fate； the man on whom it depends whether
the nation shall be in peace or in peril。
…
III。 ATTACK BY STRATAGEM
1。 Sun Tzu said： In the practical art of war； the best
thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact； to
shatter and destroy it is not so good。 So； too； it is better to
recapture an army entire than to destroy it； to capture a
regiment； a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them。
＇The equivalent to an army corps； according to Ssu…ma Fa；
consisted nominally of 12500 men； according to Ts‘ao Kung； the
equivalent of a regiment contained 500 men； the equivalent to a
detachment consists from any number between 100 and 500； and the
equivalent of a company contains from 5 to 100 men。 For the last
two； however； Chang Yu gives the exact figures of 100 and 5
respectively。＇
2。 Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not
supreme excellence； supreme excellence consists in breaking the
enemy's resistance without fighting。
＇Here again； no modern strategist but will approve the words
of the old Chinese general。 Moltke's greatest triumph； the
capitulation of the huge French army at Sedan； was won
practically without bloodshed。＇
3。 Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the
enemy's plans；
＇Perhaps the word 〃balk〃 falls short of expressing the full
force of the Chinese word； which implies not an attitude of
defense； whereby one might be content to foil the enemy's
stratagems one after another； but an active policy of counter…
attack。 Ho Shih puts this very clearly in his note： 〃When the
enemy has made a plan of attack against us； we must anticipate
him by delivering our own attack first。〃＇
the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces；
＇Isolating him from his allies。 We must not forget that Sun
Tzu； in speaking of hostilities； always has in mind the numerous
states or principalities into which the China of his day was
split up。＇
the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field；
＇When he is already at full strength。＇
and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities。
4。 The rule is； not to besiege walled cities if it can
possibly be avoided。
＇Another sound piece of military theory。 Had the Boers
acted upon it in 1899； and refrained from dissipating their
strength before Kimberley； Mafeking； or even Ladysmith； it is
more than probable that they would have been masters of the
situation before the British were ready seriously to oppose
them。＇
The preparation of mantlets； movable shelters； and various
implements of war； will take up three whole months；
＇It is not quite clear what the Chinese word； here
translated as 〃mantlets〃； described。 Ts‘