1. Sun Tzu said: We come now to the

question of encamping the army, and

observing signs of the enemy.

Pass quickly over mountains, and keep in

the neighborhood of valleys.

2. Camp in high places, facing the sun.

Do not climb heights in order to fight.

So much for mountain warfare.

3. After crossing a river, you should get

far away from it.

4. When an invading force crosses a river

in its onward march, do not advance to meet

it in mid-stream.

It will be best to let half the army get

across, and then deliver your attack.

5. If you are anxious to fight, you should

not go to meet the invader near a river

which he has to cross.

6. Moor your craft higher up than the

enemy, and facing the sun.

Do not move up-stream to meet the enemy.

So much for river warfare.

7. In crossing salt-marshes, your sole

concern should be to get over them quickly,

without any delay.

8. If forced to fight in a salt-marsh, you

should have water and grass near you, and

get your back to a clump of trees.

So much for operations in salt-marches.

9. In dry, level country, take up an easily

accessible position with rising ground to

your right and on your rear, so that the

danger may be in front, and safety lie

behind.

So much for campaigning in flat country.

10. These are the four useful branches of

military knowledge which enabled the Yellow

Emperor to vanquish four several

sovereigns.

11. All armies prefer high ground to low

and sunny places to dark.

12. If you are careful of your men, and

camp on hard ground, the army will be free

from disease of every kind, and this will

spell victory.

13. When you come to a hill or a bank,

occupy the sunny side, with the slope on

your right rear.

Thus you will at once act for the benefit

of your soldiers and utilize the natural

advantages of the ground.

14. When, in consequence of heavy rains up-

country, a river which you wish to ford is

swollen and flecked with foam, you must

wait until it subsides.

15. Country in which there are precipitous

cliffs with torrents running between, deep

natural hollows, confined places, tangled

thickets, quagmires and crevasses, should

be left with all possible speed and not

approached.

16. While we keep away from such places, we

should get the enemy to approach them;

while we face them, we should let the enemy

have them on his rear.

17. If in the neighborhood of your camp

there should be any hilly country, ponds

surrounded by aquatic grass, hollow basins

filled with reeds, or woods with thick

undergrowth, they must be carefully routed

out and searched; for these are places

where men in ambush or insidious spies are

likely to be lurking.

18. When the enemy is close at hand and

remains quiet, he is relying on the natural

strength of his position.

19. When he keeps aloof and tries to

provoke a battle, he is anxious for the

other side to advance.

20. If his place of encampment is easy of

access, he is tendering a bait.

21. Movement amongst the trees of a forest

shows that the enemy is advancing.

The appearance of a number of screens in

the midst of thick grass means that the

enemy wants to make us suspicious.

22. The rising of birds in their flight is

the sign of an ambuscade.

Startled beasts indicate that a sudden

attack is coming.

23. When there is dust rising in a high

column, it is the sign of chariots

advancing; when the dust is low, but spread

over a wide area, it betokens the approach

of infantry.

When it branches out in different

directions, it shows that parties have been

sent to collect firewood.

A few clouds of dust moving to and fro

signify that the army is encamping.

24. Humble words and increased preparations

are signs that the enemy is about to

advance.

Violent language and driving forward as if

to the attack are signs that he will

retreat.

25. When the light chariots come out first

and take up a position on the wings, it is

a sign that the enemy is forming for

battle.

26. Peace proposals unaccompanied by a

sworn covenant indicate a plot.

27. When there is much running about and

the soldiers fall into rank, it means that

the critical moment has come.

28. When some are seen advancing and some

retreating, it is a lure.

29. When the soldiers stand leaning on

their spears, they are faint from want of

food.

30. If those who are sent to draw water

begin by drinking themselves, the army is

suffering from thirst.

31. If the enemy sees an advantage to be

gained and makes no effort to secure it,

the soldiers are exhausted.

32. If birds gather on any spot, it is

unoccupied.

Clamor by night betokens nervousness.

33. If there is disturbance in the camp,

the general's authority is weak.

If the banners and flags are shifted about,

sedition is afoot.

If the officers are angry, it means that

the men are weary.

34. When an army feeds its horses with

grain and kills its cattle for food, and

when the men do not hang their cooking-pots

over the camp-fires, showing that they will

not return to their tents, you may know

that they are determined to fight to the

death.

35. The sight of men whispering together in

small knots or speaking in subdued tones

points to disaffection amongst the rank and

file.

36. Too frequent rewards signify that the

enemy is at the end of his resources; too

many punishments betray a condition of dire

distress.

37. To begin by bluster, but afterwards to

take fright at the enemy's numbers, shows a

supreme lack of intelligence.

38. When envoys are sent with compliments

in their mouths, it is a sign that the

enemy wishes for a truce.

39. If the enemy's troops march up angrily

and remain facing ours for a long time

without either joining battle or taking

themselves off again, the situation is one

that demands great vigilance and

circumspection.

40. If our troops are no more in number

than the enemy, that is amply sufficient;

it only means that no direct attack can be

made.

What we can do is simply to concentrate all

our available strength, keep a close watch

on the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.

41. He who exercises no forethought but

makes light of his opponents is sure to be

captured by them.

42. If soldiers are punished before they

have grown attached to you, they will not

prove submissive; and, unless submissive,

then will be practically useless.

If, when the soldiers have become attached

to you, punishments are not enforced, they

will still be useless.

43. Therefore soldiers must be treated in

the first instance with humanity, but kept

under control by means of iron discipline.

This is a certain road to victory.

44. If in training soldiers commands are

habitually enforced, the army will be well-

disciplined; if not, its discipline will be

bad.

45. If a general shows confidence in his

men but always insists on his orders being

obeyed, the gain will be mutual.