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asked the Emperor。 〃Oh！〃 he answered； 〃the more the better。〃＇
2。 Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise
different from fighting with a small one： it is merely a
question of instituting signs and signals。
3。 To ensure that your whole host may withstand the brunt
of the enemy's attack and remain unshaken … this is effected by
maneuvers direct and indirect。
＇We now come to one of the most interesting parts of Sun
Tzu's treatise； the discussion of the CHENG and the CH‘I。〃 As it
is by no means easy to grasp the full significance of these two
terms； or to render them consistently by good English
equivalents； it may be as well to tabulate some of the
commentators' remarks on the subject before proceeding further。
Li Ch‘uan： 〃Facing the enemy is CHENG； making lateral diversion
is CH‘I。 Chia Lin： 〃In presence of the enemy； your troops
should be arrayed in normal fashion； but in order to secure
victory abnormal maneuvers must be employed。〃 Mei Yao…ch‘en：
〃CH‘I is active； CHENG is passive； passivity means waiting for an
opportunity； activity beings the victory itself。〃 Ho Shih： 〃We
must cause the enemy to regard our straightforward attack as one
that is secretly designed； and vice versa； thus CHENG may also be
CH‘I； and CH‘I may also be CHENG。〃 He instances the famous
exploit of Han Hsin； who when marching ostensibly against Lin…
chin （now Chao…i in Shensi）； suddenly threw a large force across
the Yellow River in wooden tubs； utterly disconcerting his
opponent。 ＇Ch‘ien Han Shu； ch。 3。＇ Here； we are told； the march
on Lin…chin was CHENG； and the surprise maneuver was CH‘I。〃
Chang Yu gives the following summary of opinions on the words：
〃Military writers do not agree with regard to the meaning of CH‘I
and CHENG。 Wei Liao Tzu ＇4th cent。 B。C。＇ says： 'Direct warfare
favors frontal attacks； indirect warfare attacks from the rear。'
Ts‘ao Kung says： 'Going straight out to join battle is a direct
operation； appearing on the enemy's rear is an indirect
maneuver。' Li Wei…kung ＇6th and 7th cent。 A。D。＇ says： 'In war；
to march straight ahead is CHENG； turning movements； on the other
hand； are CH‘I。' These writers simply regard CHENG as CHENG； and
CH‘I as CH‘I； they do not note that the two are mutually
interchangeable and run into each other like the two sides of a
circle ＇see infra； ss。 11＇。 A comment on the T‘ang Emperor T‘ai
Tsung goes to the root of the matter： 'A CH‘I maneuver may be
CHENG； if we make the enemy look upon it as CHENG； then our real
attack will be CH‘I； and vice versa。 The whole secret lies in
confusing the enemy； so that he cannot fathom our real intent。'〃
To put it perhaps a little more clearly： any attack or other
operation is CHENG； on which the enemy has had his attention
fixed； whereas that is CH‘I；〃 which takes him by surprise or
comes from an unexpected quarter。 If the enemy perceives a
movement which is meant to be CH‘I；〃 it immediately becomes
CHENG。〃＇
4。 That the impact of your army may be like a grindstone
dashed against an egg … this is effected by the science of weak
points and strong。
5。 In all fighting； the direct method may be used for
joining battle； but indirect methods will be needed in order to
secure victory。
＇Chang Yu says： 〃Steadily develop indirect tactics； either
by pounding the enemy's flanks or falling on his rear。〃 A
brilliant example of 〃indirect tactics〃 which decided the
fortunes of a campaign was Lord Roberts' night march round the
Peiwar Kotal in the second Afghan war。 ＇1＇
6。 Indirect tactics； efficiently applied； are inexhausible
as Heaven and Earth； unending as the flow of rivers and streams；
like the sun and moon； they end but to begin anew； like the four
seasons； they pass away to return once more。
＇Tu Yu and Chang Yu understand this of the permutations of
CH‘I and CHENG。〃 But at present Sun Tzu is not speaking of CHENG
at all； unless； indeed； we suppose with Cheng Yu…hsien that a
clause relating to it has fallen out of the text。 Of course； as
has already been pointed out； the two are so inextricably
interwoven in all military operations； that they cannot really be
considered apart。 Here we simply have an expression； in
figurative language； of the almost infinite resource of a great
leader。＇
7。 There are not more than five musical notes； yet the
combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can
ever be heard。
8。 There are not more than five primary colors （blue；
yellow； red； white； and black）； yet in combination they produce
more hues than can ever been seen。
9 There are not more than five cardinal tastes （sour；
acrid； salt； sweet； bitter）； yet combinations of them yield more
flavors than can ever be tasted。
10。 In battle； there are not more than two methods of
attack … the direct and the indirect； yet these two in
combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers。
11。 The direct and the indirect lead on to each other in
turn。 It is like moving in a circle … you never come to an end。
Who can exhaust the possibilities of their combination？
12。 The onset of troops is like the rush of a torrent which
will even roll stones along in its course。
13。 The quality of decision is like the well…timed swoop of
a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim。
＇The Chinese here is tricky and a certain key word in the
context it is used defies the best efforts of the translator。 Tu
Mu defines this word as 〃the measurement or estimation of
distance。〃 But this meaning does not quite fit the illustrative
simile in ss。 15。 Applying this definition to the falcon； it
seems to me to denote that instinct of SELF RESTRAINT which keeps
the bird from swooping on its quarry until the right moment；
together with the power of judging when the right moment has
arrived。 The analogous quality in soldiers is the highly
important one of being able to reserve their fire until the very
instant at which it will be most effective。 When the 〃Victory〃
went into action at Trafalgar at hardly more than drifting pace；
she was for several minutes exposed to a storm of shot and shell
before replying with a single gun。 Nelson coolly waited until he
was within close range； when the broadside he brought to bear
worked fearful havoc on the enemy's nearest ships。＇
14。 Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his
onset； and prompt in his decision。
＇The word 〃decision〃 would have reference to the measurement
of distance mentioned above； letting the enemy get near before
striking。 But I cannot help thinking that Sun Tzu meant to use
the word in a figurative sense comparable to our own idiom 〃short
and sharp。〃 Cf。 Wang Hsi's note； which af