Verse 1-Wei Liao Zi Art of War Chapter 22

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Verse 1-Wei Liao Zi Art of War Chapter 22

English

I have heard that a ruler of men once knows the way to achieve victory he is then able to able to unite others and become expansive and great, to unify the ordinances and regulations and have his awesomeness prevail in the world. There are twelve essential matters to look at to achieve victory:

The first is called 'joint punishment' and refers to the method of joint criminal responsibility for all members of the squad of five.

The second is called 'terrain restrictions' which refers to prohibiting and stopping passage along the roads in order to ensnare spies from external.

The third, 'chariot as a unit', refers to the chariot commanders and infantry leaders being mutually dependent, the three officers in the chariot and the squads of five being cohesive, all coming together to form a unit.

The fourth, 'defending strategic points', refers to dividing the terrain with boundaries and having each man securely defending his position till death.

The fifth, 'demarking boundaries', refers to the left and right restraining each other, front and rear awaiting each other and a wall of chariots creating a solid defense in order to oppose the enemy and stop them.

The sixth, 'commands are distinguished', refers to the forward rows concentrating on advancing, thereby being distinguished from those in the rear who are not to compete to be the first to ascend nor overstep their positions.

The seventh, 'five emblems', refers to distinguishing the rows, with emblems so that the troops will not be disordered.

The eighth, 'preserving the units', refers to units breaking up and following each other, each having their appointed sections.

The ninth, 'gongs and drums', refers to stimulating the troops to achievement and compelling them great heights.

The tenth, 'arraying the chariots', refers to making the formation tight, with the spears deployed to the front and putting blinders on the horses’ eyes.

The eleventh, 'warriors of death', refers to selecting the courageous and strong from among masses of the army to ride in war chariots. They race forward and back, across and about, using tactics to gain mastery over the enemy.

The twelfth, 'strong troops', refers to regulating the flags and preserving the units. Without the flags signaling an order, they do not move.

When the instructions for these twelve have been successfully taught, anyone who contravenes an order should not be pardoned. A such a weak army will be able to strengthen. If a ruler does not have a reputation, they will be able to know him. If orders become enervated, they will be able to revitalize them. If the people become migrants, they will be able to attract them. If the people are numerous, they will be able to govern them. If the territory is vast, they will be able to defend it. Without going sending out the chariots or taking the armours our from the storage bags, your awesomeness will still spread throughout the land.

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Modern

我听说人君掌握了必胜的方法，就能兼并广大的土地，实行统一的制度，从而威震天下。其方法有十二条：一是“连刑”，即一个犯罪，全伍连坐；二是“地禁”，即是管制交通，以防止奸细；三是“全车”，就是说战车上的甲士和随车步卒都要在车长统一指挥下，协调一致地行动；四是“开塞”，即划分防区，各自尽忠职责以行坚守；五是“分限”，即营阵左右相互警卫，前后相互照顾，环列战车，形成坚固营垒，用以抗拒敌人和保障宿营安全；六是“号别”，即前列部队进战时，与后列界限分明，后列不得抢先突进，以免次序紊乱；七是“五章”，即用五种颜色的标记以区别行列；保持部队始终不乱；八是“全曲”，即各部队在行动中互相连系，保持自己在战斗队形中的关系位置；九是“金鼓”，即激励将士杀敌主功，为国牺牲；十是“阵车”，即驻止时用战车前后连结成阵，遮蔽马的双目以免惊驰；十一是“死士”，即从各军中选拔有才而能勇敢的人，乘着战车，忽左忽右、忽前忽后地出奇制胜；十二是“力卒”，即选用才力超群的人掌管军旗，指挥部队，没有命令不得擅自行动。按照以上十二条进行教育后，有效逼犯教令的决不宽容。这样，军队战斗力弱的可以增强，君主威望不高的可以提高，法令废弛的可以整顿，人民流散的可以归附，人口众多而庞杂的也可以治理好，土地广大的可以守得住，不必出兵打仗，也能威服天下。

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Original

臣闻人君有必胜之道，故能并兼广大，以一其制度；则威加天下。有十二焉：一曰连刑，谓同罪保伍也；二曰地禁，谓禁止行道，以网外奸也；三曰全车，谓甲首相附，三五相同，以结其联也；四曰开塞，谓分地以限，各死其职而坚守也；五曰分限，谓左右相禁，前后相待，垣车为固，以逆以止也；六曰号别，谓前列务进以别其后者，不得争先登不次也；七曰五章，谓彰明行列，始卒不乱也；八曰全曲，谓曲折相从，皆有分部也；九曰金鼓，谓兴有功，致有德也；十曰陈车，谓接连前矛，马冒其目也；十一死士，谓众军之中有材力者，乘于战车，前后纵横，出奇制敌也；十二曰力卒，谓经旗全曲，不麾不动也。此十二者教成，犯令不舍。兵弱能强之，主卑能尊之，令弊能起之，民流能亲之，人众能治之，地大能守之，国车不出于阃，组甲木出于橐，而威服天下矣。

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