SUN　TZU　ON　THE　ART　OF　WAR
  THE　OLDEST　MILITARY　TREATISE　IN　THE　WORLD
  Translated　from　the　Chinese　with　Introduction
  and　Critical　Notes
  BY
  LIONEL　GILES；　M。A。
  Assistant　in　the　Department　of　Oriental　Printed　Books　and　MSS。
  in　the　British　Museum
  First　Published　in　1910
  …
  To　my　brother
  Captain　Valentine　Giles；　R。G。
  in　the　hope　that
  a　work　2400　years　old
  may　yet　contain　lessons　worth　consideration
  by　the　soldier　of　today
  this　translation
  is　affectionately　dedicated。
  …
  INTRODUCTION
  Sun　Wu　and　his　Book
  …
  Ssu…ma　Ch‘ien　gives　the　following　biography　of　Sun　Tzu：　　＇1＇
  Sun　Tzu　Wu　was　a　native　of　the　Ch‘i　State。　　His　ART　OF
  WAR　brought　him　to　the　notice　of　Ho　Lu；　＇2＇　King　of　Wu。　　Ho
  Lu　said　to　him：　　〃I　have　carefully　perused　your　13　chapters。
  May　I　submit　your　theory　of　managing　soldiers　to　a　slight
  test？〃
  Sun　Tzu　replied：　　〃You　may。〃
  Ho　Lu　asked：　　〃May　the　test　be　applied　to　women？〃
  The　answer　was　again　in　the　affirmative；　so　arrangements
  were　made　to　bring　180　ladies　out　of　the　Palace。　　Sun　Tzu
  divided　them　into　two　companies；　and　placed　one　of　the　King's
  favorite　concubines　at　the　head　of　each。　　He　then　bade　them
  all　take　spears　in　their　hands；　and　addressed　them　thus：　　　〃I
  presume　you　know　the　difference　between　front　and　back；　right
  hand　and　left　hand？〃
  The　girls　replied：　　Yes。
  Sun　Tzu　went　on：　　〃When　I　say　〃Eyes　front；〃　　you　must
  look　straight　ahead。　　When　I　say　〃Left　turn；〃　you　must　face
  towards　your　left　hand。　　When　I　say　〃Right　turn；〃　　you　must
  face　towards　your　right　hand。　　When　I　say　〃About　turn；〃　　you
  must　face　right　round　towards　your　back。〃
  Again　the　girls　assented。　　The　words　of　command　having
  been　thus　explained；　he　set　up　the　halberds　and　battle…axes
  in　order　to　begin　the　drill。　　Then；　to　the　sound　of　drums；　he
  gave　the　order　〃Right　turn。〃　　But　the　girls　only　burst　out
  laughing。　　Sun　Tzu　said：　　〃If　words　of　command　are　not　clear
  and　distinct；　if　orders　are　not　thoroughly　understood；　then
  the　general　is　to　blame。〃
  So　he　started　drilling　them　again；　and　this　time　gave
  the　order　〃Left　turn；〃　whereupon　the　girls　once　more　burst
  into　fits　of　laughter。　　Sun　Tzu：　　〃If　words　of　command　are
  not　clear　and　distinct；　if　orders　are　not　thoroughly
  understood；　the　general　is　to　blame。　　But　if　his　orders　ARE
  clear；　and　the　soldiers　nevertheless　disobey；　then　it　is　the
  fault　of　their　officers。〃
  So　saying；　he　ordered　the　leaders　of　the　two　companies
  to　be　beheaded。　　Now　the　king　of　Wu　was　watching　the　scene
  from　the　top　of　a　raised　pavilion；　and　when　he　saw　that　his
  favorite　concubines　were　about　to　be　executed；　he　was　greatly
  alarmed　and　hurriedly　sent　down　the　following　message：　　　〃We
