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  XII。　　THE　ATTACK　BY　FIRE
  ＇Rather　more　than　half　the　chapter　（SS。　1…13）　is　devoted　to
  the　subject　of　fire；　after　which　the　author　branches　off　into
  other　topics。＇
  1。　　Sun　Tzu　said：　　There　are　five　ways　of　attacking　with
  fire。　　The　first　is　to　burn　soldiers　in　their　camp；
  ＇So　Tu　Mu。　　Li　Ch‘uan　says：　　〃Set　fire　to　the　camp；　and　kill
  the　soldiers〃　　（when　they　try　to　escape　from　the　flames）。　　Pan
  Ch‘ao；　sent　on　a　diplomatic　mission　to　the　King　of　Shan…shan　＇see
  XI。　　ss。　51；　note＇；　found　himself　placed　in　extreme　peril　by　the
  unexpected　arrival　of　an　envoy　from　the　Hsiung…nu　　＇the　mortal
  enemies　of　the　Chinese＇。　　In　consultation　with　his　officers；　　he
  exclaimed：　　〃Never　venture；　never　win！　＇1＇　　The　only　course　open
  to　us　now　is　to　make　an　assault　by　fire　on　the　barbarians　under
  cover　of　night；　　when　they　will　not　be　able　to　discern　our
  numbers。　　Profiting　by　their　panic；　we　shall　exterminate　them
  completely；　　this　will　cool　the　King's　courage　and　cover　us　with
  glory；　　besides　ensuring　the　success　of　our　mission。'　　　the
  officers　all　replied　that　it　would　be　necessary　to　discuss　the
  matter　first　with　the　Intendant。　　Pan　Ch‘ao　then　fell　into　a
  passion：　　　'It　is　today；'　he　cried；　'that　our　fortunes　must　be
  decided！　　　The　Intendant　is　only　a　humdrum　civilian；　　who　on
  hearing　of　our　project　will　certainly　be　afraid；　and　everything
  will　be　brought　to　light。　　An　inglorious　death　is　no　worthy　fate
  for　valiant　warriors。'　　　All　then　agreed　to　do　as　he　wished。
  Accordingly；　　as　soon　as　night　came　on；　he　and　his　little　band
  quickly　made　their　way　to　the　barbarian　camp。　　A　strong　gale　was
  blowing　at　the　time。　　Pan　Ch‘ao　ordered　ten　of　the　party　to　take
  drums　and　hide　behind　the　enemy's　barracks；　it　being　arranged
  that　when　they　saw　flames　shoot　up；　they　should　begin　drumming
  and　yelling　with　all　their　might。　　The　rest　of　his　men；　　armed
  with　bows　and　crossbows；　he　posted　in　ambuscade　at　the　gate　of
  the　camp。　　He　then　set　fire　to　the　place　from　the　windward　side；
  whereupon　a　deafening　noise　of　drums　and　shouting　arose　on　the
  front　and　rear　of　the　Hsiung…nu；　who　rushed　out　pell…mell　in
  frantic　disorder。　　Pan　Ch‘ao　slew　three　of　them　with　his　own
  hand；　　while　his　companions　cut　off　the　heads　of　the　envoy　and
  thirty　of　his　suite。　　The　remainder；　more　than　a　hundred　in　all；
  perished　in　the　flames。　　On　the　following　day；　　Pan　Ch‘ao；
  divining　his　thoughts；　said　with　uplifted　hand：　　'Although　you
  did　not　go　with　us　last　night；　I　should　not　think；　Sir；　of　taking
  sole　credit　for　our　exploit。'　　This　satisfied　Kuo　Hsun；　and　Pan
  Ch‘ao；　　having　sent　for　Kuang；　King　of　Shan…shan；　showed　him　the
  head　of　the　barbarian　envoy。　　The　whole　kingdom　was　seized　with
  fear　and　trembling；　　which　Pan　Ch‘ao　took　steps　to　allay　by
  issuing　a　public　proclamation。　　Then；　taking　the　king's　sons　as
