men：　　this　is　hemmed　in　ground。
  10。　　Ground　on　which　we　can　only　be　saved　from　destruction
  by　fighting　without　delay；　is　desperate　ground。
  ＇The　situation；　as　pictured　by　Ts‘ao　Kung；　is　very　similar
  to　the　〃hemmed…in　ground〃　except　that　here　escape　is　no　longer
  possible：　　　〃A　lofty　mountain　in　front；　a　large　river　behind；
  advance　impossible；　retreat　blocked。〃　　Ch‘en　Hao　says：　　〃to　be　on
  'desperate　ground'　is　like　sitting　in　a　leaking　boat　or　crouching
  in　a　burning　house。〃　　　Tu　Mu　quotes　from　Li　Ching　a　vivid
  description　of　the　plight　of　an　army　thus　entrapped：　　〃Suppose　an
  army　invading　hostile　territory　without　the　aid　of　local　guides：
  it　falls　into　a　fatal　snare　and　is　at　the　enemy's　mercy。　　A
  ravine　on　the　left；　　a　mountain　on　the　right；　　a　pathway　so
  perilous　that　the　horses　have　to　be　roped　together　and　the
  chariots　carried　in　slings；　no　passage　open　in　front；　retreat　cut
  off　behind；　　no　choice　but　to　proceed　in　single　file。　　Then；
  before　there　is　time　to　range　our　soldiers　in　order　of　battle；
  the　enemy　is　overwhelming　strength　suddenly　appears　on　the　scene。
  Advancing；　we　can　nowhere　take　a　breathing…space；　retreating；　　we
  have　no　haven　of　refuge。　　We　seek　a　pitched　battle；　but　in　vain；
  yet　standing　on　the　defensive；　none　of　us　has　a　moment's　respite。
  If　we　simply　maintain　our　ground；　whole　days　and　months　will
  crawl　by；　　the　moment　we　make　a　move；　we　have　to　sustain　the
  enemy's　attacks　on　front　and　rear。　　The　country　is　wild；
  destitute　of　water　and　plants；　the　army　is　lacking　in　the
  necessaries　of　life；　the　horses　are　jaded　and　the　men　worn…out；
  all　the　resources　of　strength　and　skill　unavailing；　the　pass　so
  narrow　that　a　single　man　defending　it　can　check　the　onset　of　ten
  thousand；　　all　means　of　offense　in　the　hands　of　the　enemy；　　all
  points　of　vantage　already　forfeited　by　ourselves：in　this
  terrible　plight；　even　though　we　had　the　most　valiant　soldiers　and
  the　keenest　of　weapons；　how　could　they　be　employed　with　the
  slightest　effect？〃　　Students　of　Greek　history　may　be　reminded　of
  the　awful　close　to　the　Sicilian　expedition；　and　the　agony　of　the
  Athenians　under　Nicias　and　Demonsthenes。　　＇See　Thucydides；　　VII。
  78　sqq。＇。＇
  11。　　On　dispersive　ground；　therefore；　fight　not。　　On　facile
  ground；　halt　not。　　On　contentious　ground；　attack　not。
  ＇But　rather　let　all　your　energies　be　bent　on　occupying　the
  advantageous　position　first。　　So　Ts‘ao　Kung。　　Li　Ch‘uan　and
  others；　　however；　　suppose　the　meaning　to　be　that　the　enemy　has
  already　forestalled　us；　sot　that　it　would　be　sheer　madness　to
  attack。　　In　the　SUN　TZU　HSU　LU；　when　the　King　of　Wu　inquires　what
  should　be　done　in　this　case；　Sun　Tzu　replies：　　〃The　rule　with
  regard　to　contentious　ground　is　that　those　in　possession　have　the
  advantage　over　the　other　side。　　If　a　position　of　this　kind　is
  secured　first　by　the　enemy；　beware　of　attacking　him。　　Lure　him
