Sun Tzu Decoded
Chapter 13 · Espionage · 用間

Passage 13-9

因是而知之, 故死間爲誑事, 可使告敵; 因是而知之, 故生間可使如期.

Through double agents, gain intelligence that allows expendable spies to deliver false information to the enemy. Through them, ensure living spies can report on schedule.

What does this passage really mean for modern strategy?

Ask Sun →

Explore Further

These passages from other chapters connect to the themes in Passage 13-9:

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... Invincibility First Passage 4-1 孫子曰: 昔之善戰者, 先爲不可勝, 以侍敵之可勝. 不可勝...

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 13-8: Identify enemy spies sent against us. Win them over with benefits, guide and acc... 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...