Attack by Fire — striking with fire火攻篇

焚其營，殺其士卒也。

To burn his camp and kill his soldiers.

焚其營栅，因燒兵士。吳起曰︰「凡軍居荒澤，草木幽穢，可焚而滅。」蜀先主伐吳，吳將陸遜拒之於夷陵。先攻一營不利，諸將曰︰「空殺兵耳。」遜曰︰「吾已曉破敵之術矣。」乃勑各持一把茅，以火攻拔之。一爾勢成，通率諸軍，同時俱攻。斬張南、馮習及胡王沙摩柯等，破四十餘營，死者萬數。備因夜遁，軍資器械略盡，遂歐血而殂。

To burn his camp and palisades, and with them burn his soldiers. Wu Qi (吳起) said. "When an army lies in wild marshland and the grass and trees are deep and rank, it can be burned away and destroyed." The Former Lord of Shu (蜀) attacked Wu (吳), and the Wu general Lu Xun (陸遜) held him off at Yiling (夷陵). He first struck one camp without gain, and the generals said, "We only kill our soldiers for nothing." Lu Xun said, "I have already learned the way to break the enemy." So he had each man carry a bundle of thatch and attacked with fire to pull the camp out. Once the force of it was made, he led the several armies and struck all together at one time. He cut down Zhang Nan (張南), Feng Xi (馮習), and the Hu king Shamoke (沙摩柯) and others, broke more than forty camps, and the dead were counted in the tens of thousands. Liu Bei (劉備) fled by night, the army's stores and weapons were all but gone, and in the end he spat blood and died.

焚營栅荒穢，以助攻戰也。

To burn his camp and palisades and the rank overgrowth, and so aid the attack.

魯桓公世，焚邾婁之咸丘，始以火攻也。後世兵家者流，故有五火之攻，以佐取勝之道也。如後漢班超使西域，到鄯善。初夜，將吏士奔虜營。會天大風，超令十人持鼓藏虜舍後，約曰︰「見火燃，皆當鳴鼓大呼。」餘人悉持兵弩，夾門而伏。超順風縱火，前後鼓譟，虜衆驚亂。超手格殺三人，餘衆悉燒死。又，皇甫嵩率兵討黃巾賊張角。嵩保長社，賊來圍城，嵩兵少，軍中皆恐。召軍吏謂曰︰「兵有奇變，不在衆寡。今賊依草結營，易爲風火；若因夜縱火，必大驚亂，吾出兵擊之，其功可成。」其夕，遂大風。嵩乃約勒軍士，皆束苣乘城，使銳士出圍外，縱火大呼，城上舉燎應之。嵩因鼓而奔其陳，賊驚亂奔走，大破之。又，五代梁太祖乾寧中，親領大軍，由鄆州東路北次於魚山。朱宣瑾覘知，卽以兵徑至，且圖速戰。帝整軍出砦。時宣瑾已陳於前。須臾，東南風大起，帝軍旌旗失次，甚有懼色。帝卽令騎士揚鞭呼嘯。俄而，西北風驟發。時兩軍皆在草莽中，帝因令縱火。旣而煙燄亘天，乘勢以攻賊陳。宣瑾大破，餘衆擁入清河。因築京觀於魚山之下。又，後唐伐蜀，工部任圜以大軍至漢州，康延孝來逆戰。圜命董璋以東川懦卒當其鋒，伏精兵於其後。延孝擊退東川之軍，急追之，遇伏兵。延孝敗，馳入漢州，閉壁不出。西川孟知祥以兵二萬，與圜合勢攻之。漢州四面樹竹木爲栅。三月，圜陳於金鴈橋，卽率諸軍鼓譟而進，四面縱火，風燄亘空。延孝危急，引騎出陳於金鴈橋，又大敗之。

