X. 地形篇
- 孫子曰地形有通者有挂者有支者有隘者有險者有遠者
X. Terrain
Only about a third of the chapter, comprising §§ 1–13, deals with 地形, the subject being more fully treated in ch. XI. The “six calamities” are discussed in §§ 14–20, and the rest of the chapter is again a mere string of desultory remarks, though not less interesting, perhaps, on that account.
1. Sun Tzŭ said: We may distinguish six kinds of terrain, to wit: (1) Accessible ground;
Mei Yao-ch‘ên says: 道路交達 “plentifully provided with roads and means of communication.”
(2) entangling ground;
The same commentator says: 網羅之地往必掛綴 “Net-like country, venturing into which you become entangled.”
(3) temporising ground;
Tu Yu explains 支 as 久. This meaning is still retained in modern phrases such as 支托, 支演 “stave off,” “delay.” I do not know why Capt. Calthrop calls 支地 “suspended ground,” unless he is confusing it with 挂地.
(4) narrow passes; (5) precipitous heights;
The root idea in 隘 is narrowness; in 險, steepness.
(6) positions at a great distance from the enemy.
It is hardly necessary to point out the faultiness of this classification. A strange lack of logical perception is shown in the Chinaman’s unquestioning acceptance of glaring cross-divisions such as the above.