  away　by　pretending　to　fleeshow　your　banners　and　sound　your
  drumsmake　a　dash　for　other　places　that　he　cannot　afford　to
  losetrail　brushwood　and　raise　a　dustconfound　his　ears　and
  eyesdetach　a　body　of　your　best　troops；　and　place　it　secretly　in
  ambuscade。　　Then　your　opponent　will　sally　forth　to　the　rescue。〃＇
  12。　　On　open　ground；　do　not　try　to　block　the　enemy's　way。
  ＇Because　the　attempt　would　be　futile；　and　would　expose　the
  blocking　　　force　itself　to　serious　risks。　　There　　　are　　　two
  interpretations　available　here。　　I　follow　that　of　Chang　Yu。　　The
  other　is　indicated　in　Ts‘ao　Kung's　brief　note：　　　〃Draw　closer
  together〃i。e。；　　see　that　a　portion　of　your　own　army　is　not　cut
  off。＇
  On　the　ground　of　intersecting　highways；　join　hands　with　your
  allies。
  ＇Or　perhaps；　〃form　alliances　with　neighboring　states。〃＇
  13。　　On　serious　ground；　gather　in　plunder。
  ＇On　this；　Li　Ch‘uan　has　the　following　delicious　note：　　〃When
  an　army　penetrates　far　into　the　enemy's　country；　care　must　be
  taken　not　to　alienate　the　people　by　unjust　treatment。　　Follow　the
  example　of　the　Han　Emperor　Kao　Tsu；　　whose　march　into　Ch‘in
  territory　was　marked　by　no　violation　of　women　or　looting　of
  valuables。　　＇Nota　bene：　　this　was　in　207　B。C。；　and　may　well　cause
  us　to　blush　for　the　Christian　armies　that　entered　Peking　in　1900
  A。D。＇　　　Thus　he　won　the　hearts　of　all。　　In　the　present　passage；
  then；　　I　think　that　the　true　reading　must　be；　not　'plunder；'　　but
  'do　not　plunder。'〃　　Alas；　I　fear　that　in　this　instance　the　worthy
  commentator's　feelings　outran　his　judgment。　　Tu　Mu；　at　least；　has
  no　such　illusions。　　He　says：　　〃When　encamped　on　'serious　ground；'
  there　being　no　inducement　as　yet　to　advance　further；　　and　no
  possibility　of　retreat；　　one　ought　to　take　measures　for　a
  protracted　resistance　by　bringing　in　provisions　from　all　sides；
  and　keep　a　close　watch　on　the　enemy。〃＇
  In　difficult　ground；　keep　steadily　on　the　march。
  ＇Or；　in　the　words　of　VIII。　ss。　2；　〃do　not　encamp。＇
  14。　　On　hemmed…in　ground；　resort　to　stratagem。
  ＇Ts‘au　　　Kung　says：　　　〃Try　the　effect　of　some　　　unusual
  artifice；〃　　and　Tu　Yu　amplifies　this　by　saying：　　　〃In　such　a
  position；　　some　scheme　must　be　devised　which　will　suit　the
  circumstances；　　and　if　we　can　succeed　in　deluding　the　enemy；　　the
  peril　may　be　escaped。〃　　This　is　exactly　what　happened　on　the
  famous　occasion　when　Hannibal　was　hemmed　in　among　the　mountains
  on　the　road　to　Casilinum；　and　to　all　appearances　entrapped　by　the
  dictator　Fabius。　　The　stratagem　which　Hannibal　devised　to　baffle
  his　foes　was　remarkably　like　that　which　T‘ien　Tan　had　also
  employed　with　success　exactly　62　years　before。　　＇See　IX。　ss。　　24；
  note。＇　　When　night　came　on；　bundles　of　twigs　were　fastened　to　the
  horns　of　some　2000　oxen　and　set　on　fire；　the　terrified　animals
  being　then　quickly　driven　along　the　mountain　side　towards　the
  passes　which　were　beset　by　the　enemy。　　The　strange　spectacle　of