In the time of Duke Huan of Lu (魯桓公), the burning of Xianqiu (咸丘) in Zhulou (邾婁) was the first instance of attacking with fire. In the tradition of the military writers of later ages there are the five fire attacks, which aid the way of winning. Ban Chao (班超) of the Later Han (後漢) went as envoy to the Western Regions and reached Shanshan (鄯善). In the early evening he led his officers and soldiers and rushed to the barbarians' camp. A great wind happened to be blowing, so Ban Chao had ten men take up drums and hid them behind the barbarians' quarters, charging them, "When you see the fire catch, all of you beat the drums and shout loudly." The rest all took weapons and crossbows and lay flanking the gate. Ban Chao set the fire with the wind, and as drums and shouting rose front and rear, the barbarian host was startled into confusion. Ban Chao struck down three men with his own hand, and the rest of the host all burned to death. Again, Huangfu Song (皇甫嵩) led troops against Zhang Jue (張角) of the Yellow Turbans. Huangfu Song was holding Changshe (長社), and when the enemy came and surrounded the town his troops were few, so the host was all afraid. He called the officers of the army and said, "In war there are strange changes, and it does not rest on numbers. Now the enemy has camped relying on the grass, so wind and fire are easy to use. If we set fire by night they will surely be thrown into great confusion, and if I send out troops and strike, that work can be accomplished." That evening a great wind blew. Huangfu Song put his troops in order, had them all bind torches and mount the wall, sent picked troops outside the encirclement to set fires and shout loudly, and from atop the wall raised torches in answer. Huangfu Song beat the drums and charged into their camp, and the enemy were startled into confusion and fled, and he broke them greatly. Again, in the Five Dynasties (五代), Emperor Taizu of Liang (梁太祖) in the Qianning (乾寧) years himself led a great army north by the eastern road of Yunzhou (鄆州) and halted at Mount Yu (魚山). Zhu Xuanjin (朱宣瑾) spied this out and at once led his troops straight there, seeking a quick battle. The ruler put his army in order and went out of camp. By then Xuanjin had already drawn up his line in front. In a moment a strong southeast wind arose, and the ruler's troops lost the order of their banners and showed a look of great fear. The ruler then had his horsemen raise their whips and whistle and shout. Presently a northwest wind suddenly arose. Both armies were then in the midst of grass and brush, so the ruler had fire set. Presently smoke and flame reached to the sky, and riding that force he struck the enemy's line. Xuanjin was greatly broken, and the remnant of his host was pressed into the Qing River (清河). Thereupon a victory mound (京觀) was raised below Mount Yu. Again, when the Later Tang (後唐) attacked Shu, Ren Yuan (任圜) of the Board of Works led a great army to Hanzhou (漢州), and Kang Yanxiao (康延孝) came out to meet him in battle. Ren Yuan entrusted the weak troops of Dongchuan (東川) to Dong Zhang (董璋) to take the point of the attack, and hid picked troops behind them. Yanxiao drove back the Dongchuan troops and pursued in haste, and ran into the troops lying in ambush. Yanxiao was beaten and ran into Hanzhou, shut the walls, and did not come out. Meng Zhixiang (孟知祥) of Xichuan (西川) joined forces with Ren Yuan with twenty thousand troops and attacked. Hanzhou had bamboo and trees planted on all four sides for a palisade. In the third month Ren Yuan drew up at Jin'an Bridge (金鴈橋), then led the several armies forward with drums and shouting and set fires on four sides, and wind and flame reached to the sky. Yanxiao in his peril led out his horsemen and drew up at Jin'an Bridge, but was again greatly beaten.

焚彼營舍，以殺其士，火攻之先也。班超燒匈奴使者是也。

To burn the other side's camp and quarters and so kill his soldiers is the first of the fire attacks. Ban Chao's burning of the Xiongnu (匈奴) envoys is this.

焚積聚也。

To burn what has been stored up.

積者，積蓄也，糧食薪蒭是也。高祖與項羽相持成皐，爲羽所敗，北渡河，得張耳、韓信軍，軍脩武，深溝高壘。使劉賈將二萬人、騎數百，渡白馬津，入楚地，燒其積聚，以破其業。楚軍乏食。隋文帝時，高熲獻取陳之策，曰︰「江南土薄，舍多茅竹，所有儲積，皆非地窖。可密遣行人，因風縱火；待彼修葺，復更燒之。不出數年，自可財力俱盡。」帝行其策，由是陳人益弊。

"Ji (積)" means what is stored up, and grain, firewood, and fodder are this. Gaozu of Han (漢高祖) faced Xiang Yu (項羽) at Chenggao (成皐), was beaten by Xiang Yu, crossed the He (河) northward, took the troops of Zhang Er (張耳) and Han Xin (韓信), camped at Xiuwu (脩武), dug his trenches deep and raised his ramparts high. He had Liu Jia (劉賈) lead twenty thousand men and several hundred horsemen across the Baima Ford (白馬津) into the land of Chu (楚) to burn what was stored up and break its foundation, and the troops of Chu came short of food. In the time of Emperor Wen of Sui (隋文帝), Gao Jiong (高熲) submitted a plan for taking Chen (陳) and said. "South of the Jiang the soil is thin and the houses have much thatch and bamboo, so what is stored is not all kept in cellars. Send men in secret to set fires with the wind, and when they have repaired the damage, burn it again. Before a few years have passed their goods and strength will be spent of themselves." The ruler carried out that plan, and by it the people of Chen grew still more worn down.

焚其委積，以困芻糧。

Burn what is stored up to bring his fodder and grain to want.

