The Art of War by Sun Tzu (elon musk reading list TXT) 📕

ad init.) speaks only of his victories over 炎帝 Yen Ti and 蚩尤 Chʽih Yu. In the 六韜 it is mentioned that he “fought seventy battles and pacified the Empire.” Tsʽao Kung’s explanation is, that the Yellow Emperor was the first to institute the feudal system of vassal princes, each of whom (to the number of four) originally bore the title of Emperor. Li Chʽüan tells that the art of war originated under Huang Ti, who received it from his Minister 風后 Fêng Hou. ↩

“High ground,” says Mei Yao-chʽên, “is not only more agreeable and salubrious, but more convenient from a military point of view; low ground is not only damp and unhealthy, but also disadvantageous for fighting.” The original text and the Tʽu Shu have 好 instead of 喜. ↩

Tsʽao Kung says: 向水草可放牧養畜 “Make for fresh water and pasture, where you can turn out your animals to graze.” And the other commentators follow him, apparently taking 生 as = 牲. Cf. Mencius, V 1 IX 1, where 養牲者 means a cattle-keeper. But here 養生 surely has reference to the health of the troops. It is the title of Chuang Tzǔ’s third chapter, where it denotes moral rather than physical well-being. ↩

實 must mean dry and solid, as opposed to damp and marshy, ground. This is to be found as a rule in high places, so the commentators explain 實 as practically equivalent to 高. ↩

Chang Yü says: “The dryness of the climate will prevent the outbreak of illness.” ↩

The Tʽung Tien and Yü Lan have a superfluous 下 before 水. ↩

絕澗, explained by Mei Yao-chʽên as 前後險峻水橫其中. ↩

天井, explained as 四面峻坂澗壑所歸 “places enclosed on every side by steep banks, with pools of water at the bottom.” ↩

天牢 “natural pens or prisons,” explained as 三面環絕易入難出 “places surrounded by precipices on three sides⁠—easy to get into, but hard to get out of.” ↩

天羅, explained as 草木蒙密鋒鏑莫施 “places covered with such dense undergrowth that spears cannot be used.” ↩

天陷, explained as 卑下汙