  are　now　quite　satisfied　as　to　our　general's　ability　to　handle
  troops。　　If　We　are　bereft　of　these　two　concubines；　our　meat
  and　drink　will　lose　their　savor。　　It　is　our　wish　that　they
  shall　not　be　beheaded。〃
  Sun　Tzu　replied：　　〃Having　once　received　His　Majesty's
  commission　to　be　the　general　of　his　forces；　there　are　certain
  commands　of　His　Majesty　which；　acting　in　that　capacity；　I　am
  unable　to　accept。〃
  Accordingly；　　he　had　the　two　leaders　beheaded；　　and
  straightway　installed　the　pair　next　in　order　as　leaders　in
  their　place。　　When　this　had　been　done；　the　drum　was　sounded
  for　the　drill　once　more；　and　the　girls　went　through　all　the
  evolutions；　turning　to　the　right　or　to　the　left；　marching
  ahead　or　wheeling　back；　kneeling　or　standing；　with　perfect
  accuracy　and　precision；　not　venturing　to　utter　a　sound。　　Then
  Sun　Tzu　sent　a　messenger　to　the　King　saying：　　〃Your　soldiers；
  Sire；　are　now　properly　drilled　and　disciplined；　and　ready　for
  your　majesty's　inspection。　　They　can　be　put　to　any　use　that
  their　sovereign　may　desire；　bid　them　go　through　fire　and
  water；　and　they　will　not　disobey。〃
  But　the　King　replied：　　〃Let　our　general　cease　drilling
  and　return　to　camp。　　As　for　us；　We　have　no　wish　to　come　down
  and　inspect　the　troops。〃
  Thereupon　Sun　Tzu　said：　　〃The　King　is　only　fond　of
  words；　and　cannot　translate　them　into　deeds。〃
  After　that；　Ho　Lu　saw　that　Sun　Tzu　was　one　who　knew　how
  to　handle　an　army；　and　finally　appointed　him　general。　　In　the
  west；　he　defeated　the　Ch‘u　State　and　forced　his　way　into
  Ying；　the　capital；　to　the　north　he　put　fear　into　the　States
  of　Ch‘i　and　Chin；　and　spread　his　fame　abroad　amongst　the
  feudal　princes。　　And　Sun　Tzu　shared　in　the　might　of　the　King。
  About　Sun　Tzu　himself　this　is　all　that　Ssu…ma　Ch‘ien　has　to
  tell　us　in　this　chapter。　　But　he　proceeds　to　give　a　biography　of
  his　descendant；　　Sun　Pin；　born　about　a　hundred　years　after　his
  famous　ancestor's　death；　and　also　the　outstanding　military　genius
  of　his　time。　　The　historian　speaks　of　him　too　as　Sun　Tzu；　and　in
  his　preface　we　read：　　〃Sun　Tzu　had　his　feet　cut　off　and　yet
  continued　to　discuss　the　art　of　war。〃　＇3＇　　It　seems　likely；　then；
  that　　〃Pin〃　was　a　nickname　bestowed　on　him　after　his　mutilation；
  unless　the　story　was　invented　in　order　to　account　for　the　name。
  The　crowning　incident　of　his　career；　the　crushing　defeat　of　his
  treacherous　rival　P‘ang　Chuan；　will　be　found　briefly　related　in
  Chapter　V。　ss。　19；　note。
  To　return　to　the　elder　Sun　Tzu。　　He　is　mentioned　in　two
  other　passages　of　the　SHIH　CHI：
  In　the　third　year　of　his　reign　＇512　B。C。＇　Ho　Lu；　king　of
  Wu；　took　the　field　with　Tzu…hsu　＇i。e。　Wu　Yuan＇　and　Po　P‘ei；
  and　attacked　Ch‘u。　　He　captured　the　town　of　Shu　and　slew　the
