【文章內(nèi)容簡介】 but cannot necessarily do so.Invincibility lies in the defence。 the possibility of victory in the attack.Defend yourself when the enemy’s strength is abundant。 and attack the enemy when it is inadequate.Those who are skilled in defence hide themselves as under the most secret recesses of earth。 those skilled in attack flash forth as from above the topmost heights of heaven. Thus, they are capable both of protecting themselves and of gaining a plete victory.To foresee a victory no better than ordinary people’s foresight is not the acme of excellence. Neither is it the acme of excellence if you win a victory through fierce fighting and the whole empire says, ‘well done!’Hence, by analogy, to lift a hair does not signify great strength。 to see the sun and moon does not signify good sight。 to hear the thunderclap does not signify acute hearing.In ancient times, those called skilled in war conquered an enemy easily conquered.Consequently, a master of war wins victories without showing his brilliant military success, and without gaining the reputation for wisdom or the merit for valour.He wins his victories without making mistake. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means that he conquers an enemy already defeated.Accordingly, a wise mander always ensure that his forces are put in an invincible position, and at the same time will be sure to miss no opportunity to defeat the enemy.It follows that a triumphant army will not fight with the enemy until the victory is assured, while an army destined to defeat will always fight with his opponent first, in the hope that it may win by sheer good luck.The mander adept in war enhances the moral influence and adheres to the laws and regulations. Thus it is in his power to control success.Now, the elements of the art of war are first, the measurement of space。 second, the estimation of quantities。 third, the calculation of figures。 fourth, parisons of strength and fifth, chances of victory.Measurements of space are derived from the ground. Quantities derive from measurement, figures from quantities, parisons form figures and victory from parisons.Therefore, a victorious army is as one dollar balanced against a cent, and a defeated army is as a cent balanced against one dollar.An army superior in strength takes action like the bursting of pentup waters into a chasm of a thousand fathoms deep. This is what the disposition of military strength means in the actions of war.CHAPTER 5 USE OF ENERGY 勢篇Sun Zi said: Generally, management of a large force is the same in principle as the management of a few men: it is a matter of organization.And to direct a large army to fight is the same to direct a small one: it is a matter of mand signs and signals.That the whole army can sustain the enemy’s allout attack without suffering defeat is due to operations of extraordinary and normal forces.Troops thrown against the enemy as a grindstone against eggs is an example of the strong beating the weak.Generally, in battle, use the normal force to engage and use the extraordinary to win.Now, to a mander adept at the use of extraordinary forces, his resources are as infinite as the heaven and earth, as inexhaustible as the flow of the running rivers.They end and begin again like the motions of the sun and moon. They die away and then are reborn like the changing of the four season.There are not more than five musical notes, but the various binations of the five notes bring about more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five basic pigments, yet in blending them together it is possible to produce more colors than can ever be seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes, but the mixture of the five yields more flavours than can ever be tasted. In battle, there are not more than two kinds of posturesoperation of the extraordinary force and operation of the normal force, but their binations give rise to an endless series of manoeuvres. For these two forces are mutually reproductive.It is like moving in circle, never ing to an end. Who can exhaust the possibilities of their binations?When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of its momenturn。 when the strike of a hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is because of timing.Thus, in battle, a good mander creates a posture releasing an irresistible and overwhelming momenturn, and his attack is precisely timed in a quick tempo. The energy is similar to a fully drawn crossbow。 the timing, the release of the trigger.Amid turmoil and tumult of battle, there may be seeming disorder and yet no real disorder in one’s own troops. In the midst of confusion and chaos, your troops appear to be milling about in circles, yet it is proof against defeat. Apparent disorder is born of order。 apparent cowardice, of courage。 apparent weakness, of strength. Order or disorder depends on organization and direction。 courage or cowardice on postures。 strength of weakness on dispositions.Thus, one who is adept at keeping the enemy on the move maintains deceitful appearances, according to which the enemy will act. He lures with something that the enemy is certain to take.By so doing he keeps the enemy on the move and then wait for the right moment to make a sudden ambush with picked troops.Therefore, a skilled mander sets great store by using the situation to the best advantage, and does not make excessive demand on him subordinates. Hence he is able to select right men and exploits the situation.He who takes advantage of the situation uses his men in fighting as rolling logs or rocks. It is the nature of logs and rocks to stay stationary on the flat ground, and to roll forward on a slope. If fourcornered, they stop。 if roundshaped, they roll.CHAPTE