This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information and to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Moira Fogarty, the Art of War by SunZoo, translated by Lionel Giles, Part 1, Laying Plans. SunZoo said, "The Art of War is a vital importance to the state." It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected. The Art of War then is governed by five constant factors to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions of taining in the field. These are, 1, the moral law, 2, heaven, 3, earth, 4, the commander, 5, method and discipline. The moral law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler so that they will follow him regardless of their lives undismade by any danger. Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons. Earth comprises distances, great and small, danger and security, open ground and narrow passes, the chances of life and death. The commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness. By method and discipline are to be understood the marshalling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army and the control of military expenditure. These five heads should be familiar to every general. He who knows them will be victorious. He who knows them not will fail. Therefore in your deliberations when seeking to determine the military conditions, let them be made the basis of comparison in this wise. 1. Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the moral law? 2. Which of the two generals has most ability? 3. With whom lie the advantages derived from heaven and earth? 4. On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced? 5. Which army is stronger? 6. On which side are officers and men more highly trained? 7. In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment? By means of these seven considerations I can forecast victory or defeat. The general that harkens to my council and acts upon it will conquer. Let such a one be retained in command. The general that harkens not to my council nor acts upon it will suffer defeat. Let such a one be dismissed. While heeding the profit of my council avail yourself also of any helpful circumstances over and beyond the ordinary rules. According as circumstances are favorable one should modify one's plans. All warfare is based on deception. Hence when able to attack we must seem unable. When using our forces we must seem inactive. When we are near we must make the enemy believe we are far away. When far away we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy, feign disorder and crush him. If he is secure at all points be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength evade him. If your opponent is of caloric temper seek to irritate him, pretend to be weak that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease give him no rest. If his forces are united separate them. Attack him where he is unprepared. Appear where you are not expected. These military devices leading to victory must not be divulged beforehand. Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple air the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory and few calculations to defeat. How much more no calculation at all. It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose. End of Part 1. Part 2. Waging War Sun Siu said in the operations of war where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots and a hundred thousand male clad soldiers with provisions enough to carry them a thousand lee. The expenditure at home and at the front including a detainment of guests, small items such as glue and paint and some spent on chariots and armor will reach the total of a thousand ounces of silver per day. Such is the cost of raising an army of a hundred thousand men. When you engage in actual fighting if victory is long incoming then men's weapons will grow dull and their art will be damped. If you lay siege to a town you will exhaust your strength. Again if the campaign is protracted the resources of the state will not be equal to the strain. Now when your weapons are dulled your art are damped your strength exhausted and your treasure spent. Other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man however wise will be able to overt the consequences that must ensue. Thus though we have heard of stupid hasten war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays. There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on. The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy. Neither are his supply wagons loaded more than twice. Bring war material with you from home but forage on the enemy. Thus the army will have food enough for its needs. Poverty of the state ex-checker 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. 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. When their substances drained away the peasantry will be afflicted by heavy executions. 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. While government expenses for broken chariots, worn out horses, breastplates and helmets, bows and arrows spears and shields, protective mantles, draft oxen and heavy wagons will amount to four tenths of its total revenue. 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 peacle of his preventer is equivalent to twenty from one's own store. Now in order to kill the enemy our men must be roused to anger. But there may be advantage from defeating the enemy they must have their rewards. 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 their chariots mingled and used in conjunction with ours. The captured soldiers should be kindly treated and kept. This is called using the conquered foe to augment one's own strength. In more than let your great object be victory not lengthy campaigns. 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. End of Part 2
