When a leader is fighting on one’s own territory, this is a dispersive location.

When a leader has penetrated into hostile territory, but not yet very far, this is a facile place.

A place which is of great advantage to either site is a contentious location.

A location in which each side has clear movement is open ground.

A place which forms the key to three contiguous states, so that one who occupies the first has most of the empire at their command is a place of intersecting highways.

When forces have penetrated into the heart of a hostile country, leaving a number of fortified cities behind it, this place becomes serious ground.

Mountain forests, rugged steeps, marshes, all country hard to traverse are difficult places.

Places reached through narrow gorges and which can only be left from torturous paths, such that a small number may crush a larger force, this is hemmed-in ground.

A place from which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without any delay is desperate ground.

From a dispersive location, fight not; on facile ground, halt not; in contentious places, attack not.

On open ground, do not try to block the enemy; in places of intersecting highways, make alliances.

In serious situations, plunder. In difficult places, keep steady movement.

In hemmed-in places, resort to strategy; in desperate locations, fight.

The skillful leaders of old know how to drive a wedge between the enemies’ forces, to prevent cooperation, hinder the good from rescuing the bad, and from officers from rallying their forces.

When the enemy is scattered, they were prevented from gathering; when their forces were united, they were yet kept in disorder.

When it was to their advantage, the clever leaders moved; when otherwise, they stopped.

When faced with a large enemy force who is in orderly array and ready for attack, begin by seizing something your enemy values, and they will become amenable.

Speed is the essence of war; take advantage of the enemy’s delay, take unexpected routes, attack unguarded locations.

• Accessible ground
• Entangling ground
• Timeless ground
• Narrow passes
• Precipitous heights
• Ground at a distance

Ground which can be freely traversed is accessible ground. One must occupy this ground before the enemy, in the sunny and raised places.

Ground which can be abandoned but difficult to re-occupy is entangling ground. From this position it is possible to attack the enemy, but if victory is not won, return is impossible.

Ground which does not provide advantage to the first who arrives is timeless ground. From this position bait the enemy to enter on its own, and when part of their forces have arrived, attack.

With narrow passes, if you occupy them first, strengthen your forces there and wait for the enemy. If the enemy occupies a narrow pass, do not attack if it is at full strength.

With great heights, occupy the raised and sunny places, and wait for the enemy. If the enemy has arrived before you, do not follow, but retreat and bait the enemy to follow.

If you are situated a great distance from the enemy with armies of equal strength, it is not easy to provoke a battle and fighting will be to your disadvantage.

There are six kinds of failure which are the result of poor leadership.

• Flight
• Insubordination
• Collapse
• Ruin
• Disorganization
• Rout

If one force is hurled against another ten times its size, the result will be flight.

When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result is insubordination.

When the officers are too strong and the common soldier too weak, the result is collapse.

When the higher officers are angry and insubordinate, and upon meeting the enemy give orders of their own, the result will be ruin.

When the leader is weak and without authority; when orders are not clear and distinct; when there are no fixed duties assigned to forces, and the ranks are haphazard, the result is disorganization.

When a leader is unable to estimate the enemy’s strength and allows inferior forces to engage a larger one or hurls a weak detachment against a powerful one, and neglects to place select forces in the front ranks, the result must be a rout.

The natural formation of a country is the combatant’s best ally, but the ability to estimate the adversary, to control the forces of victory, to shrewdly calculate difficulties, dangers, and distances–these constitute the test of a great leader.

If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even if the master forbids it. If fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight, even if the master orders it.

The leader who advances without desiring fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect and serve his country, is the treasure of the land.

Regard your forces as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you until death.

If, however, you are indulgent and unable to make your authority felt; kind-hearted, but unable to enforce your commands; and incapable of resolving disorder: then your soldiers will be as spoiled children, useless for any practical purpose.

If we know that our forces are ready to attack, but do not know that the enemy is protected from attack, we have only gone halfway towards victory.

If we know that the enemy is open to attack, but do not know that our forces are not ready to attack, we have gone only halfway to victory.

If we know that the enemy is open to attack and also know that our forces are ready to attack, but we do not know that the nature of the terrain makes fighting impractical, we have still gone only halfway towards victory.

If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.

After crossing rivers, get far away from them. Do not meet a foe mid-stream but wait until half of the forces have crossed, then deliver the attack.

When the enemy is close by and remains quiet, he is relying on the natural strength of his position. When he tries to provoke battle, he is anxious for the other side to advance. If his location is easy to access, he is laying a trap.

Humble words and increased activity are signs the enemy will advance. Violent language and forward movement are signs he will retreat. Such is the art of artifice.

Those who do not take their opponent seriously are sure to be defeated.

If forces are punished before they have become attached to you, they will not prove submissive; and unless submissive they will be useless. If when forces have become attached to you, punishment is not enforced, they will still be useless.