  two　prince's　sons　who　had　formerly　been　generals　of　Wu。　　He
  was　then　meditating　a　descent　on　Ying　＇the　capital＇；　but　the
  general　Sun　Wu　said：　　〃The　army　is　exhausted。　　It　is　not　yet
  possible。　　We　must　wait〃。。。。　　＇After　further　successful
  fighting；＇　　〃in　the　ninth　year　　＇506　B。C。＇；　　King　Ho　Lu
  addressed　Wu　Tzu…hsu　and　Sun　Wu；　saying：　　　〃Formerly；　you
  declared　that　it　was　not　yet　possible　for　us　to　enter　Ying。
  Is　the　time　ripe　now？〃　　The　two　men　replied：　　〃Ch‘u's　general
  Tzu…ch‘ang；　＇4＇　is　grasping　and　covetous；　and　the　princes　of
  T‘ang　and　Ts‘ai　both　have　a　grudge　against　him。　　If　Your
  Majesty　has　resolved　to　make　a　grand　attack；　you　must　win
  over　T‘ang　and　Ts‘ai；　and　then　you　may　succeed。〃　　　Ho　Lu
  followed　this　advice；　＇beat　Ch‘u　in　five　pitched　battles　and
  marched　into　Ying。＇　＇5＇
  This　is　the　latest　date　at　which　anything　is　recorded　of　Sun
  Wu。　　He　does　not　appear　to　have　survived　his　patron；　who　died
  from　the　effects　of　a　wound　in　496。
  In　another　chapter　there　occurs　this　passage：　　＇6＇
  From　this　time　onward；　a　number　of　famous　soldiers
  arose；　one　after　the　other：　　Kao…fan；　＇7＇　who　was　employed　by
  the　Chin　State；　Wang…tzu；　＇8＇　in　the　service　of　Ch‘i；　and　Sun
  Wu；　in　the　service　of　Wu。　　These　men　developed　and　threw
  light　upon　the　principles　of　war。
  It　is　obvious　enough　that　Ssu…ma　Ch‘ien　at　least　had　no
  doubt　about　the　reality　of　Sun　Wu　as　an　historical　personage；　and
  with　one　exception；　to　be　noticed　presently；　he　is　by　far　the
  most　important　authority　on　the　period　in　question。　　It　will　not
  be　necessary；　therefore；　to　say　much　of　such　a　work　as　the　WU
  YUEH　CH‘UN　CH‘IU；　which　is　supposed　to　have　been　written　by　Chao
  Yeh　of　the　1st　century　A。D。　　The　attribution　is　somewhat
  doubtful；　but　even　if　it　were　otherwise；　his　account　would　be　of
  little　value；　based　as　it　is　on　the　SHIH　CHI　and　expanded　with
  romantic　details。　　The　story　of　Sun　Tzu　will　be　found；　for　what
  it　is　worth；　in　chapter　2。　　The　only　new　points　in　it　worth
  noting　are：　　（1）　　Sun　Tzu　was　first　recommended　to　Ho　Lu　by　Wu
  Tzu…hsu。　　（2）　He　is　called　a　native　of　Wu。　　（3）　He　had　previously
  lived　a　retired　life；　and　his　contemporaries　were　unaware　of　his
  ability。
  The　following　passage　occurs　in　the　Huai…nan　Tzu：　　　〃When
  sovereign　and　ministers　show　perversity　of　mind；　it　is　impossible
  even　for　a　Sun　Tzu　to　encounter　the　foe。〃　　Assuming　that　this
  work　is　genuine　（and　hitherto　no　doubt　has　been　cast　upon　it）；　we
  have　here　the　earliest　direct　reference　for　Sun　Tzu；　for　Huai…nan
  Tzu　died　in　122　B。C。；　many　years　before　the　SHIH　CHI　was　given　to
  the　world。
  Liu　Hsiang　（80…9　B。C。）　says：　　〃The　reason　why　Sun　Tzu　at　the
  head　of　30；000　men　beat　Ch‘u　with　200；000　is　that　the　latter　were
  undisciplined。〃
  Teng　Min