Chapter 10 · Terrain · 地形

Passage 10-7

遠形者, 勢均, 難以挑戰, 戰而不利. 凡此六者, 地之道也, 將之至任, 不可不察也.

On distant terrain with balanced forces, initiating battle is difficult and disadvantageous. These six are the principles of terrain—the commander’s supreme responsibility. They must not be neglected.

What does this passage really mean for modern strategy?

Ask Sun →

Explore Further

These passages from other chapters connect to the themes in Passage 10-7:

Salt Marsh Terrain Passage 9-3 欲戰者, 無附於水而迎客, 視生處高, 無迎水流, 此處水上... High Ground Passage 9-5 平陸處易, 而右背高, 前死後生, 此處平陸之軍也. 凡此四... Terrain Reading Passage 9-9 軍旁有險阻, 潢井, 葭葦, 山林, 蘙薈者, 必謹復索之,... Earth (地) Passage 1-5 地者, 遠近, 險易, 廣狹, 死生也. Crossing Mountains Passage 9-1 孫子曰: 凡處軍相敵: 絶山依谷, 視生處高, 戰隆無登, ... Local Guides Passage 7-7 故不知諸侯之謀者, 不能豫交; 不知山林, 險阻, 沮澤之形...

More from Chapter 10: Terrain (地形)

Passage 10-1: Sun Tzu said: Terrain types include: accessible, entrapping, stalemating, narrow... Passage 10-2: Ground both sides can traverse freely is called accessible. On accessible terrai... Passage 10-3: Ground easy to enter but difficult to exit is called entrapping. On such terrain... Passage 10-4: Ground where neither side benefits from advancing is called stalemating. Here, e... Passage 10-5: On narrow terrain, occupy it first and fully man it to await the enemy. If the e... Passage 10-6: On precipitous terrain, occupy high, sunny ground first to await the enemy. If t... Passage 10-8: There are six types of army failure: flight, insubordination, deterioration, col... Passage 10-9: Equal forces sent one against ten—flight Strong troops with weak officers—insubo... Passage 10-10: Senior officers angry and insubordinate, engaging the enemy on impulse without t... Passage 10-11: A weak general lacking strictness, unclear instruction, no consistent standards ... Passage 10-12: A general who cannot assess the enemy, engages many with few, attacks the strong... Passage 10-13: Terrain assists military operations. Assessing the enemy to achieve victory, cal... Passage 10-14: If the Way of battle ensures victory, fight even if the ruler forbids it. If it ... Passage 10-15: Treat troops like infants—they will follow you into deep valleys. Treat them lik... Passage 10-16: Knowing your troops can strike but not that the enemy cannot be struck—half vict... Passage 10-17: Therefore, one who knows warfare moves without confusion, acts without exhaustio...