August 5, 2025 • 8 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter nine, The Army on the march Sun, Sou said,
we come now to the question of encamping the army
and observing signs of the enemy. Pass quickly over mountains
and keep in the neighborhood of valleys. Camp in high
places facing the sun. Do not climb heights in order
(00:20):
to fight. So much for mountain warfare. After crossing a river,
you should get far away from it. When an invading
force crosses a river in its onward march, do not
advance to meet it in midstream. It will be best
to let half the army get across and then deliver
your attack. If you are anxious to fight, you should
(00:43):
not go to meet the invader near a river which
he has to cross. More your craft higher up than
the enemy, and facing the sun, do not move upstream
to meet the enemy. So much for river warfare. Salt marshes,
your sole concern should be to get over them quickly
(01:04):
without any delay. If forced to fight in a salt marsh,
you should have water and grass near you, and get
your back to a clump of trees. So much for
operations in salt marshes. In dry level country, take up
an easily accessible position with rising ground to your right
(01:24):
and on your rear, so that the danger may be
in front and safely lie behind. So much for campaigning
in flat country. There are four useful branches of military knowledge,
which enabled the Yellow Emperor to vanquish four several sovereigns.
All armies prefer high ground to low, and sunny places
(01:46):
to dark. If you are careful of your men and
camp on hard ground, the army will be free from
disease of every kind, and this will spell victory. When
you come to a hill or a bank, occupy the
sunnyside with a slope on your right rear. Thus you
will at once act for the benefit of your soldiers
(02:07):
and utilize the natural advantages of the ground. When, in
consequence of heavy rains up country, a river which you
wish to ford is swollen and flecked with foam, you
must wait until it subsides. Country in which there are
precipitous cliffs with torrents running between deep natural hollows. Confined places,
(02:30):
tangled thickets, quagmires, and crevasses should be left with all
possible speed and not approached. While we keep away from
such places, we should get the enemy to approach them.
While we face them, we should let the enemy have
them on his rear. If in the neighborhood of your
(02:51):
camp there should be any hilly country, ponds surrounded by
aquatic grass, hollow basins filled with reeds, or woods with
the undergrowth, they must be carefully routed out and searched,
for these are places where men in ambush and insidious
spies are likely to be lurking. When the enemy is
close at hand and remains quiet, he is relying on
(03:15):
the natural strengths of his position. When he keeps aloof
and tries to provoke a battle, he is anxious for
the other side to advance. If his place of encampment
is easy of access, he is tendering a bait. Movement
amongst the trees of a forest shows that the enemy
is advancing. The appearance of a number of screens in
(03:38):
the midst of thick grass means that the enemy wants
to make us suspicious. The rising of birds in their
flight is the sign of an ambuscade. Startled beasts indicate
that a sudden attack is coming. When there is dust
rising in a high column, it is the sign of
chariots advancing. When the dust is low spread over a
(04:00):
wide area. It betokens the approach of infantry. When it
branches out in different directions, it shows that parties have
been sent to collect firewood. A few clouds of dust
moving to and fro signify that the army is encamping.
Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy
(04:22):
is about to advance. Violent language in driving forward as
if to attack are signs that he will retreat. When
the light chariots come out first and take up position
on the wings, it is a sign that the enemy
is forming for battle. Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn
covenant indicate a plot. When there is much running about
(04:46):
and the soldiers fall into rank, it means that the
critical moment has come. When some are seen advancing and
some retreating, it is a lure. When the soldiers stand
leaning on their spears, they are faint from want of food.
If those who are sent to draw water begin by
drinking themselves, the army is suffering from thirst. If the
(05:09):
enemy sees an advantage to be gained and makes no
effort to secure it, the soldiers are exhausted. If birds
gather on any spot it is unoccupied, clamor by night
betokens nervousness. If there is disturbance in the camp, the
general's authority is weak. If the banners and flags are
(05:31):
shifted about, sedition is afoot. If the officers are angry,
it means that the men are weary. When an army
feeds its horses with grain and kills its cattle for food,
and when the men do not hang their cooking pots
over the camp fires, showing that they will not return
to their tents, you may know that they are determined
(05:53):
to fight to the death. The sight of men whispering
together in small knots are speaking in so viewed tones,
points to disaffection amongst the rank and file. Two frequent
rewards signify that the enemy is at the end of
his resources. Too many punishments betray a condition of dire distress.
(06:15):
To begin by bluster, but after which to take fright
at the enemy's numbers shows a supreme lack of intelligence.
When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it
is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.
If the enemy's troops march up angrily and remain facing
ours for a long time without either joining battle or
(06:39):
taking themselves off again. The situation is one that demands
great vigilance and circumspection. If our troops are no more
in number than the enemy, that is amply sufficient. It
only means that no direct attack can be made. What
we can do is simply to concentrate all our available strength,
(07:00):
keep a close watch on the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.
He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his
opponents is sure to be captured by them. If soldiers
are punished before they have grown attached to you, they
will not prove submissive, and in less submissive then will
(07:20):
be practically useless. If when soldiers have become attached to you,
punishments are not enforced, they will still be useless. Therefore,
soldiers must be treated, in the first instance with humanity,
but kept under control by means of iron discipline. This
is a certain road to victory. If in training soldiers
(07:45):
commands are habitually enforced, the army will be well disciplined.