焚其積聚，使芻糧不足。故曰︰「軍無委積則亡。」劉賈燒楚積聚是也。

Burn what is stored up so that his fodder and grain are not plentiful. Therefore it is said, "An army without stores is lost." Liu Jia's burning of the stores of Chu is this.

燒其輜重，焚其庫室。

To burn the baggage train and to burn the storehouses.

器械、財貨及軍士衣裝，在車中上道未止曰輜，在城營壘已有止舍曰庫，其所藏二者皆同。後漢末，袁紹相許攸降曹公，曰︰「今袁氏輜重有萬餘輛車，屯軍不嚴；今以輕兵襲之，不意而至，焚其積聚，不過三日，袁氏自敗。」公大喜，選精騎五千，皆用袁氏旗幟，銜枚縛馬口，從間道出入，抱束薪。所歷道有問者，語之曰︰「袁公恐曹操抄略後軍，遣兵以益備。」聞者信以爲然，皆自若。旣至圍屯，大放火，營中驚亂，因大破之，輜重悉焚之矣。

Weapons, goods, and the soldiers' clothing and gear loaded on carts and already on the road, not yet halted, are called "zi (輜)," and what already has a resting place in a town, a camp, or a rampart is called "ku (庫)." What is kept inside them is the same in both. At the end of the Later Han, Xu You (許攸), a counselor of Yuan Shao (袁紹), surrendered to Cao Cao (曹操) and said. "Now the Yuan baggage carts number more than ten thousand and their camp is not strict. If you strike with light troops, you will arrive unlooked for and burn what is stored, and before three days have passed the Yuan will be beaten of themselves." Cao Cao was greatly pleased and picked five thousand swift horsemen, all of them using Yuan banners, bitted so as to tie up the horses' mouths, going in and out by mountain paths and carrying bundles of firewood. When anyone on the road asked, they said, "Lord Yuan, fearing that Cao Cao would plunder the rear, has sent troops to add to the guard." Those who heard believed it and were all at ease. When they reached the encircled camp they set a great fire, and the midst of the camp was startled into confusion, and by this he broke them greatly and burned the whole baggage train.

夫敵有愛惜之物，亦可以攻之；彼若出救，是我以火分其勢也。更遇其心神撓惑，自可破軍殺將也。

If the enemy has something he holds dear, that too may be struck. When he comes out to save it, I divide his force with fire. Add to this the moment when his heart is shaken and confused, and one can of oneself break his army and kill his general.

焚其輜重，以窘貨財；焚其庫室，以空蓄聚。

Burn the baggage train to bring his goods to want, and burn the storehouses to empty what is stored.

如前秦苻堅遣將王猛伐前燕幕容暐，師至潞川，燕將慕容評率兵四十萬禦之，以持久制之。猛遣將郭慶率步騎五千，夜從間道起火於晉山，燒評輜重，火見鄴中，因而滅之。

Fu Jian (苻堅) of the Former Qin (前秦) sent his general Wang Meng (王猛) against Murong Wei (慕容暐) of the Former Yan (前燕). When the troops reached Luchuan (潞川), the Yan general Murong Ping (慕容評) led four hundred thousand troops to block them, meaning to hold out long and wear them down. Wang Meng sent his general Guo Qing (郭慶) with five thousand foot and horse by night along mountain paths to raise fire at Mount Jin (晉山) and burn Murong Ping's baggage train, and the glow of the fire was seen within Ye (鄴), and by this Yan was destroyed.

焚其輜重，使器用不供。故曰︰「軍無輜重則亡。」曹操燒袁紹輜重是也。焚其府庫，使財貨不充。故曰︰「軍無財，則士不來。」

Burn the baggage train so that his gear and supplies cannot keep coming. Therefore it is said, "An army without a baggage train is lost." Cao Cao's burning of Yuan Shao's baggage train is this. Burn the storehouses so that his goods are not plentiful. Therefore it is said, "When an army has no goods, soldiers do not come."

焚其隊仗兵器。

To burn the weapons of the ranks.

焚其行伍，因亂而擊之。

Burn his column and strike in the gap of their confusion.

焚其隊仗，以奪兵具。「隊」一作「隧」。

Burn the weapons of the ranks to take away the tools for fighting. "Dui (隊)" appears in some texts as "sui (隧)."

隧，道也。燒絶糧道及轉運也。

"Sui (隧)" means a road. It is to burn and cut off the grain road and the hauling of supplies.

何氏同賈林《註》。

Mr. He's (何氏) note is the same as Jia Lin's (賈林).

焚其隊仗，使兵無戰具。故曰「器械不利，則難以應敵」也。

Burn the weapons of the ranks so that his soldiers have no tools for fighting. Therefore it is said, "When weapons are not sharp, it is hard to stand against an enemy."

