Six Secret Teachings, Dragon Teaching — Unorthodox Troops六韜 奇兵
1The twenty-six uses of unorthodox troops
武王問太公曰：「凡用兵之法，大要何如？」太公曰：「古之善戰者，非能戰於天上，非能戰於地下；其成與敗，皆由神勢。得之者昌，失之者亡。夫兩陣之間，出甲陳兵、縱卒亂行者，所以為變也；深草蓊翳者，所以遁逃也；谿谷險阻者，所以止車禦騎也；隘塞山林者，所以少擊眾也；坳澤窈冥者，所以匿其形也；清明無隱者，所以戰勇力也；疾如流矢，擊如發機者，所以破精微也；詭伏設奇，遠張誑誘者，所以破軍擒將也；四分五裂者，所以擊圓破方也。因其驚駭者，所以一擊十也；因其勞倦暮舍者，所以十擊百也；奇技者，所以越深水渡江河也；強弩長兵者，所以踰水戰也；長關遠候，暴疾謬遁者，所以降城服邑也；鼓行讙囂者，所以行奇謀也；大風甚雨者，所以搏前擒後也；偽稱敵使者，所以絕糧道也。謬號令，與敵同服者，所以備走北也；戰必以義者，所以勵眾勝敵也；尊爵重賞者，所以勸用命也；嚴刑重罰者，所以進罷怠也；一喜一怒，一予一奪，一文一武，一徐一疾者，所以調和三軍，制一臣下也；處高敝者，所以警守也；保險阻者，所以為固也；山林茂穢者，所以默往來也；深溝高壘，積糧多者，所以持久也。故曰：『不知戰攻之策，不可以語敵；不能分移，不可以語奇；不通治亂，不可以語變。』故曰：『將不仁，則三軍不親；將不勇，則三軍不銳；將不智，則三軍大疑；將不明，則三軍大傾；將不精微，則三軍失其機；將不常戒，則三軍失其備；將不強力，則三軍失其職。』故將者，人之司命，三軍與之俱治，與之俱亂。得賢將者，兵強國昌。不得賢將者，兵弱國亡。」武王曰：「善哉！」
King Wu asked Taigong, "What is the great essential of the law of using troops?" Taigong said, "Those of old who fought well were not able to fight above the sky, nor able to fight below the earth. Their winning and their losing came wholly from a marvelous force. He who gains it flourishes, and he who loses it perishes. Between the two battle lines, to bring out armor and draw up troops, to loose the soldiers and throw the ranks into disorder, is for making change. Deep grass, thick and shading, is for slipping away and hiding. Valleys and steep places are for halting chariots and holding off horsemen. Narrow passes and mountain forests are for striking the many with the few. Hollows and marshes, dim and dark, are for hiding the shape. Clear bright ground with nowhere to hide is for fighting with courage and strength. Swift as a flying arrow and striking as the release of a crossbow catch is for breaking what is fine and exact. False ambushes and strange devices, spread out far to deceive and lure, are for breaking an army and taking its general. Splitting into four and tearing into five is for striking a round formation and breaking a square one. To take them while they are startled and afraid is for striking ten with one. To take them while they are worn out and camped at dusk is for striking a hundred with ten. Strange craft is for passing deep water and crossing the great rivers. Strong crossbows and long weapons are for crossing water and fighting. Far barriers and distant scouts, and a sudden feigned flight, are for making a city surrender and a town submit. Drums beating and a loud clamor on the march are for working an unorthodox plan. Great wind and heavy rain are for striking the front and seizing the rear. Calling oneself falsely an envoy of the enemy is for cutting the grain road. False orders and signals, and wearing the same clothing as the enemy, are to make ready for a rout. Fighting always with righteousness is for heartening the men and beating the enemy. High rank and heavy reward are for urging men to follow the command. Stern punishment and heavy penalty are for driving forward the worn and the idle. Now glad and now angry, now giving and now taking away, now civil and now martial, now slow and now swift, is for bringing the three armies into accord and holding the subordinates under one rule. Holding high open ground is for keeping watch. Holding the steep places is for standing firm. Mountain forests thick and overgrown are for coming and going unseen. Deep ditches, high ramparts, and much grain stored are for holding out long. Therefore it is said, 'He who does not know the plans of battle and attack cannot be spoken to about the enemy; he who cannot divide and shift cannot be spoken to about unorthodox troops; he who does not understand order and disorder cannot be spoken to about change.' Therefore it is said, 'If the general is not benevolent, the three armies are not close to him; if the general is not brave, the three armies are not keen; if the general is not wise, the three armies fall into great doubt; if the general is not clear-sighted, the three armies fall in ruin; if the general is not fine and exact, the three armies lose their moment; if the general is not always on guard, the three armies lose their readiness; if the general is not strong, the three armies lose their duty.' So the general is the one who holds men's lives in his charge. With him the three armies are ordered, and with him they fall into disorder. Gain a worthy general, and the troops are strong and the state flourishes. Fail to gain a worthy general, and the troops are weak and the state perishes." King Wu said, "Good."