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＇The chief lesson of this chapter； in Tu Mu's opinion； is
the paramount importance in war of rapid evolutions and sudden
rushes。 〃Great results；〃 he adds； 〃can thus be achieved with
small forces。〃＇
＇1＇ 〃Forty…one Years in India；〃 chapter 46。
…
VI。 WEAK POINTS AND STRONG
＇Chang Yu attempts to explain the sequence of chapters as
follows： 〃Chapter IV； on Tactical Dispositions； treated of the
offensive and the defensive； chapter V； on Energy； dealt with
direct and indirect methods。 The good general acquaints himself
first with the theory of attack and defense； and then turns his
attention to direct and indirect methods。 He studies the art of
varying and combining these two methods before proceeding to the
subject of weak and strong points。 For the use of direct or
indirect methods arises out of attack and defense； and the
perception of weak and strong points depends again on the above
methods。 Hence the present chapter comes immediately after the
chapter on Energy。〃＇
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。
＇One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own
terms or fights not at all。 ＇1＇ ＇
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。
＇In the first case； he will entice him with a bait； in the
second； he will strike at some important point which the enemy
will have to defend。＇
4。 If the enemy is taking his ease； he can harass him；
＇This passage may be cited as evidence against Mei Yao…
Ch‘en's interpretation of I。 ss。 23。＇
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。
＇Ts‘ao Kung sums up very well： 〃Emerge from the void ＇q。d。
like 〃a bolt from the blue〃＇； strike at vulnerable points； shun
places that are defended； attack in unexpected quarters。〃＇
7。 You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you
only attack places which are undefended。
＇Wang Hsi explains 〃undefended places〃 as 〃weak points； that
is to say； where the general is lacking in capacity； or the
soldiers in spirit； where the walls are not strong enough； or the
precautions not strict enough； where relief comes too late； or
provisions are too scanty； or the defenders are variance amongst
themselves。〃＇
You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold
positions that cannot be attacked。
＇I。e。； where there are none of the weak points mentioned
above。 There is rather a nice point involved in the
interpretation of this later clause。 Tu Mu； Ch‘en Hao； and Mei
Yao…ch‘en assume the meaning to be： 〃In order to make your
defense quite safe； you must defend EVEN those places that are
not likely to be attacked；〃 and Tu Mu adds： 〃How much more；
then； those that will be attacked。〃 Taken thus； however； the
clause balances less well with the precedingalways a
consideration in the highly antithetical style which is natural
to the Chinese。 Chang Yu； therefore； seems to come nearer the
mark in saying： 〃He who is skilled in attack flashes forth from
the topmost heights of heaven ＇see IV。 ss。 7＇； making it
impossible for the enemy to guard against him。 This being so；
the places that I shall attack are precisely those that the enemy
cannot defend。。。。 He who is skilled in defense hides in the most
secret recesses of the earth； making it impossible for the enemy
to estimate his whereabouts。 This being so； the places that I
shall hold are precisely those that the enemy cannot attack。〃＇
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。
＇An aphorism which puts the whole art of war in a nutshell。＇
9。 O divine art of subtlety and secrecy！ Through you we
learn to be invisible； through you inaudible；
＇Literally； 〃without form or sound；〃 but it is said of
course with reference to the enemy。＇
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。
＇Tu Mu says： 〃If the enemy is the invading party； we can
cut his line of communications and occupy the roads by which he
will have to return； if we are the invaders； we may direct our
attack against the sovereign himself。〃 It is clear that Sun Tzu；
unlike certain generals in the late Boer war； was no believer in
frontal attacks。＇
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。
＇This extremely concise expression is intelligibly
paraphrased by Chia Lin： 〃even though we have constructed
neither wall nor ditch。〃 Li Ch‘uan says： 〃we puzzle him by
strange and unusual dispositions；〃 and Tu Mu finally clinches the
meaning by three illustrative anecdotesone of Chu…ko Liang； who
when occupying Yang…p‘ing and about to be attacked by Ssu…ma I；
suddenly struck his colors； stopped the beating of the drums； and
flung open the city gates； showing only a few men engaged in
sweeping and sprinkling the ground。 This unexpected proceeding
had the intended effect； for Ssu…ma I； suspecting an ambush；
actually drew off his army and retreated。 What Sun Tzu is
advocating here； therefore； is nothing more nor less than the
timely use of 〃bluff。〃＇
13。 By discovering the enemy's dispositions and remaining
invisible ourselves； we can keep our forces concentrated； while
the enemy's must be divided。
＇The conclusion is perhaps not very obvious； but Chang Yu
（after Mei Yao…ch‘en） rightly explains it thus： 〃If the enemy's
dispositions are visible； we can make for him in one body；