因姦人。

The cause is a man who passes word from within.

因姦人而內應也。

It is to take a man who plots within as the cause, and have him answer from inside.

須得其便，不獨姦人。

One must get what is favorable, so it is not only a man who plots within.

因風燥而焚之。

It is to burn by taking wind and dryness as the cause.

凡火攻，皆因天時燥旱，營舍茅竹，積芻聚糧，居近草莽，因風而焚之。

Every fire attack takes as its cause a time when the weather is dry and parched, a camp made of thatch and bamboo, fodder and grain stored up, and nearness to grass and brush, and then burns with the wind.

煙火，燒具也。

Yanhuo (煙火) means the gear for setting fires.

幹蒭、蒿艾、糧糞之屬。

Dry fodder grass, mugwort, dung, and the like.

艾蒿、荻葦、薪蒭、膏油之屬，先須修事以備用。兵法有火箭、火簾、火杏、火兵、火獸、火禽、火盜、火弩，凡此者皆可用也。

Mugwort, reed grass, rushes, firewood, fodder, oil, and the like are made ready beforehand, so that what is needed is at hand. In the art of war there are the huojian (火箭, fire arrows), the huolian (火簾), the huoxing (火杏), the huobing (火兵), the huoshou (火獸), the huoqin (火禽), the huodao (火盜), and the huonu (火弩, fire crossbows), and all of these can be used.

潛姦伺隙，必有便也；秉秆持燧，必先備也。《傳》曰︰「惟事事有備，乃無患也。」

Hiding one who plots within and watching for a gap means there is surely something favorable, and holding straw and taking up a flint means it was surely prepared beforehand. The *Commentary* says, "When each affair has its preparation, there is no trouble."

貯火之器，燃火之物，常須預備，伺便而發。

Vessels for holding fire and the means of kindling it are always made ready beforehand, and one watches for a favorable time to set it.

不妄發也。

One does not set it at random.

不可偶然，當伺時日。

It cannot be done by chance, so one must watch for the season and the day.

燥者，旱也。

Zao (燥) means dry from drought.

旱熯易燎。

When it is parched and dry, things burn easily.

天時旱燥，則火易燃。

When the weather is parched and dry, fire catches easily.

《天文志》︰月宿此者多風。《玉經》云︰「常以月加日，從營室順數十五至翼，月在宿於此也。」

The *Treatise on Astronomy* says, "When the moon lodges in these asterisms there is much wind." The *Yujing* says, "Always add the moon to the day, and counting fifteen in order from Yingshi (營室) you reach Yi, and then the moon lodges in these asterisms."

宿者，月之所宿也。四宿者，風之使也。

"Su (宿)" is where the moon lodges. The four asterisms are the messengers of the wind.

箕，龍尾也；壁，東壁也；翼、軫，鶉尾也。宿在者，謂月之所次也。四宿好風，月離必起。

Ji is the tail of the dragon, Bi is the eastern wall, and Yi and Zhen are the tail of the quail. "Su zai (宿在)" means the place where the moon lodges. The four asterisms are fond of wind, so when the moon passes them wind surely rises.

四星好風，月宿則起。當推步躔次，知所宿之日，則行火。一說︰春丙丁、夏戊己、秋壬癸、冬甲乙，此日有疾風猛雨。又占風法︰取雞羽，重八兩，掛於五丈竿上，以候風所從來。四宿，卽箕、壁、翼、軫也。

The four stars are fond of wind, so when the moon lodges there wind rises. One reckons the places of the stars and knows the day of lodging, and only then sets fire. By one account there are swift winds and hard rains on the bing (丙) and ding (丁) days of spring, the wu (戊) and ji (己) days of summer, the ren (壬) and gui (癸) days of autumn, and the jia (甲) and yi (乙) days of winter. Again, the way to watch the wind is to hang eight ounces of chicken feathers atop a pole five fathoms high and observe the quarter the wind comes from. The four asterisms are Ji, Bi, Yi, and Zhen.

因火爲變，以兵應之。

Make the change with fire and answer with troops.

因其火變，以兵應之。五火，卽人、積、輜、庫、隊也。

Take the change of that fire as the cause and answer with troops. The five fires are men, stores, the baggage train, the storehouses, and the ranks.

以兵應之也。

It means to answer with troops.

乘火勢而應之也。

It is to ride the force of the fire and answer.

凡火，乃使敵人驚亂，因而擊之，非謂空以火敗敵人也。聞火初作卽攻之；若火闌衆定而攻之，當無益，故曰早也。

Fire is for startling the enemy into confusion and striking in that gap, and it does not mean that fire alone breaks the enemy. When you hear that the fire has just risen, strike at once. To strike after the fire has died down and the host has settled brings no gain, and therefore he said "early."

