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the position is critical。
＇Sun Tzu may at times appear to be over…cautious； but he
never goes so far in that direction as the remarkable passage in
the TAO TE CHING； ch。 69。 〃I dare not take the initiative； but
prefer to act on the defensive； I dare not advance an inch； but
prefer to retreat a foot。〃＇
18。 No ruler should put troops into the field merely to
gratify his own spleen； no general should fight a battle simply
out of pique。
19。 If it is to your advantage； make a forward move； if
not； stay where you are。
＇This is repeated from XI。 ss。 17。 Here I feel convinced
that it is an interpolation； for it is evident that ss。 20 ought
to follow immediately on ss。 18。＇
20。 Anger may in time change to gladness； vexation may be
succeeded by content。
21。 But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never
come again into being；
＇The Wu State was destined to be a melancholy example of
this saying。＇
nor can the dead ever be brought back to life。
22。 Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful； and the good
general full of caution。 This is the way to keep a country at
peace and an army intact。
＇1＇ 〃Unless you enter the tiger's lair； you cannot get hold of
the tiger's cubs。〃
…
XIII。 THE USE OF SPIES
1。 Sun Tzu said： Raising a host of a hundred thousand men
and marching them great distances entails heavy loss on the
people and a drain on the resources of the State。 The daily
expenditure will amount to a thousand ounces of silver。
＇Cf。 II。 ss。 ss。 1； 13； 14。＇
There will be commotion at home and abroad； and men will drop
down exhausted on the highways。
＇Cf。 TAO TE CHING； ch。 30： 〃Where troops have been
quartered； brambles and thorns spring up。 Chang Yu has the note：
〃We may be reminded of the saying： 'On serious ground； gather in
plunder。' Why then should carriage and transportation cause
exhaustion on the highways？The answer is； that not victuals
alone； but all sorts of munitions of war have to be conveyed to
the army。 Besides； the injunction to 'forage on the enemy' only
means that when an army is deeply engaged in hostile territory；
scarcity of food must be provided against。 Hence； without being
solely dependent on the enemy for corn； we must forage in order
that there may be an uninterrupted flow of supplies。 Then；
again； there are places like salt deserts where provisions being
unobtainable； supplies from home cannot be dispensed with。〃＇
As many as seven hundred thousand families will be impeded in
their labor。
＇Mei Yao…ch‘en says： 〃Men will be lacking at the plough…
tail。〃 The allusion is to the system of dividing land into nine
parts； each consisting of about 15 acres； the plot in the center
being cultivated on behalf of the State by the tenants of the
other eight。 It was here also； so Tu Mu tells us； that their
cottages were built and a well sunk； to be used by all in common。
＇See II。 ss。 12； note。＇ In time of war； one of the families had
to serve in the army； while the other seven contributed to its
support。 Thus； by a levy of 100；000 men （reckoning one able…
bodied soldier to each family） the husbandry of 700；000 families
would be affected。＇
2。 Hostile armies may face each other for years； striving
for the victory which is decided in a single day。 This being so；
to remain in ignorance of the enemy's condition simply because
one grudges the outlay of a hundred ounces of silver in honors
and emoluments；
＇〃For spies〃 is of course the meaning； though it would spoil
the effect of this curiously elaborate exordium if spies were
actually mentioned at this point。＇
is the height of inhumanity。
＇Sun Tzu's agreement is certainly ingenious。 He begins by
adverting to the frightful misery and vast expenditure of blood
and treasure which war always brings in its train。 Now； unless
you are kept informed of the enemy's condition； and are ready to
strike at the right moment； a war may drag on for years。 The
only way to get this information is to employ spies； and it is
impossible to obtain trustworthy spies unless they are properly
paid for their services。 But it is surely false economy to
grudge a comparatively trifling amount for this purpose； when
every day that the war lasts eats up an incalculably greater sum。
This grievous burden falls on the shoulders of the poor； and
hence Sun Tzu concludes that to neglect the use of spies is
nothing less than a crime against humanity。＇
3。 One who acts thus is no leader of men； no present help
to his sovereign； no master of victory。
＇This idea； that the true object of war is peace； has its
root in the national temperament of the Chinese。 Even so far
back as 597 B。C。； these memorable words were uttered by Prince
Chuang of the Ch‘u State： 〃The ＇Chinese＇ character for 'prowess'
is made up of ＇the characters for＇ 'to stay' and 'a spear'
（cessation of hostilities）。 Military prowess is seen in the
repression of cruelty； the calling in of weapons； the
preservation of the appointment of Heaven； the firm establishment
of merit； the bestowal of happiness on the people； putting
harmony between the princes； the diffusion of wealth。〃＇
4。 Thus； what enables the wise sovereign and the good
general to strike and conquer； and achieve things beyond the
reach of ordinary men； is FOREKNOWLEDGE。
＇That is； knowledge of the enemy's dispositions； and what he
means to do。＇
5。 Now this foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits；
it cannot be obtained inductively from experience；
＇Tu Mu's note is： 〃＇knowledge of the enemy＇ cannot be
gained by reasoning from other analogous cases。〃＇
nor by any deductive calculation。
＇Li Ch‘uan says： 〃Quantities like length； breadth；
distance and magnitude； are susceptible of exact mathematical
determination； human actions cannot be so calculated。〃＇
6。 Knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be
obtained from other men。
＇Mei Yao…ch‘en has rather an interesting note： 〃Knowledge
of the spirit…world is to be obtained by divination； information
in natural science may be sought by inductive reasoning； the laws
of the universe can be verified by mathematical calculation： but
the dispositions of an enemy are ascertainable through spies and
spies alone。〃＇
7。 Hence the use of spies； of whom there are five classes：
（1） Local spies； （2） inward spies； （3） converted spies； （4）
doomed spies； （5） surviving spies。
8。 When these five kinds of spy are all at work； none can
discover the secret system。 This is called 〃divine manipulation
of the threads。〃 It is the sovereign's most precious faculty。
＇Cromwell； one of th