them　nothing　when　the　situation　is　gloomy。
  58。　　Place　your　army　in　deadly　peril；　and　it　will　survive；
  plunge　it　into　desperate　straits；　and　it　will　come　off　in　safety。
  ＇These　words　of　Sun　Tzu　were　once　quoted　by　Han　Hsin　in
  explanation　of　the　tactics　he　employed　in　one　of　his　most
  brilliant　battles；　already　alluded　to　on　p。　28。　　In　204　B。C。；　　he
  was　sent　against　the　army　of　Chao；　and　halted　ten　miles　from　the
  mouth　of　the　Ching…hsing　pass；　where　the　enemy　had　mustered　in
  full　force。　　Here；　at　midnight；　he　detached　a　body　of　2000　light
  cavalry；　every　man　of　which　was　furnished　with　a　red　flag。　　Their
  instructions　were　to　make　their　way　through　narrow　defiles　and
  keep　a　secret　watch　on　the　enemy。　　〃When　the　men　of　Chao　see　me
  in　full　flight；〃　　Han　Hsin　said；　　〃they　will　abandon　their
  fortifications　and　give　chase。　　This　must　be　the　sign　for　you　to
  rush　in；　pluck　down　the　Chao　standards　and　set　up　the　red　banners
  of　Han　in　their　stead。〃　　Turning　then　to　his　other　officers；　　he
  remarked：　　　〃Our　adversary　holds　a　strong　position；　and　is　not
  likely　to　come　out　and　attack　us　until　he　sees　the　standard　and
  drums　of　the　commander…in…chief；　for　fear　I　should　turn　back　and
  escape　through　the　mountains。〃　　So　saying；　he　first　of　all　sent
  out　a　division　consisting　of　10；000　men；　and　ordered　them　to　form
  in　line　of　battle　with　their　backs　to　the　River　Ti。　　Seeing　this
  maneuver；　　the　whole　army　of　Chao　broke　into　loud　laughter。　　By
  this　time　it　was　broad　daylight；　and　Han　Hsin；　　displaying　the
  generalissimo's　flag；　marched　out　of　the　pass　with　drums　beating；
  and　was　immediately　engaged　by　the　enemy。　　A　great　battle
  followed；　lasting　for　some　time；　until　at　length　Han　Hsin　and　his
  colleague　Chang　Ni；　leaving　drums　and　banner　on　the　field；　　fled
  to　the　division　on　the　river　bank；　where　another　fierce　battle
  was　raging。　　The　enemy　rushed　out　to　pursue　them　and　to　secure
  the　trophies；　thus　denuding　their　ramparts　of　men；　but　the　two
  generals　succeeded　in　joining　the　other　army；　which　was　fighting
  with　the　utmost　desperation。　　The　time　had　now　come　for　the　2000
  horsemen　to　play　their　part。　　As　soon　as　they　saw　the　men　of　Chao
  following　up　their　advantage；　they　galloped　behind　the　deserted
  walls；　　tore　up　the　enemy's　flags　and　replaced　them　by　those　of
  Han。　　When　the　Chao　army　looked　back　from　the　pursuit；　the　sight
  of　these　red　flags　struck　them　with　terror。　　Convinced　that　the
  Hans　had　got　in　and　overpowered　their　king；　they　broke　up　in　wild
  disorder；　every　effort　of　their　leader　to　stay　the　panic　being　in
  vain。　　Then　the　Han　army　fell　on　them　from　both　sides　and
  completed　the　rout；　killing　a　number　and　capturing　the　rest；
  amongst　whom　was　King　Ya　himself。。。。　　After　the　battle；　some　of
  Han　Hsin's　officers　came　to　him　and　said：　　〃In　the　ART　OF　WAR　we
  are　told　to　have　a　hill　or　tumulus　on　the　right　rear；　and　a　river