  hostage；　he　returned　to　make　his　report　to　Tou　Ku。〃　　HOU　HAN　SHU；
  ch。　47；　ff。　1；　2。＇　＇
  the　second　is　to　burn　stores；
  ＇Tu　Mu　says：　　〃Provisions；　fuel　and　fodder。〃　　In　order　to
  subdue　　　the　　　rebellious　population　of　Kiangnan；　　　Kao　　　Keng
  recommended　Wen　Ti　of　the　Sui　dynasty　to　make　periodical　raids
  and　burn　their　stores　of　grain；　a　policy　which　in　the　long　run
  proved　entirely　successful。＇
  the　third　is　to　burn　baggage　trains；
  ＇An　example　given　is　the　destruction　of　Yuan　Shao‘s　wagons
  and　impedimenta　by　Ts‘ao　Ts‘ao　in　200　A。D。＇
  the　fourth　is　to　burn　arsenals　and　magazines；
  ＇Tu　Mu　says　that　the　things　contained　in　　〃arsenals〃　　and
  〃magazines〃　　are　the　same。　　He　specifies　weapons　and　other
  implements；　bullion　and　clothing。　　Cf。　VII。　ss。　11。＇
  the　fifth　is　to　hurl　dropping　fire　amongst　the　enemy。
  ＇Tu　Yu　says　in　the　T‘UNG　TIEN：　　〃To　drop　fire　into　the
  enemy's　camp。　　The　method　by　which　this　may　be　done　is　to　set　the
  tips　of　arrows　alight　by　dipping　them　into　a　brazier；　　and　then
  shoot　them　from　powerful　crossbows　into　the　enemy's　lines。〃＇
  2。　　In　order　to　carry　out　an　attack；　we　must　have　means
  available。
  ＇T‘sao　Kung　thinks　that　〃traitors　in　the　enemy's　camp〃　　are
  referred　to。　　But　Ch‘en　Hao　is　more　likely　to　be　right　in　saying：
  〃We　must　have　favorable　circumstances　in　general；　　not　merely
  traitors　to　help　us。〃　　Chia　Lin　says：　　〃We　must　avail　ourselves
  of　wind　and　dry　weather。〃＇
  the　material　for　raising　fire　should　always　be　kept　in　readiness。
  ＇Tu　Mu　suggests　as　material　for　making　fire：　　〃dry　vegetable
  matter；　reeds；　brushwood；　straw；　grease；　oil；　etc。〃　　Here　we　have
  the　material　cause。　　Chang　Yu　says：　　〃vessels　for　hoarding　fire；
  stuff　for　lighting　fires。〃＇
  3。　　There　is　a　proper　season　for　making　attacks　with　fire；
  and　special　days　for　starting　a　conflagration。
  4。　　The　proper　season　is　when　the　weather　is　very　dry；　　the
  special　days　are　those　when　the　moon　is　in　the　constellations　of
  the　Sieve；　the　Wall；　the　Wing　or　the　Cross…bar；
  ＇These　are；　respectively；　the　7th；　14th；　27th；　and　28th　of
  the　Twenty…eight　Stellar　Mansions；　　corresponding　roughly　to
  Sagittarius；　Pegasus；　Crater　and　Corvus。＇
  for　these　four　are　all　days　of　rising　wind。
  5。　　In　attacking　with　fire；　one　should　be　prepared　to　meet
  five　possible　developments：
  6。　　（1）　When　fire　breaks　out　inside　to　enemy's　camp；　respond
  at　once　with　an　attack　from　without。
  7。　　（2）　　If　there　is　an　outbreak　of　fire；　but　the　enemy's
  soldiers　remain　quiet；　bide　your　time　and　do　not　attack。
  ＇The　prime　object　of　attacking　with　fire　is　to　throw　the
  enemy　into　confusion。　　If　this　effect　is　not　produced；　it　means
  that　the　enemy　is　ready　to　receive　us。　　Hence　the　necessity　for
  caution。＇
  8。　　（3）　When　the　force　of　the　flames　has　reached　its　height；
  follow　it　up　with　an　attack；　if　that　is　practicable；　if　not；　stay
  where　you　are。
  ＇Ts‘ao　Kung　says：　　〃If　you　see　a　possible　way；　advance；　　but