使間人縱火於敵營內，當速進以攻其外也。

Have spies set fire inside the enemy's camp, and go forward quickly to strike it from without.

內若驚亂，外以兵擊。

When the inside is startled into confusion, strike from outside with troops.

火纔發於內，則兵急擊於外，表裏齊攻，敵易驚亂。

When the fire has just risen inside, the troops strike in haste from outside, and when outside and inside strike together the enemy is easily startled into confusion.

火作不驚，敵素有備，不可遽攻，須待其變者也。

If the fire rises and they are not startled, the enemy was prepared all along, so one cannot strike suddenly but must wait for the change.

不驚撓者，必有備也。

If they are not startled and shaken, they were surely prepared.

以不變也。

Because there is no change.

火作而敵不驚呼者，有備也。我往攻，則反或受害。

If the fire rises and the enemy does not cry out in alarm, they were prepared. If I go and strike, I may instead take harm.

火雖發而兵不亂者，敵有備也；復防其變，故不可攻。

If the fire has risen and yet his troops are not in confusion, the enemy was prepared. He is guarding even against the change, so he cannot be struck.

見可而進，知難而退。

Advance when you see it can be done, and withdraw when you know it is hard.

夫火發兵不亂，不可攻。

If the fire has risen and the troops are not in confusion, they cannot be struck.

俟火盡已來，若敵人擾亂，則攻之；若敵終靜不擾，則收兵而退也。

Wait until the fire has burned out, and if the enemy is shaken and confused, strike, and if he stays quiet to the end and is not shaken, gather the troops and withdraw.

見利則進，知難則退。極，盡也。盡火力，可則應，不可則止，無使敵知其所爲。

Advance when you see gain, and withdraw when you know it is hard. "Ji (極)" means to run out. When the strength of the fire is spent, answer if it can be done and stop if it cannot, and do not let the enemy know what we are about.

極其火勢，待其變則攻，不變則勿攻。

Wait for the change until the force of the fire is spent, and strike if there is a change, and do not strike if there is none.

伺其變亂，則乘之；終不變亂，則自治而蓄力。

Watch for them to change into confusion and ride it, and if in the end they do not fall into confusion, put oneself in order and build up strength.

如魏滿寵征吳，敕諸將曰︰「今夕風甚猛，賊必來燒我營，宜爲之備。」諸軍皆警。夜半，果來燒營，寵掩擊破之者是也。

When Man Chong (滿寵) of Wei (魏) attacked Wu, he told his generals, "This evening the wind is very hard, so the enemy will surely come and burn our camp. You should be prepared." All the armies kept watch. In the middle of the night they did come and tried to burn the camp, and Man Chong fell upon them and broke them. This is it.

盡其火勢，變亂則攻，安靜則退。

When the force of the fire is spent, strike if they fall into confusion and withdraw if they are quiet.

魏武破袁紹於官渡，用許攸計，燒輜重萬餘，則其義也。

When Emperor Wu of Wei (魏武帝) broke Yuan Shao at Guandu (官渡), he used Xu You's plan and burned more than ten thousand baggage carts. That is the meaning.

上文云五火變須發於內，若敵居荒澤草穢，或營栅可焚之地，卽須及時發火，不必更待內發作然後應之，恐敵人自燒野草，我起火無益。漢時李陵征匈奴，戰敗，爲單于所逐，及於大澤。匈奴於上風縱火，陵亦先放火燒斷兼葭，用絶火勢。

The passage above said that the five changes of fire must be raised from within, but if the enemy lies in wild marshland or in rank grass, or if his camp and palisades stand on ground fit for burning, then fire should be set in its season, and one should not wait to answer only after it has risen from within. For the fear is that if the enemy burns off the wild grass himself, our setting fire will bring no gain. In the time of Han, Li Ling (李陵) attacked the Xiongnu, lost the battle, and was pursued by the Chanyu (單于) until he reached a great marsh. The Xiongnu set fire from the quarter the wind came from, so Li Ling also set fire first and burned the reeds away to cut off the force of the fire.

以時發之，所謂天之燥，月之宿在四星也。

To set it in its season means what was called the time when the weather is dry and the time when the moon lodges in the four asterisms.

火可發於外，不必待內應，得時卽應發，不可拘於常勢也。

Fire can be set from outside too, so there is no waiting for an answer from within. When the season is got, set it at once, for one cannot be bound to the usual course of things.

梅堯臣同杜牧《註》。

Mei Yaochen's (梅堯臣) note is the same as Du Mu's (杜牧).

