Sun Tzu Decoded
Chapter 11 · Nine Grounds · 九地

Passage 11-30

故兵之情, 圍則禦, 不得已則鬪, 過則從. 是故不知諸侯之謀者, 不能預交, 不知山林險阻沮澤之形者, 不能行軍. 不用鄉導者, 不能得地利, 此三者不知一, 非霸王之兵也.

The nature of soldiers: when surrounded, they defend; when with no choice, they fight; when desperate, they obey. Without knowing the plans of neighboring rulers, you cannot make alliances. Without knowing mountains, forests, obstacles, and wetlands, you cannot maneuver. Without local guides, you cannot exploit terrain. Ignorant of any one of these three, you cannot command a hegemon’s army.

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These passages from other chapters connect to the themes in Passage 11-30:

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... Sovereign and General Passage 3-11 故君之所以患於軍者三: 不知軍之不可以進, 而謂之進; 不知... Know Enemy, Know Self (Extended) Passage 10-16 知吾卒之可以擊, 而不知敵之不可擊, 勝之半也; 知敵之可擊... Do Not Press a Cornered Enemy Passage 7-15 故用兵之法, 高陵勿向, 背丘勿逆, 佯北勿從, 銳卒勿攻,... Grounds Not to Contest Passage 8-2 圮地無舍. 衢地合交. 絶地無留. 圍地則謀. 死地則戰. True Skill Is Invisible Passage 4-3 故曰: 勝可知, 而不可爲. 不可勝者, 守也; 可勝者, ...

More from Chapter 11: Nine Grounds (九地)

Passage 11-1: Sun Tzu said: In the art of war, there are nine types of ground: dispersive, mar... Passage 11-2: When fighting in one’s own territory—dispersive ground.... Passage 11-3: When penetrating enemy territory but not deep—marginal ground.... Passage 11-4: Ground advantageous for either side—contentious ground.... Passage 11-5: Ground accessible to both—open ground.... Passage 11-6: Ground bordering three states, where first arrival gains support—intersecting gr... Passage 11-7: Deep in enemy territory with many fortifications behind—critical ground.... Passage 11-8: Mountains, forests, obstacles, wetlands—difficult to traverse—difficult ground.... Passage 11-9: Narrow entrance, circuitous exit, where few can strike many—surrounded ground.... Passage 11-10: Fight immediately and survive; hesitate and perish—deadly ground.... Passage 11-11: Therefore: - Dispersive ground: Do not fight - Marginal ground: Do not halt - Co... Passage 11-12: The ancient masters of war could make the enemy’s front and rear unable to suppo... Passage 11-13: Asked: “If a large, organized enemy approaches, how should we meet them?” Answer... Passage 11-14: In deep invasion, forces unite and the defender cannot overcome. Plunder rich fi... Passage 11-15: Deploy troops strategically, making plans impenetrable. Place them where there i... Passage 11-16: When deeply trapped, soldiers lose fear. When there is nowhere to go, they stand... Passage 11-17: Thus, troops are alert without instructions, obtain what is needed without deman... Passage 11-18: Our officers have no surplus wealth—not because they dislike riches. They expect... Passage 11-19: On the day orders are issued, seated soldiers weep till their collars are wet; l... Passage 11-20: The skilled commander is like the Shuairan—the snake of Mount Chang. Strike its ... Passage 11-21: The people of Wu and Yue despise each other. Yet when crossing a river in the sa... Passage 11-22: Therefore, tethering horses and burying wheels is not enough to rely on. Unifyin... Passage 11-23: The skilled commander leads troops as if guiding a single person—because they ha... Passage 11-24: The general’s affairs must be calm and inscrutable, fair and disciplined. He sho... Passage 11-25: Change tasks, alter plans—keep them unaware. Change encampments, take indirect r... Passage 11-26: When the commander commits troops to decisive action, it is like climbing high a... Passage 11-27: Assembling the army and throwing it into danger—this is the general’s task. The ... Passage 11-28: The way of invasion: deep penetration unifies; shallow penetration scatters. - C... Passage 11-29: Therefore: - Dispersive ground: Unify their will - Marginal ground: Keep them co... Passage 11-31: When the hegemon’s army attacks a great state, it prevents their forces from mas... Passage 11-32: Therefore, without contesting global alliances or cultivating global power, but ... Passage 11-33: Commit them to tasks—do not explain with words. Engage them with advantage—do no... Passage 11-34: Only when troops are plunged into danger can they turn defeat into victory. The ... Passage 11-35: When war is declared: close the borders, annul passports, block enemy messengers... Passage 11-36: First, seize what they treasure. Keep the timing of decisive engagement hidden. ...