  if　you　find　the　difficulties　too　great；　retire。〃＇
  9。　　（4）　If　it　is　possible　to　make　an　assault　with　fire　from
  without；　do　not　wait　for　it　to　break　out　within；　but　deliver　your
  attack　at　a　favorable　moment。
  ＇Tu　Mu　says　that　the　previous　paragraphs　had　reference　to
  the　fire　breaking　out　（either　accidentally；　we　may　suppose；　or　by
  the　agency　of　incendiaries）　inside　the　enemy's　camp。　　〃But；〃　　he
  continues；　　〃if　the　enemy　is　settled　in　a　waste　place　littered
  with　quantities　of　grass；　or　if　he　has　pitched　his　camp　in　a
  position　which　can　be　burnt　out；　we　must　carry　our　fire　against
  him　at　any　seasonable　opportunity；　and　not　await　on　in　hopes　of
  an　outbreak　occurring　within；　for　fear　our　opponents　should
  themselves　burn　up　the　surrounding　vegetation；　and　thus　render
  our　own　attempts　fruitless。〃　　The　famous　Li　Ling　once　baffled　the
  leader　of　the　Hsiung…nu　in　this　way。　　The　latter；　　taking
  advantage　of　a　favorable　wind；　tried　to　set　fire　to　the　Chinese
  general's　camp；　　but　found　that　every　scrap　of　combustible
  vegetation　in　the　neighborhood　had　already　been　burnt　down。　　On
  the　other　hand；　Po…ts‘ai；　a　general　of　the　Yellow　Turban　rebels；
  was　badly　defeated　in　184　A。D。　through　his　neglect　of　this　simple
  precaution。　　〃At　the　head　of　a　large　army　he　was　besieging
  Ch‘ang…she；　　which　was　held　by　Huang…fu　Sung。　　The　garrison　was
  very　small；　　and　a　general　feeling　of　nervousness　pervaded　the
  ranks；　　so　Huang…fu　Sung　called　his　officers　together　and　said：
  〃In　war；　　there　are　various　indirect　methods　of　attack；　　and
  numbers　do　not　count　for　everything。　　＇The　commentator　here
  quotes　Sun　Tzu；　V。　SS。　5；　6　and　10。＇　　Now　the　rebels　have　pitched
  their　camp　in　the　midst　of　thick　grass　which　will　easily　burn
  when　the　wind　blows。　　If　we　set　fire　to　it　at　night；　they　will　be
  thrown　into　a　panic；　and　we　can　make　a　sortie　and　attack　them　on
  all　sides　at　once；　thus　emulating　the　achievement　of　T‘ien　Tan。'
  ＇See　p。　90。＇　　That　same　evening；　a　strong　breeze　sprang　up；　　so
  Huang…fu　Sung　instructed　his　soldiers　to　bind　reeds　together　into
  torches　and　mount　guard　on　the　city　walls；　after　which　he　sent
  out　a　band　of　daring　men；　who　stealthily　made　their　way　through
  the　lines　and　started　the　fire　with　loud　shouts　and　yells。
  Simultaneously；　a　glare　of　light　shot　up　from　the　city　walls；　and
  Huang…fu　Sung；　　sounding　his　drums；　led　a　rapid　charge；　　which
  threw　the　rebels　into　confusion　and　put　them　to　headlong　flight。〃
  ＇HOU　HAN　SHU；　ch。　71。＇　＇
  10。　　（5）　When　you　start　a　fire；　be　to　windward　of　it。　　Do
  not　attack　from　the　leeward。
  ＇Chang　Yu；　following　Tu　Yu；　says：　　〃When　you　make　a　fire；
  the　enemy　will　retreat　away　from　it；　if　you　oppose　his　retreat
  and　attack　him　then；　he　will　fight　desperately；　which　will　not
  conduce　to　your　success。〃　　A　rather　more　obvious　explanation　is
  given　by　Tu　Mu：　　〃If　the　wind　is　in　the　east；　begin　burning　to
  the　east　of　th