火亦可發於外，不必須待作於內，但有便則應時而發。黃巾賊張角圍漢將皇甫嵩於長社，賊依草結營，嵩使銳士間出圍外，縱火大呼，城上舉燎應之，嵩因鼓而奔其陳，賊驚亂，遂敗走。

Fire can be set from outside too, so there is no waiting for it to rise within, and whenever there is something favorable one sets it in its season. When Zhang Jue of the Yellow Turbans surrounded the Han general Huangfu Song at Changshe, the enemy had camped relying on the grass, so Huangfu Song secretly sent picked troops outside the encirclement to set fires and shout loudly, and from atop the wall raised torches in answer. Huangfu Song beat the drums and charged into their camp, and the enemy were startled into confusion and in the end were beaten and fled.

不便也。

It is not favorable.

隋江東賊劉元進攻王世充於延陵，令把草東方，因風縱火。俄而迴風，悉燒元進營，軍人多死者。

When Liu Yuanjin (劉元進), a bandit of Jiangdong under the Sui, attacked Wang Shichong (王世充) at Yanling (延陵), he had his men take grass on the east side and set fire with the wind. Presently the wind turned and burned Liu Yuanjin's whole camp, and many among his troops died.

若是東，則焚敵之東，我亦隨以攻其東；若火發東面，攻其西，則與敵人同受也。故無攻下風，則順風也。若舉東，可知其他也。

If the wind blows from the east, burn the enemy's east side and strike that east side myself along with it. If I set the fire on the east and strike his west, I take the fire together with the enemy. So not striking from the quarter the wind is going toward means following the wind. Raise the case of the east and the rest can be known.

逆火勢，非便也，敵必死戰。

To go against the force of the fire is not favorable, and the enemy will surely fight to the death.

或擊其左右可也。

To strike his left or right is all right.

燒之必退，退而逆擊之，必死戰，故不便也。

When burned he will surely withdraw, and to strike a withdrawing enemy head-on makes him fight to the death, so it is not favorable.

數當然也。

It is in the order of things that this should be so.

不終始也。

It does not run from beginning to end.

《老子》曰︰「飄風不終朝。」

The *Laozi* says, "A whirlwind does not last past the morning."

凡晝風必夜止，夜風必晝止，數當然也。

A wind that rises by day surely stops by night, and a wind that rises by night surely stops by day, for the reckoning is so.

王晳同梅堯臣《註》。

Wang Xi's (王晳) note is the same as Mei Yaochen's.

晝起則夜息，數當然也。故《老子》曰︰「飄風不終朝。」

If it rises by day it sleeps by night, for the reckoning is so. Thus the *Laozi* says, "A whirlwind does not last past the morning."

須算星躔之數，守風起日，乃可發火，不可偶然而爲之。

Only by reckoning the count of the places the stars pass and keeping to the day when wind rises can fire be set, and it must not be done at random.

旣知起五火五變，當復以數消息其可否。

Once you know how to raise the five fires and their five changes, you must again examine by reckoning whether it can be done or not.

數星之躔，以候風起之日，然而發火，亦當自防其變。

Count the places the stars pass and wait for the day when wind rises before setting fire, and guard yourself as well against those changes.

不可止知以火攻人，亦當防人攻己。推四星之度數，知風起之日，則嚴備守之。

It is not enough to know only how to strike another with fire; one must also guard against another striking me. Reckon the degrees of the four stars, and when you know the day when wind rises, prepare strictly and keep watch.

明白易勝。

It is clear and plain, so winning is easy.

用火助攻，灼然可以取勝。

When fire aids the attack, one can win plainly and openly.

水以爲衝，故強。

Water drives in upon him, and so it is strong.

勢之強也。

The force of it is strong.

水能分敵之軍；彼勢分，則我勢強。

Water can divide the enemy's troops, and when the other side's force is divided my force grows strong.

火佐者，取勝明也。水佐者，但可以絶敵道、分敵軍，不可以奪敵蓄積。

Aid from fire makes the winning plain. Aid from water can only cut the enemy's road and split his troops; it cannot take away what he has stored up.

軍者必守術數，而佐之水火，所以明強也。光武之敗王莽，魏武之擒呂布，皆其義也。以水絶敵人之軍，分爲二則可，難以奪敵人之蓄積。

An army must hold to its arts and be aided by water and fire, and so it is clear-sighted and strong. Guangwu's (光武) breaking of Wang Mang (王莽) and Emperor Wu of Wei's taking of Lü Bu (呂布) are both this meaning. Water can cut the enemy's troops and split them in two, but it is hard to take away what the enemy has stored up.

