The Art of War - Sun Zi VIII. 5.

Sun Zi

– 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

Variation In Tactics

The heading means literally "The Nine Variations," but as Sun Tzu does not appear to enumerate these, and as, indeed, he has already told us (V SS. 6-11) that such deflections from the ordinary course are practically innumerable, we have little option but to follow Wang Hsi, who says that "Nine" stands for an indefinitely large number. "All it means is that in warfare we ought to very our tactics to the utmost degree... I do not know what Ts`ao Kung makes these Nine Variations out to be, but it has been suggested that they are connected with the Nine Situations" - of chapt. XI. This is the view adopted by Chang Yu. The only other alternative is to suppose that something has been lost–a supposition to which the unusual shortness of the chapter lends some weight.

Sunzi VIII. 5.

Hence in the wise leader's plans, considerations of advantage and of disadvantage will be blended together.1

If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way, we may succeed in accomplishing the essential part of our schemes.2

If, on the other hand, in the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.3

1. "Whether in an advantageous position or a disadvantageous one," says Ts`ao Kung, "the opposite state should be always present to your mind."

2. Tu Mu says: "If we wish to wrest an advantage from the enemy, we must not fix our minds on that alone, but allow for the possibility of the enemy also doing some harm to us, and let this enter as a factor into our calculations."

3. Tu Mu says: "If I wish to extricate myself from a dangerous position, I must consider not only the enemy's ability to injure me, but also my own ability to gain an advantage over the enemy. If in my counsels these two considerations are properly blended, I shall succeed in liberating myself... For instance; if I am surrounded by the enemy and only think of effecting an escape, the nervelessness of my policy will incite my adversary to pursue and crush me; it would be far better to encourage my men to deliver a bold counter-attack, and use the advantage thus gained to free myself from the enemy's toils." See the story of Ts`ao Ts`ao, VII. ss. 35, note.

Giles VIII.7,8,9.

Il faut que le général sache distinguer les vrais d'avec les faux avantages, les véritables pertes d'avec ce qui n'en a que l'apparence ; qu'il sache compenser l'un par l'autre et tirer parti de tout. Il faut qu'il sache employer à propos certains artifices pour tromper l'ennemi, et qu'il se tienne sans cesse sur ses gardes pour n'être pas trompé lui-même. Il ne doit ignorer aucun des pièges qu'on peut lui tendre, il doit pénétrer tous les artifices de l'ennemi, de quelque nature qu'ils puissent être, mais il ne doit pas pour cela vouloir deviner. Tenez-vous sur vos gardes, voyez-le venir, éclairez ses démarches et toute sa conduite, et concluez. Vous courriez autrement le risque de vous tromper et d'être la dupe ou la triste victime de vos conjectures précipitées. Si vous voulez n'être jamais effrayé par la multitude de vos travaux et de vos peines, attendez-vous toujours à tout ce qu'il y aura de plus dur et de plus pénible.

Amiot