X. TERRAIN

by Sun Tzu

　　1. Sun Tzu said: We may distinguish six kinds of terrain,to wit: (1) Accessible ground; (2) entangling ground;(3) temporizing ground; (4) narrow passes; (5) precipitousheights; (6) positions at a great distance from the enemy. 2. Ground which can be freely traversed by both sidesis called accessible. 3. With regard to ground of this nature, be beforethe enemy in occupying the raised and sunny spots,and carefully guard your line of supplies. Then youwill be able to fight with advantage. 4. Ground which can be abandoned but is hardto re-occupy is called entangling. 5. From a position of this sort, if the enemyis unprepared, you may sally forth and defeat him.But if the enemy is prepared for your coming, and youfail to defeat him, then, return being impossible,disaster will ensue. 6. When the position is such that neither side will gainby making the first move, it is called temporizing ground. 7. In a position of this sort, even though the enemyshould offer us an attractive bait, it will be advisablenot to stir forth, but rather to retreat, thus enticingthe enemy in his turn; then, when part of his army hascome out, we may deliver our attack with advantage. 8. With regard to narrow passes, if you can occupythem first, let them be strongly garrisoned and awaitthe advent of the enemy. 9. Should the army forestall you in occupying a pass,do not go after him if the pass is fully garrisoned,but only if it is weakly garrisoned. 10. With regard to precipitous heights, if you arebeforehand with your adversary, you should occupy theraised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up. 11. If the enemy has occupied them before you,do not follow him, but retreat and try to entice him away. 12. If you are situated at a great distance fromthe enemy, and the strength of the two armies is equal,it is not easy to provoke a battle, and fighting will beto your disadvantage. 13. These six are the principles connected with Earth.The general who has attained a responsible post must becareful to study them. 14. Now an army is exposed to six several calamities,not arising from natural causes, but from faultsfor which the general is responsible. These are:(1) Flight; (2) insubordination; (3) collapse; (4) ruin;(5) disorganization; (6) rout. 15. Other conditions being equal, if one force ishurled against another ten times its size, the resultwill be the flight of the former. 16. When the common soldiers are too strong andtheir officers too weak, the result is insubordination.When the officers are too strong and the common soldierstoo weak, the result is collapse. 17. When the higher officers are angry and insubordinate,and on meeting the enemy give battle on their own accountfrom a feeling of resentment, before the commander-in-chiefcan tell whether or no he is in a position to fight,the result is ruin. 18. When the general is weak and without authority;when his orders are not clear and distinct; when thereare no fixes duties assigned to officers and men,and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner,the result is utter disorganization. 19. When a general, unable to estimate the enemy'sstrength, allows an inferior force to engage a larger one,or hurls a weak detachment against a powerful one,and neglects to place picked soldiers in the front rank,the result must be rout. 20. These are six ways of courting defeat, which mustbe carefully noted by the general who has attaineda responsible post. 21. The natural formation of the country is the soldier'sbest ally; but a power of estimating the adversary,of controlling the forces of victory, and of shrewdlycalculating difficulties, dangers and distances,constitutes the test of a great general. 22. He who knows these things, and in fighting putshis knowledge into practice, will win his battles.He who knows them not, nor practices them, will surelybe defeated. 23. If fighting is sure to result in victory,then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it;if fighting will not result in victory, then you must notfight even at the ruler's bidding. 24. The general who advances without coveting fameand retreats without fearing disgrace, whose onlythought is to protect his country and do good servicefor his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom. 25. Regard your soldiers as your children, and theywill follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon themas your own beloved sons, and they will stand by youeven unto death. 26. If, however, you are indulgent, but unable to makeyour authority felt; kind-hearted, but unable to enforceyour commands; and incapable, moreover, of quelling disorder:then your soldiers must be likened to spoilt children;they are useless for any practical purpose. 27. If we know that our own men are in a conditionto attack, but are unaware that the enemy is not opento attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. 28. If we know that the enemy is open to attack,but are unaware that our own men are not in a conditionto attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. 29. If we know that the enemy is open to attack,and also know that our men are in a condition to attack,but are unaware that the nature of the ground makesfighting impracticable, we have still gone only halfwaytowards victory. 30. Hence the experienced soldier, once in motion,is never bewildered; once he has broken camp, he is neverat a loss. 31. Hence the saying: If you know the enemy andknow yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt;if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make yourvictory complete.