  these　rapidly　moving　lights　so　alarmed　and　discomfited　the　Romans
  that　they　withdrew　from　their　position；　　and　Hannibal's　army
  passed　safely　through　the　defile。　　＇See　Polybius；　III。　　93；　　94；
  Livy；　XXII。　16　17。＇
  On　desperate　ground；　fight。
  ＇For；　　as　Chia　Lin　remarks：　　〃if　you　fight　with　all　your
  might；　　there　is　a　chance　of　life；　where　as　death　is　certain　if
  you　cling　to　your　corner。〃＇
  15。　　Those　who　were　called　skillful　leaders　of　old　knew　how
  to　drive　a　wedge　between　the　enemy's　front　and　rear；
  ＇More　literally；　　〃cause　the　front　and　rear　to　lose　touch
  with　each　other。〃＇
  to　prevent　co…operation　between　his　large　and　small　divisions；　to
  hinder　the　good　troops　from　rescuing　the　bad；　the　officers　from
  rallying　their　men。
  16。　　When　the　enemy's　men　were　united；　they　managed　to　keep
  them　in　disorder。
  17。　　When　it　was　to　their　advantage；　they　made　a　forward
  move；　when　otherwise；　they　stopped　still。
  ＇Mei　Yao…ch‘en　connects　this　with　the　foregoing：　　　〃Having
  succeeded　in　thus　dislocating　the　enemy；　they　would　push　forward
  in　order　to　secure　any　advantage　to　be　gained；　if　there　was　no
  advantage　to　be　gained；　they　would　remain　where　they　were。〃＇
  18。　　If　asked　how　to　cope　with　a　great　host　of　the　enemy　in
  orderly　array　and　on　the　point　of　marching　to　the　attack；　　I
  should　say：　　　〃Begin　by　seizing　something　which　your　opponent
  holds　dear；　then　he　will　be　amenable　to　your　will。〃
  ＇Opinions　differ　as　to　what　Sun　Tzu　had　in　mind。　　Ts‘ao　Kung
  thinks　it　is　〃some　strategical　advantage　on　which　the　enemy　is
  depending。〃　　　Tu　Mu　says：　　〃The　three　things　which　an　enemy　is
  anxious　to　do；　and　on　the　accomplishment　of　which　his　success
  depends；　　are：　　　（1）　to　capture　our　favorable　positions；　　（2）　　to
  ravage　our　cultivated　land；　（3）　to　guard　his　own　communications。〃
  Our　object　then　must　be　to　thwart　his　plans　in　these　three
  directions　and　thus　render　him　helpless。　　＇Cf。　III。　ss。　3。＇　　　By
  boldly　seizing　the　initiative　in　this　way；　you　at　once　throw　the
  other　side　on　the　defensive。＇
  19。　　Rapidity　is　the　essence　of　war：
  ＇According　to　Tu　Mu；　　〃this　is　a　summary　of　　　leading
  principles　in　warfare；〃　and　he　adds：　　〃These　are　the　profoundest
  truths　of　military　science；　　and　the　chief　business　of　the
  general。〃　　　The　following　anecdotes；　told　by　Ho　Shih；　　shows　the
  importance　attached　to　speed　by　two　of　China's　greatest　generals。
  In　227　A。D。；　　Meng　Ta；　governor　of　Hsin…ch‘eng　under　the　Wei
  Emperor　Wen　Ti；　was　meditating　defection　to　the　House　of　Shu；　and
  had　entered　into　correspondence　with　Chu…ko　Liang；　Prime　Minister
  of　that　State。　　The　Wei　general　Ssu…ma　I　was　then　military
  governor　of　Wan；　and　getting　wind　of　Meng　Ta's　treachery；　he　at
  once　set　off　with　an　army　to　anticipate　his　revolt；　　having
  previously　cajoled　him　by　a　specious　message　of　friendly　import。
  Ssu…ma's　officers　came　to　him　and　said：　　〃If　Meng　Ta　has　leagued
  him