  or　marsh　on　the　left　front。　　＇This　appears　to　be　a　blend　of　Sun
  Tzu　and　T‘ai　Kung。　　See　IX　ss。　9；　and　note。＇　　　You；　　on　the
  contrary；　ordered　us　to　draw　up　our　troops　with　the　river　at　our
  back。　　Under　these　conditions；　how　did　you　manage　to　gain　the
  victory？〃　　　The　general　replied：　　〃I　fear　you　gentlemen　have　not
  studied　the　Art　of　War　with　sufficient　care。　　Is　it　not　written
  there：　　'Plunge　your　army　into　desperate　straits　and　it　will　come
  off　in　safety；　place　it　in　deadly　peril　and　it　will　survive'？
  Had　I　taken　the　usual　course；　I　should　never　have　been　able　to
  bring　my　colleague　round。　　What　says　the　Military　Classic'Swoop
  down　on　the　market…place　and　drive　the　men　off　to　fight。'　　　＇This
  passage　does　not　occur　in　the　present　text　of　Sun　Tzu。＇　　If　I　had
  not　placed　my　troops　in　a　position　where　they　were　obliged　to
  fight　for　their　lives；　but　had　allowed　each　man　to　follow　his　own
  discretion；　　there　would　have　been　a　general　debandade；　　and　it
  would　have　been　impossible　to　do　anything　with　them。〃　　　The
  officers　admitted　the　force　of　his　argument；　and　said：　　　〃These
  are　higher　tactics　than　we　should　have　been　capable　of。〃　　　＇See
  CH‘IEN　HAN　SHU；　ch。　34；　ff。　4；　5。＇　＇
  59。　　For　it　is　precisely　when　a　force　has　fallen　into　harm's
  way　that　is　capable　of　striking　a　blow　for　victory。
  ＇Danger　has　a　bracing　effect。＇
  60。　　Success　in　warfare　is　gained　by　carefully　accommodating
  ourselves　to　the　enemy's　purpose。
  ＇Ts‘ao　Kung　says：　　〃Feign　stupidity〃by　an　appearance　of
  yielding　and　falling　in　with　the　enemy's　wishes。　　Chang　Yu's　note
  makes　the　meaning　clear：　　〃If　the　enemy　shows　an　inclination　to
  advance；　lure　him　on　to　do　so；　if　he　is　anxious　to　retreat；　delay
  on　purpose　that　he　may　carry　out　his　intention。〃　　The　object　is
  to　make　him　remiss　and　contemptuous　before　we　deliver　our
  attack。＇
  61。　　By　persistently　hanging　on　the　enemy's　flank；
  ＇I　understand　the　first　four　words　to　mean　〃accompanying　the
  enemy　in　one　direction。〃　　Ts‘ao　Kung　says：　　〃unite　the　soldiers
  and　make　for　the　enemy。〃　　But　such　a　violent　displacement　of
  characters　is　quite　indefensible。＇
  we　shall　succeed　in　the　long　run
  ＇Literally；　〃after　a　thousand　LI。〃＇
  in　killing　the　commander…in…chief。
  ＇Always　a　great　point　with　the　Chinese。＇
  62。　　This　is　called　ability　to　accomplish　a　thing　by　sheer
  cunning。
  63。　　On　the　day　that　you　take　up　your　command；　　block　the
  frontier　passes；　destroy　the　official　tallies；
  ＇These　were　tablets　of　bamboo　or　wood；　one　half　of　which　was
  issued　as　a　permit　or　passport　by　the　official　in　charge　of　a
  gate。　　Cf。　the　〃border…warden〃　of　LUN　YU　III。　24；　who　may　have
  had　similar　duties。　　When　this　half　was　returned　to　him；　within　a
  fixed　period；　　he　was　authorized　to　open　the　gate　and　let　the
  traveler　through。＇
  and　stop　the　passage　of　all　emissaries。
  ＇Either　to　or　from　the　enemy's　country。＇
