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Sun Zi Introduction Table of content – The Art of War

Chinese strategy explained : know yourself and the ennemy, use deception, spies, and "win with ease". Tr. Giles (en, annotated) and Amiot (fr).

Introduction
I. Laying Plans
II. Waging War
III. Attack by Stratagem
IV. Tactical Dispositions
V. Energy
VI. Weak Points and Strong
VII. Maneuvering
VIII. Variation in Tactics
IX. The Army On The March
X. Terrain
XI. The Nine Situations
XII. The Attack By Fire
XIII. The Use of Spies

Weak Points And Strong

Chang Yu attempts to explain the sequence of chapters as follows: "Chapter IV, on Tactical Dispositions, treated of the offensive and the defensive; chapter V, on Energy, dealt with direct and indirect methods. The good general acquaints himself first with the theory of attack and defense, and then turns his attention to direct and indirect methods. He studies the art of varying and combining these two methods before proceeding to the subject of weak and strong points. For the use of direct or indirect methods arises out of attack and defense, and the perception of weak and strong points depends again on the above methods. Hence the present chapter comes immediately after the chapter on Energy."

Sunzi VI. 12.

Though the enemy be stronger in numbers, we may prevent him from fighting. Scheme so as to discover his plans and the likelihood of their success.1

1. An alternative reading offered by Chia Lin is: "Know beforehand all plans conducive to our success and to the enemy's failure."

Giles VI.22.

Je dis que la victoire peut être créée. Même si l'ennemi est en nombre, je peux l'empêcher d'engager le combat. Car, s'il ignore ma situation militaire, je peux faire en sorte qu'il se préoccupe de sa propre préparation : ainsi je lui ôte le loisir d'établir les plans pour me battre.

I. Détermine les plans de l'ennemi et tu sauras quelle stratégie sera couronnée de succès et celle qui ne le sera pas.

Amiot

Sun Zi VI. 12. Table of content
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The Art of War – Sun Zi VI. 12. – Chinese off/onFrançais/English
Alias Sun Tzu, Sun Wu, Sun Tse, Sunzi Bingfa, Souen Tseu, Souen Wou, 孫武.

The Book of Odes, The Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Three-characters book, The Book of Changes, The Way and its Power, 300 Tang Poems, The Art of War, Thirty-Six Strategies
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