If not, its discipline will be bad. If a general
shows confidence in his men but always insists on his
art as being obeyed, the gain will be mutual. End
of Chapter nine
Chapter nine, The Army on the march Sun, Sou said,
we come now to the question of encamping the army
and observing signs of the enemy. Pass quickly over mountains
and keep in the neighborhood of valleys. Camp in high
places facing the sun. Do not climb heights in order
(00:20):
to fight. So much for mountain warfare. After crossing a river,
you should get far away from it. When an invading
force crosses a river in its onward march, do not
advance to meet it in midstream. It will be best
to let half the army get across and then deliver
your attack. If you are anxious to fight, you should
(00:43):
not go to meet the invader near a river which
he has to cross. More your craft higher up than
the enemy, and facing the sun, do not move upstream
to meet the enemy. So much for river warfare. Salt marshes,
your sole concern should be to get over them quickly
(01:04):
without any delay. If forced to fight in a salt marsh,
you should have water and grass near you, and get
your back to a clump of trees. So much for
operations in salt marshes. In dry level country, take up
an easily accessible position with rising ground to your right
(01:24):
and on your rear, so that the danger may be
in front and safely lie behind. So much for campaigning
in flat country. There are four useful branches of military knowledge,
which enabled the Yellow Emperor to vanquish four several sovereigns.
All armies prefer high ground to low, and sunny places
(01:46):
to dark. If you are careful of your men and
camp on hard ground, the army will be free from
disease of every kind, and this will spell victory. When
you come to a hill or a bank, occupy the
sunnyside with a slope on your right rear. Thus you
will at once act for the benefit of your soldiers
(02:07):
and utilize the natural advantages of the ground. When, in
consequence of heavy rains up country, a river which you
wish to ford is swollen and flecked with foam, you
must wait until it subsides. Country in which there are
precipitous cliffs with torrents running between deep natural hollows. Confined places,
(02:30):
tangled thickets, quagmires, and crevasses should be left with all
possible speed and not approached. While we keep away from
such places, we should get the enemy to approach them.
While we face them, we should let the enemy have
them on his rear. If in the neighborhood of your
(02:51):
camp there should be any hilly country, ponds surrounded by
aquatic grass, hollow basins filled with reeds, or woods with
the undergrowth, they must be carefully routed out and searched,
for these are places where men in ambush and insidious
spies are likely to be lurking. When the enemy is
close at hand and remains quiet, he is relying on
(03:15):
the natural strengths of his position. When he keeps aloof
and tries to provoke a battle, he is anxious for
the other side to advance. If his place of encampment
is easy of access, he is tendering a bait. Movement
amongst the trees of a forest shows that the enemy
is advancing. The appearance of a number of screens in
(03:38):
the midst of thick grass means that the enemy wants
to make us suspicious. The rising of birds in their
flight is the sign of an ambuscade. Startled beasts indicate
that a sudden attack is coming. When there is dust
rising in a high column, it is the sign of
chariots advancing. When the dust is low spread over a
(04:00):
wide area. It betokens the approach of infantry. When it
branches out in different directions, it shows that parties have
been sent to collect firewood. A few clouds of dust
moving to and fro signify that the army is encamping.
Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy
(04:22):
is about to advance. Violent language in driving forward as
if to attack are signs that he will retreat. When
the light chariots come out first and take up position
on the wings, it is a sign that the enemy
is forming for battle. Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn
covenant indicate a plot. When there is much running about
(04:46):
and the soldiers fall into rank, it means that the
critical moment has come. When some are seen advancing and
some retreating, it is a lure. When the soldiers stand
leaning on their spears, they are faint from want of food.
If those who are sent to draw water begin by
drinking themselves, the army is suffering from thirst. If the
(05:09):
enemy sees an advantage to be gained and makes no
effort to secure it, the soldiers are exhausted. If birds
gather on any spot it is unoccupied, clamor by night
betokens nervousness. If there is disturbance in the camp, the
general's authority is weak. If the banners and flags are
(05:31):
shifted about, sedition is afoot. If the officers are angry,
it means that the men are weary. When an army
feeds its horses with grain and kills its cattle for food,
and when the men do not hang their cooking pots
over the camp fires, showing that they will not return
to their tents, you may know that they are determined
(05:53):
to fight to the death. The sight of men whispering
together in small knots are speaking in so viewed tones,
points to disaffection amongst the rank and file. Two frequent
rewards signify that the enemy is at the end of
his resources. Too many punishments betray a condition of dire distress.
(06:15):
To begin by bluster, but after which to take fright
at the enemy's numbers shows a supreme lack of intelligence.
When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it
is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.
If the enemy's troops march up angrily and remain facing
ours for a long time without either joining battle or
(06:39):
taking themselves off again. The situation is one that demands
great vigilance and circumspection. If our troops are no more
in number than the enemy, that is amply sufficient. It
only means that no direct attack can be made. What
we can do is simply to concentrate all our available strength,
(07:00):
keep a close watch on the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.
He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his
opponents is sure to be captured by them. If soldiers
are punished before they have grown attached to you, they
will not prove submissive, and in less submissive then will
(07:20):
be practically useless. If when soldiers have become attached to you,
punishments are not enforced, they will still be useless. Therefore,
soldiers must be treated, in the first instance with humanity,
but kept under control by means of iron discipline. This
is a certain road to victory. If in training soldiers
(07:45):
commands are habitually enforced, the army will be well disciplined.
If not, its discipline will be bad. If a general
shows confidence in his men but always insists on his
art as being obeyed, the gain will be mutual. End
of Chapter nine
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