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.orgRecording by Moira Fogarty, the Art of War by Sun Zhu, translated by Lionel Giles,Part 1, Laying Plans.Sun Zhu said, "The art of war is a vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life anddeath, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can onno account be neglected. The art of war then is governed by five constant factors to be taken intoaccount in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions of taining in thefield. These are, 1. The moral law; 2. Heaven; 3. Earth; 4. The commander; 5. Method;and discipline. The moral law causes. Method and DisciplineThe moral law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler so that they willfollow 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 commanderstands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness.By method and discipline are to be understood the marshaling of the army inits 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 thembe made the basis of comparison in this wise.One, which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the moral law?Two, which of the two generals has most ability?Three, with whom lie the advantages derived from heaven and earth.Four, on which side is discipline most rigorously enforced.Five, which army is stronger?Six, on which side are officers and men more highly trained?Seven, 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 beretained in command. The general that harkens not to my council nor acts upon it will sufferdefeat. Let such a one be dismissed.While heating 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 forhim. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is of choleric temper,seek to irritate him, pretend to be weak that he may grow arrogant. If he is takinghis 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 battleis 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 Soo said, "In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swiftchariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand male-clad soldiers, with provisionsenough to carry them a thousand Lee, the expenditure at home and at the front, including entertainmentof guests, small items such as glue and paint, and some spent on chariots and armor, willreach the total of a thousand ounces of silver per day, such as the cost of raising an armyof 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 thestrain.Now when your weapons are dulled, your art are damped, your strength exhausted, and yourtreasure spent.Other chieftains will spring up to take advantageof your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to overt the consequences thatmust ensue. Thus, though we have heard of stupid hasten war, cleverness has never been seenassociated with long delays. There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolongedwarfare.It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughlyunderstand 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. Withthis 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 brokenchariots, worn-out horses, breastplates and helmets,bows and arrows, spears and shields, protective mantles, draft oxen and heavy wagons, willamount 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 beadvantage 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 andused in conjunction with ours.The captured soldiers should be kindly treated and kept.This is called "Using the Concord 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 2Recorded in Toronto, Ontario, by Moira Fogady, October 2006.
