Three Basic Ingredients For Victory-Zhuge Liang
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Three Basic Ingredients For Victory-Zhuge Liang
English
Before the general set out for war, there are three advantages he should take note of, because they are the fundamentals to achieving victory. They are timing advantage, environment advantage and the human advantage. Timing advantage refers to the weather, whether the weather is comfortable, there are no droughts or floods, the stars shows normality and there are no bad omens. These accrued to our army's advantages from nature. The environment advantage refers to surrounding terrains of our structures. Whether there are deep valleys or large rivers that surround our structures. The more complicated the terrain, or only a small route that leads to the structures is the best. Human advantage refers to whether the ruler is benevolent and wise, whether the general is capable and high morals, whether the whole army observes rules and rites, united and are willing to lay down their lives; food supply is ample and weapons are sharp. A smart general is able to use these three advantages to gain huge victory.
Modern
将领率军出征应注意三种形势。即天时、地利、人和，可以说这是战争获胜的基本因素。天时，所指的就是天气清明，气候适中，无荒无旱，天象正常，没有灾祸兆头，这是有利于我军的自然条件。地利，就是指我方工事修筑在险峻的地势之上，有深川、大河作天然屏障。地形复杂，深不可测，仅有唯一的羊肠小道迂回曲折。人和，所指的就是君王圣明、将帅贤达，全军上下遵守礼法，整齐统一，战士人人都愿效命疆场，粮饷充足，武器坚利。卓越超群的将领，就是能凭借天时、地利、人和，因此能所向披靡，大获全胜。
Original
夫行兵之势有三焉：一曰天，二曰地，三曰人。天势者，日月清明，五星合度，彗孛不殃，风气调和；地势者，城峻重崖，洪波千里，石门幽洞，羊肠曲沃；人势者，主圣将贤，三军由礼，士卒用命，粮甲坚备。善将者，因天之时，就地之势，依人之利，则所向者无敌，所击者万全矣。
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From: Zhuge Liang Art of War Chapter 2