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be achieved in war unless you are willing to take risks。 T‘ai
Kung said： 〃He who lets an advantage slip will subsequently
bring upon himself real disaster。〃 In 404 A。D。； Liu Yu pursued
the rebel Huan Hsuan up the Yangtsze and fought a naval battle
with him at the island of Ch‘eng…hung。 The loyal troops numbered
only a few thousands； while their opponents were in great force。
But Huan Hsuan； fearing the fate which was in store for him
should be be overcome； had a light boat made fast to the side of
his war…junk； so that he might escape； if necessary； at a
moment's notice。 The natural result was that the fighting spirit
of his soldiers was utterly quenched； and when the loyalists made
an attack from windward with fireships； all striving with the
utmost ardor to be first in the fray； Huan Hsuan's forces were
routed； had to burn all their baggage and fled for two days and
nights without stopping。 Chang Yu tells a somewhat similar story
of Chao Ying…ch‘i； a general of the Chin State who during a
battle with the army of Ch‘u in 597 B。C。 had a boat kept in
readiness for him on the river； wishing in case of defeat to be
the first to get across。＇
（3） a hasty temper； which can be provoked by insults；
＇Tu Mu tells us that Yao Hsing； when opposed in 357 A。D。 by
Huang Mei； Teng Ch‘iang and others shut himself up behind his
walls and refused to fight。 Teng Ch‘iang said： 〃Our adversary
is of a choleric temper and easily provoked； let us make constant
sallies and break down his walls； then he will grow angry and
come out。 Once we can bring his force to battle； it is doomed to
be our prey。〃 This plan was acted upon； Yao Hsiang came out to
fight； was lured as far as San…yuan by the enemy's pretended
flight； and finally attacked and slain。＇
（4） a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame；
＇This need not be taken to mean that a sense of honor is
really a defect in a general。 What Sun Tzu condemns is rather an
exaggerated sensitiveness to slanderous reports； the thin…skinned
man who is stung by opprobrium； however undeserved。 Mei Yao…
ch‘en truly observes； though somewhat paradoxically： 〃The seek
after glory should be careless of public opinion。〃＇
（5） over…solicitude for his men； which exposes him to worry
and trouble。
＇Here again； Sun Tzu does not mean that the general is to be
careless of the welfare of his troops。 All he wishes to
emphasize is the danger of sacrificing any important military
advantage to the immediate comfort of his men。 This is a
shortsighted policy； because in the long run the troops will
suffer more from the defeat； or； at best； the prolongation of the
war； which will be the consequence。 A mistaken feeling of pity
will often induce a general to relieve a beleaguered city； or to
reinforce a hard…pressed detachment； contrary to his military
instincts。 It is now generally admitted that our repeated
efforts to relieve Ladysmith in the South African War were so
many strategical blunders which defeated their own purpose。 And
in the end； relief came through the very man who started out with
the distinct resolve no longer to subordinate the interests of
the whole to sentiment in favor of a part。 An old soldier of one
of our generals who failed most conspicuously in this war； tried
once； I remember； to defend him to me on the ground that he was
always 〃so good to his men。〃 By this plea； had he but known it；
he was only condemning him out of Sun Tzu's mouth。＇
13。 These are the five besetting sins of a general； ruinous
to the conduct of war。
14。 When an army is overthrown and its leader slain； the
cause will surely be found among these five dangerous faults。
Let them be a subject of meditation。
＇1＇ 〃Marshal Turenne；〃 p。 50。
…
IX。 THE ARMY ON THE MARCH
＇The contents of this interesting chapter are better
indicated in ss。 1 than by this heading。＇
1。 Sun Tzu said： We come now to the question of encamping
the army； and observing signs of the enemy。 Pass quickly over
mountains； and keep in the neighborhood of valleys。
＇The idea is； not to linger among barren uplands； but to
keep close to supplies of water and grass。 Cf。 Wu Tzu； ch。 3：
〃Abide not in natural ovens；〃 i。e。 〃the openings of valleys。〃
Chang Yu tells the following anecdote： Wu…tu Ch‘iang was a
robber captain in the time of the Later Han； and Ma Yuan was sent
to exterminate his gang。 Ch‘iang having found a refuge in the
hills； Ma Yuan made no attempt to force a battle； but seized all
the favorable positions commanding supplies of water and forage。
Ch‘iang was soon in such a desperate plight for want of
provisions that he was forced to make a total surrender。 He did
not know the advantage of keeping in the neighborhood of
valleys。〃＇
2。 Camp in high places；
＇Not on high hills； but on knolls or hillocks elevated above
the surrounding country。＇
facing the sun。
＇Tu Mu takes this to mean 〃facing south；〃 and Ch‘en Hao
〃facing east。〃 Cf。 infra； SS。 11； 13。
Do not climb heights in order to fight。 So much for mountain
warfare。
3。 After crossing a river； you should get far away from it。
＇〃In order to tempt the enemy to cross after you；〃 according
to Ts‘ao Kung； and also； says Chang Yu； 〃in order not to be
impeded in your evolutions。〃 The T‘UNG TIEN reads； 〃If THE ENEMY
crosses a river；〃 etc。 But in view of the next sentence； this is
almost certainly an interpolation。＇
4。 When an invading force crosses a river in its onward
march； do not advance to meet it in mid…stream。 It will be best
to let half the army get across； and then deliver your attack。
＇Li Ch‘uan alludes to the great victory won by Han Hsin over
Lung Chu at the Wei River。 Turning to the CH‘IEN HAN SHU； ch。
34； fol。 6 verso； we find the battle described as follows： 〃The
two armies were drawn up on opposite sides of the river。 In the
night； Han Hsin ordered his men to take some ten thousand sacks
filled with sand and construct a dam higher up。 Then； leading
half his army across； he attacked Lung Chu； but after a time；
pretending to have failed in his attempt； he hastily withdrew to
the other bank。 Lung Chu was much elated by this unlooked…for
success； and exclaiming： 〃I felt sure that Han Hsin was really a
coward！〃 he pursued him and began crossing the river in his turn。
Han Hsin now sent a party to cut open the sandbags； thus
releasing a great volume of water； which swept down and prevented
the greater portion of Lung Chu's army from getting across。 He
then turned upon the force which had been cut off； and
annihilated it； Lung Chu himself being amongst the slain。 The
rest of the army； on the further bank； also scattered and fled in
all