Therefore soldiers must be treated first with humanity, but kept under control by means of iron discipline. This is a certain road to victory.

There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, orders which must not be obeyed.

The leader who thoroughly understand the advantages that accompany changes in tactics hows how to handle forces.

In the wise leader’s plans considerations of both advantages and disadvantages will be blended together.

If in the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.

Reduce the hostile leadership by inflict damage, make trouble, keep them constantly engaged, hold out bait and lead them.

The art of war teaches us to rely not on possibility of the enemy not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of the enemy not coming, but on the fact we have made our position impregnable.

There are five dangerous weaknesses which may affect a leader

• Recklessness, which leads to destruction
• Cowardice, which leads to capture
• Hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults
• Pride, which is sensitive to shame
• Too much concern for his forces, which exposes him to worry and trouble

When forces are overthrown and its leader is killed, the cause will surely be found among the five dangerous faults. Let them be a subject of meditation.

Do not make alliances unless you know the mind of your neighbors. You cannot take advantage of what is available in a foreign land without the use of local guides.

In war, practice deception and you will succeed. Move only if there is real advantage to be gained.

Become as fast as the wind, yet as sturdy as the forest; raid and plunder like fire, yet be as impassive as mountains; let your plans be dark as night, and when you move, strike like a lightning.

Reward your forces with the spoils and plunder of victory.

A leader avoids battle when the opponent is spirited, and instead attacks when it has become tired.

Disciplined and calm, await the appearance of disorder among the enemy, this is the art of retaining self-possession.

To be near the goal while the enemy is still far from it, to wait at ease while the enemy is struggling, to be well-fed while the enemy goes hungry, this is the art of managing strength.

Do not attack an opponent who is calm and confident, study the circumstances.

Do not take bait offered by the enemy.

When you surround an enemy, leave a way out.

The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy to do the same to him.

By presenting advantages, the enemy can be drawn near; by inflicting damage, the enemy can be kept away.

If the enemy is at leisure, harass; if the enemy has food, starve; if the enemy is camped, force movement.

Attack only places which are not defended. Defend only places that cannot be attacked.

Through subtlety and secrecy we learn to be invisible, and thereby hold the enemy’s fate in our hands.

Advance irresistibly to the enemy’s weak points. Seek safety through greater speed.

To fight a well-defended enemy, attack somewhere else which the enemy must defend.

To avoid a fight, even if not well defended, place something strange and unpredictable in the way.

Through discovering the enemy and remaining invisible, we keep our forces concentrated while the enemy is divided up. We therefore attack weaker a force with stronger.

The location of battle must not be known, otherwise the preparations of the enemy will strengthen him by reducing possible attacks.

Numerical weakness comes from having to prepare against possible attacks; numerical strength from compelling our adversary to make these preparations against us.

Though the enemy be stronger in numbers, we may prevent him from fighting. Scheme to discover his pans and the likelihood of success.

Learn the basis for the opponent’s activity; force him to reveal himself; discover his vulnerabilities.

Carefully compare his forces with your own so you may know the strengths and weaknesses.

Conceal yourself.

All can see winning tactics but none can see the strategy out of which victory has evolved.

Do not repeat the tactics which gave you a victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.

In war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.

Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; so in wartime there are no constant conditions.

Fighting with a large army is no different from fighting with a small one: it is merely an issue of using signs and signals.

To withstand the force of an enemy attack is effected by movement, direct and indirect against weak points and strong.

In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle but indirect methods are needed for victory.

In battle, there are no more than two methods of attack, direct and indirect, but these two give rise to an endless series of movements.

Energy is like the bending of a crossbow; decision, the release of the trigger.

Amid the tumult and turmoil of battle, there is apparent disorder, yet no real disorder at all.

Apparent disorder requires perfect discipline; apparent fear demands courage; apparent weakness implies strength.

Hiding order beneath the cloak of chaos is simply a matter of organization; concealing courage with timidity requires a reserve of energy; mask strength with weakness through tactical movements.

The enemy will take the bait and act according to deceitful appearances.

The great leader looks to the effect of combined energy and does not require too much from individuals. This is what leads to the ability to pick out the right individuals and to use combined energy.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands. The opportunity to defeat the enemy is provided by the enemy themselves.

The good leader is able to protect himself from defeat but cannot necessarily defeat the enemy.

One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.

Security against defeat requires defensive tactics. Ability to defeat requires an offensive.

Defense indicates insufficient strength; attack an overabundance of strength.

The skillful fighter excels at winning with ease, therefore his victories bring no reputation for wisdom or courage. He wins by making no mistakes, conquering an enemy who is already defeated.

The skillful fighter creates a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.

In war, the victorious strategist seeks battle only after the victory has been won, whereas the defeated first joins the fight and afterwards looks for victory.

The true leader cultivates the moral law and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success.