There are roads which must not be followed,
“Especially those leading through narrow defiles,” says Li Ch‘üan,
“where an ambush is to be feared.”
armies which must not be attacked,
More correctly, perhaps, “there are times when an army must not be
attacked.” Ch‘ên Hao says: “When you see your way to obtain a
trivial advantage, but are powerless to inflict a real defeat,
refrain from attacking, for fear of overtaxing your men’s strength.”
towns
Capt. Calthrop says “castles”—an unfortunate attempt to introduce
local colour.
which must not be besieged,
Cf. III. § 4. Ts‘ao Kung gives an interesting illustration from
his own experience. When invading the territory of 徐州 Hsü-chou,
he ignored the city of 華費 Hua-pi, which lay directly in his path,
and pressed on into the heart of the country. This excellent
strategy was rewarded by the subsequent capture of no fewer than
fourteen important district cities. Chang Yü says: “No town should
be attacked which, if taken, cannot be held, or if left alone,
will not cause any trouble.” 荀罃 Hsün Ying, when urged to attack
偪陽 Pi-yang, replied: “The city is small and well-fortified; even
if I succeed in taking it, ’t will be no great feat of arms;
whereas if I fail, I shall make myself a laughing-stock.” In the
seventeenth century, sieges still formed a large proportion of
war. It was Turenne who directed attention to the importance of
marches, countermarches and manœuvres. He said: “It is a great
mistake to waste men in taking a town when the same expenditure of
soldiers will gain a province.”[173]
positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which
must not be obeyed.
This is a hard saying for the Chinese, with their reverence for
authority, and Wei Liao Tzŭ (quoted by Tu Mu) is moved to exclaim:
兵者凶器也爭者逆德也將者死官也 “Weapons are baleful instruments,
strife is antagonistic to virtue, a military commander is the
negation of civil order!” The unpalatable fact remains, however,
that even Imperial wishes must be subordinated to military
necessity. Cf. III. § 17. (5), X. § 23. The _T‘ung Tien_ has 將在軍
before 君命, etc. This is a gloss on the words by Chu-ko Liang,
which being repeated by Tu Yu became incorporated with the text.
Chang Yü thinks that these five precepts are the 五利 referred
to in § 6. Another theory is that the mysterious 九變 are here
enumerated, starting with 圮地無舍 and ending at 地有所不爭, while
the final clause 君命有所不受 embraces and as it were sums up all
the nine. Thus Ho Shih says: “Even if it be your sovereign’s
command to encamp in difficult country, linger in isolated
positions, etc., you must not do so.” The theory is perhaps a
little too ingenious to be accepted with confidence.