水可絶敵糧道，絶敵救援，絶敵奔逸，絶敵衝擊，不可以水奪險要蓄積也。

With water one can cut the enemy's grain road, cut off his relief, cut off his road of flight, and cut off his onset, but with water one cannot take away his strongholds and his stores.

強者，取其決注之暴。

"Strong" takes up the hard force of breaking a dike and pouring the water down.

水止能隔絶敵軍，使前後不相及，取其一時之勝，然不若火能焚奪敵之積聚，使之滅亡。若韓信決水斬楚將龍且，是一時之勝也。曹公焚袁紹輜重，紹因以敗，是使之滅亡也。水不若火，故詳於火而略於水。

Water only cuts the enemy's troops so that front and rear cannot reach each other, and so gains a victory of the moment; it does not come up to fire, which burns what the enemy has stored up, takes it from him, and brings him to ruin. Han Xin's breaking a dike and cutting down the Chu general Long Qie (龍且) was a victory of the moment. Lord Cao's burning of Yuan Shao's zhizhong (輜重, the army's baggage), by which Yuan Shao fell, was bringing him to ruin. Water does not come up to fire, and so fire is spoken of in detail and water briefly.

若水之留，不復還也。或曰︰賞不以時，但費留也，賞善不踰日也。

It is like water that pools and does not flow back again. Or it is also put thus. That when rewards are not given in season, they are merely squandered and left to stand. Rewarding a man who has done well does not pass beyond a day.

賞不踰日，罰不踰時。若功立而不賞，有罪而不罰，則士卒疑惑，日有費也。

Reward does not pass beyond a day and punishment does not pass beyond its hour. When a man has done work and is not rewarded, and has guilt and is not punished, the soldiers grow doubtful and waste arises day by day.

修者，舉也。夫戰勝攻取，若不藉有功，舉而賞之，則三軍之士必不用命也；則有凶咎，徒留滯費耗，終不成事也。

To set in order means to raise men up and use them. If one wins the battle and takes what he attacked, yet does not raise up and reward those who did the work, the soldiers of the three armies will surely not follow orders, and there is an ill fault in it, so that one lingers and is delayed and merely squanders, and in the end does not accomplish the task.

費留，惜費也。

Feiliu means being sparing in spending.

欲戰必勝、攻必取者，在因利乘便，能作爲功也。作爲功者，修火攻、水攻之類，不可坐守其利也。坐守其利者，凶也。是謂費留矣。

That one should surely win when he fights and surely take when he attacks rests on being able to follow gain, ride what is favorable, and make the work. To make the work is to set in order such things as attacking with fire and attacking with water, and one must not sit still and merely hold to the gain. Sitting and merely holding to the gain is the ill fortune, and this is called feiliu.

戰勝攻取，而不修功賞之差，則人不勸；不勸，則費財老師，凶害也已。

If one wins the battle and takes what he attacked yet does not set in order the ranking of rewards according to the work done, men will not exert themselves, and when they do not exert themselves, goods are squandered and the troops are worn out, so it is nothing but ill fortune and harm.

戰攻所以能必勝必取者，水火之助也；水火所以能破軍敗敵者，士卒之用命也。不修舉有功而賞之，凶咎之道也。財竭師老而不得歸，費留之謂也。

That in fighting and attacking one surely wins and surely takes is the aid of water and fire, and that water and fire break the army and bring down the enemy is because the soldiers follow orders. Not raising up and rewarding those who did the work is the way of an ill fault. Goods spent, the troops worn out, and no returning home: this is called feiliu.

黃石公曰︰「夫霸者，制士以權，結士以信，使士以賞；信衰則士疏，賞虧則士不爲用。」

Huang Shigong (黃石公) said, "A hegemon leads his men by power, binds his men by trust, and employs his men by reward. When trust wanes, men grow distant, and when reward falls short, men are not to be used."

明主慮其事，良將修其功。

A wise ruler weighs the affair, and a good general sets the work in order.

始則君發其慮，終則將修其功。

At the beginning the ruler gives out his weighing, and at the end the general sets the work in order.

君當謀慮攻戰之事，將當修舉剋捷之功。

The ruler must plan and weigh the business of attacking and fighting, and the general must raise up and set in order the work by which the victory was won.

明主賢將，非見利不起兵。

A wise ruler and a worthy general do not raise troops unless they see gain.

先見起兵之利，然後兵起。

First see the gain in raising troops, and only then raise them.

凡兵非利於民，不興也。一作「非利不起」也。

Troops are not raised unless it profits the people. Some texts have "unless it profits, do not raise them."

先見敵人可得，然後用兵。

First see that the enemy can be taken, and only then use the troops.

非得其利，不用也。

If that gain is not to be had, do not use them.

不得已而用兵。

One uses troops only when there is no other way.

