Thus the highest form of generalship is to baulk the enemy’s plans;
I.e., as Li Ch‘üan says (伐其始謀也), in their very inception.
Perhaps the word “baulk” falls short of expressing the full force
of 伐, which implies not an attitude of defence, whereby one might
be content to foil the enemy’s stratagems one after another, but
an active policy of counter-attack. Ho Shih puts this very clearly
in his note: “When the enemy has made a plan of attack against us,
we must anticipate him by delivering our own attack first.”
the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy’s forces;
Isolating him from his allies. We must not forget that Sun Tzŭ, in
speaking of hostilities, always has in mind the numerous states or
principalities into which the China of his day was split up.
the next in order is to attack the enemy’s army in the field;
When he is already in full strength.
and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.
The use of the word 政 is somewhat unusual, which may account for
the reading of the modern text: 其下攻城.