When in difficult country, do not encamp.
For explanation of 圮地, see XI. § 8.
In country where high roads intersect, join hands with your allies.
See XI, §§ 6, 12. Capt. Calthrop omits 衢地.
Do not linger in dangerously isolated positions.
絶地 is not one of the Nine Situations as given in the beginning
of chap. XI, but occurs later on (_ibid._ § 43, _q.v._). We may
compare it with 重地 (XI. § 7). Chang Yü calls it a 危絶之地,
situated across the frontier, in hostile territory. Li Ch‘üan says
it is “country in which there are no springs or wells, flocks or
herds, vegetables or firewood;” Chia Lin, “one of gorges, chasms
and precipices, without a road by which to advance.”
In hemmed-in situations, you must resort to stratagem.
See XI. §§ 9, 14. Capt. Calthrop has “mountainous and wooded
country,” which is a quite inadequate translation of 圍.
In a desperate position, you must fight.
See XI. §§ 10, 14. Chang Yü has an important note here, which must
be given in full. “From 圮地無舍,” he says, “down to this point,
the Nine Variations are presented to us. The reason why only five
are given is that the subject is treated _en précis_ (舉其大略也).
So in chap. XI, where he discusses the variations of tactics
corresponding to the Nine Grounds, Sun Tzŭ mentions only six
variations; there again we have an abridgment. [I cannot
understand what Chang Yü means by this statement. He can only be
referring to §§ 11–14 or §§ 46–50 of chap. XI; but in both places
all the nine grounds are discussed. Perhaps he is confusing
these with the Six 地形 of chap. X.] All kinds of ground have
corresponding military positions, and also a variation of tactics
suitable to each (凡地有勢有變). In chap. XI, what we find
enumerated first [§§ 2–10] are the situations; afterwards
[§§ 11–14] the corresponding tactics. Now, how can we tell that
the 九變 “Nine Variations” are simply the 九地之變 “variations of
tactics corresponding to the Nine Grounds”? It is said further
on [§ 5] that ‘the general who does not understand the nine
variations of tactics may be well acquainted with the features
of the country, yet he will not be able to turn his knowledge to
practical account.’ Again, in chap. XI [§ 41] we read: ‘The
different measures adapted to the nine varieties of ground
(九地之變) and the expediency of aggressive or defensive tactics
must be carefully examined.’ From a consideration of these
passages the meaning is made clear. When later on the nine grounds
are enumerated, Sun Tzŭ recurs to these nine variations. He wishes
here to speak of the Five Advantages [see _infra_, § 6], so he
begins by setting forth the Nine Variations. These are inseparably
connected in practice, and therefore they are dealt with
together.” The weak point of this argument is the suggestion that
五事 “five things” can stand as a 大畧, that is, an abstract or
abridgment, of nine, when those that are omitted are not less
important than those that appear, and when one of the latter is
not included amongst the nine at all.