非至危不戰。

Unless the danger is utmost, do not fight.

凡用兵，非危急不戰也，所以重凶器也。

In using troops one does not fight unless there is urgent peril, for he holds an ill instrument to be a weighty thing.

兵，凶器；戰，危事。須防禍敗，不可輕舉，不得已而後用。

Troops are an ill instrument and battle is a dangerous affair. Calamity and defeat must be guarded against, so they cannot be raised lightly, and are used only when there is no other way.

不可但以怒也，若息侯伐鄭。

It must not be done out of anger alone, as with the marquis of Xi's (息侯) attack on Zheng.

因怒興師，不亡者鮮。若息侯與鄭伯有違言而伐鄭，君子是以知息之將亡。

Few who have raised an army out of anger have escaped ruin. The marquis of Xi had words with the earl of Zheng (鄭伯) and attacked Zheng, and by this the gentleman knew that Xi would fall.

不可但以慍也，若晉趙穿。

It must not be done out of vexation alone, as with Zhao Chuan (趙穿) of Jin.

因忿而戰，罕有不敗。若姚襄怒符黃眉壓壘而陳，因出戰，爲黃眉所敗是也。怒大於慍，故以主言之；慍小於怒，故以將言之。君則可以興兵，將則止可言戰。

Few who have fought out of resentment have escaped defeat. Yao Xiang (姚襄) was angered that Fu Huangmei (符黃眉) had drawn up his line pressing close upon the ramparts, and went out to fight, and was beaten by Huangmei. Anger is greater than vexation, and so it is spoken of the ruler; vexation is smaller than anger, and so it is spoken of the general. The ruler can raise an army; the general can only speak of joining battle.

不得以己之喜怒而用兵也。

One must not use troops out of one's own joy or anger.

慍怒內作，不顧安危，固不可也。

That vexation and anger should rise within and leave no thought for safety or danger is from the first a thing not to be done.

人主聚衆興軍，以道理勝負之計，不可以己之私怒。將舉兵，則以策，不可以慍恚之故而合戰也。

When a ruler gathers a host and raises an army, the counting of victory and defeat must be reasoned out by rule, and it cannot be done out of his own private anger. When a general lifts his troops, it must be done by design, and he cannot join battle on the ground that he is vexed and angry.

兵以義動，無以怒興；戰以利勝，無以慍敗。

Troops move by what is right, so do not raise them out of anger; battles are won by profit, so do not lose them out of vexation.

不可因己之喜怒而用兵，當顧利害所在。《尉繚子》曰︰「兵起非可以忿也。見勝則興，不見勝則止。」

One must not use troops out of one's own joy or anger, but must look to where the profit and the harm lie. The *Weiliaozi* (尉繚子) says, "Raising an army is not a thing to be done out of resentment. Raise it when victory is in sight; halt when victory is not in sight."

見於色者，謂之喜；得於心者，謂之悅。

What shows in the face is called joy; what is gained in the heart is called gladness.

亡國者，非能亡人之國也，言不度德、不量力，因怒興師，因慍合戰，則其兵自死，其國自亡者也。

A fallen state does not mean bringing another's state to ruin. It says that if one does not weigh his virtue or measure his strength, but raises an army out of anger and joins battle out of vexation, then his own army dies of itself and his own state falls of itself.

凡主怒興軍伐人，無素謀明計，則破亡矣。將慍怒而鬬，倉卒而合戰，所傷殺必多。怒慍復可以悅喜，言亡國不可復存、死者不可復生者，言當慎之。

In general, if a ruler is angered and raises an army to strike another without a design laid beforehand and a clear counting, he is broken and ruined. If a general is vexed and fights, closing in haste and confusion, the wounded and the dead are sure to be many. That anger and vexation can turn again to gladness and joy, while a fallen state cannot stand again and the dead cannot live again — this is said in order to say that one must be careful.

一時之怒，可返而喜也；一時之慍，可返而悅也。國亡軍死，不可復已。

A moment's anger can be turned back into joy and a moment's vexation can be turned back into gladness; but once the state has fallen and the army is dead, there is no turning it back.

喜怒無常，則威信去矣。

If joy and anger are not of one piece, awe and trust depart.

君因怒而興兵，則國必亡；將因慍而輕戰，則士必死。

If a ruler raises an army out of anger, the state must fall; if a general fights lightly out of vexation, the army must die.

警，言戒之也。

The word 警 means to be wary.

主當慎重，將當警懼。

The ruler should be careful and weighty; the general should be wary and fearful.

君常慎於用兵，則可以安國；將常戒於輕戰，則可以全軍。

If a ruler is always careful in using troops, he can keep the state at peace; if a general is always wary of fighting lightly, he can keep the army whole.