This being so,the places that I shall attack are precisely those that the
enemycannot defend.
Of the movable shelters we get afairly clear description
from several commentators. In fact, all the enemys movements shouldbe
determined by the signs that we choose to give him.
Ho Shih seconds this
interpretation, butweakens it.
The name is also appliedto turrets on city
walls. Let us turn this circumstance to account.
The onset of troops is like
the rush of a torrent whichwill even roll stones along in its course. He wins
his battles by making no mistakes.
The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if
it canpossibly be avoided.
The name is also appliedto turrets on city
walls.
Hence his victories bring him neither reputation forwisdom nor credit
for courage. There is rather a nice point involved in theinterpretation of this
later clause. This is surely some ruse on the part of the enemy,and it would be
unwise for us to attack.
All we need do is to throwsomething odd and
unaccountable in his way. if he is notthoroughly versed in his profession), his
army will lackstrength. This is surely some ruse on the part of the enemy,and
it would be unwise for us to attack. Yet our spies have seen nothing but old
age andinfirmity.
Hence his victories bring him neither reputation forwisdom
nor credit for courage. Concealment is perhaps not so much actual invisibility
(see suprass.
Position need not be confined to the actual ground occupied bythe
troops.
The result was that spies one and allrecommended the Emperor to deliver
his attack. Yet our spies have seen nothing but old age andinfirmity. The
phrase is avery common one in Chinese writers.
He wins his battles by making no
mistakes. This is the opinion of most of the commentators. Note thefollowing
anecdote of Sun Pin, a descendent of Sun Wu: In
341B.
-----------------------------------------------------------------V.
It is
like moving in a circle - you never come to an end. The meaning they give, He
who cannot conquer takes thedefensive, is plausible enough.
Of the movable
shelters we get afairly clear description from several commentators.
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