  64。　　Be　stern　in　the　council…chamber；
  ＇Show　no　weakness；　and　insist　on　your　plans　being　ratified
  by　the　sovereign。＇
  so　that　you　may　control　the　situation。
  ＇Mei　Yao…ch‘en　understands　the　whole　sentence　to　mean：　　Take
  the　　　strictest　　　precautions　　　to　　　ensure　　　secrecy　　　in　　　your
  deliberations。＇
  65。　　If　the　enemy　leaves　a　door　open；　you　must　rush　in。
  66。　　Forestall　your　opponent　by　seizing　what　he　holds　dear；
  ＇Cf。　supra；　ss。　18。＇
  and　subtly　contrive　to　time　his　arrival　on　the　ground。
  ＇Ch‘en　Hao‘s　explanation：　　〃If　I　manage　to　seize　a　favorable
  position；　　but　the　enemy　does　not　appear　on　the　scene；　　the
  advantage　thus　obtained　cannot　be　turned　to　any　practical
  account。　　He　who　intends　therefore；　to　occupy　a　position　of
  importance　to　the　enemy；　　must　begin　by　making　an　　　artful
  appointment；　　so　to　speak；　with　his　antagonist；　and　cajole　him
  into　going　there　as　well。〃　　Mei　Yao…ch‘en　explains　that　this
  〃artful　appointment〃　　is　to　be　made　through　the　medium　of　the
  enemy's　own　spies；　　who　will　carry　back　just　the　amount　of
  information　that　we　choose　to　give　them。　　Then；　having　cunningly
  disclosed　our　intentions；　〃we　must　manage；　though　starting　after
  the　enemy；　　to　arrive　before　him　（VII。　ss。　4）。　　We　must　start
  after　him　in　order　to　ensure　his　marching　thither；　we　must　arrive
  before　him　in　order　to　capture　the　place　without　trouble。　　Taken
  thus；　　the　present　passage　lends　some　support　to　Mei　Yao…ch‘en's
  interpretation　of　ss。　47。＇
  67。　　Walk　in　the　path　defined　by　rule；
  ＇Chia　Lin　says：　　〃Victory　is　the　only　thing　that　matters；
  and　this　cannot　be　achieved　by　adhering　to　conventional　canons。〃
  It　is　unfortunate　that　this　variant　rests　on　very　slight
  authority；　　　for　the　sense　yielded　is　certainly　much　　　more
  satisfactory。　　Napoleon；　as　we　know；　according　to　the　veterans　of
  the　old　school　whom　he　defeated；　won　his　battles　by　violating
  every　accepted　canon　of　warfare。＇
  and　accommodate　yourself　to　the　enemy　until　you　can　fight　a
  decisive　battle。
  ＇Tu　Mu　says：　　　〃Conform　to　the　enemy's　tactics　until　a
  favorable　opportunity　offers；　then　come　forth　and　engage　in　a
  battle　that　shall　prove　decisive。〃＇
  68。　　At　first；　then；　exhibit　the　coyness　of　a　maiden；　　until
  the　enemy　gives　you　an　opening；　afterwards　emulate　the　rapidity
  of　a　running　hare；　and　it　will　be　too　late　for　the　enemy　to
  oppose　you。
  ＇As　the　hare　is　noted　for　its　extreme　timidity；　　the
  comparison　hardly　appears　felicitous。　　But　of　course　Sun　Tzu　was
  thinking　only　of　its　speed。　　The　words　have　been　taken　to　mean：
  You　must　flee　from　the　enemy　as　quickly　as　an　escaping　hare；　　but
  this　is　rightly　rejected　by　Tu　Mu。＇
  ＇1＇　　Giles'　Biographical　Dictionary；　no。　399。
  ＇2＇　　〃The　Science　of　War；〃　p。　333。
  ＇3＇　　〃Stonewall　Jackson；〃　vol。　I；　p。　421。
  …
  XII。　　THE　ATTACK　BY　FIRE
  ＇Rather　more　than　half　the　chapter　（SS。　1…13）　is　devot