Sun Tzu Decoded
Chapter 13 · Espionage · 用間

Passage 13-8

必索敵人之間來間我者, 因而利之, 導而舍之, 故反間可得而用也. 因是而知之, 故鄕間內間可得而使也.

Identify enemy spies sent against us. Win them over with benefits, guide and accommodate them—thus double agents can be obtained and used. Through them, gain intelligence that enables the use of local and internal spies.

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These passages from other chapters connect to the themes in Passage 13-8:

Formlessness Passage 6-9 故形人而我無形, 則我專而敵分. 我專爲一, 敵分爲十, 是... The Shuai-Jan Serpent Passage 11-31 夫霸王之兵, 伐大國則其衆不得聚, 威加於敵, 則其交不得合... Know Enemy, Know Self Passage 3-13 故曰, 知彼知己, 百戰不殆; 不知彼而知己, 一勝一負, ... Victory Without Fighting Passage 3-3 是故, 百戰百勝, 非善之善者也; 不戰而屈人之兵, 善之善...

More from Chapter 13: Espionage (用間)

Passage 13-1: Sun Tzu said: Raising an army of one hundred thousand and campaigning a thousand... Passage 13-2: To stand in confrontation for years, striving for victory in a single day, yet b... Passage 13-3: The reason wise rulers and brilliant generals move and conquer, achieving succes... Passage 13-4: There are five types of spy: local, internal, double, expendable, and living. Wh... Passage 13-5: Local spies: recruited from the enemy’s population Internal spies: recruited fro... Passage 13-6: In military affairs, no one is closer than spies, no rewards greater, no busines... Passage 13-7: To attack an army, besiege a city, or assassinate an individual—first learn the ... Passage 13-9: Through double agents, gain intelligence that allows expendable spies to deliver... Passage 13-10: The ruler must understand all five types of spies. The key lies with double agen... Passage 13-11: In ancient times, the rise of Yin was aided by Yi Zhi, who was in Xia. The rise ... Passage 13-12: Only wise rulers and brilliant generals who employ the highly intelligent as spi...