8 Variation In Tactics 九变

The Army and Her General’s Adaptability

Photo by David Martin on Unsplash

Main ideas:

• Endless adaptation to circumstances 九变
• Constant assessment of benefits and drawbacks 智者之虑，必杂于利害
• Primacy of decisions based on adaptability over rigid plans 君命有所不受
• Types of terrain and implications 圮, 衢, 绝, 围, 死
• Barriers to a general’s adaptability 必死, 必生, 忿速, 廉洁, 爱民

The eighth chapter title of The Art of War translates as “nine 九 permutations 变”, with 九 meaning long-lasting, or endless and 变 meaning change and flexibility. One plans her strategy and manoeuvres in combat based on initial available intelligence about the terrain and enemy. Reality unfolds however in unexpected ways and newly gathered intelligence should drive decisions even if these differ from initial plans. This chapter discusses the importance of continuous adaptation in battle and critical qualities of a general.

An army seeks advantage from the terrain or environment it operates in. The natures of these characteristic terrain types carry important implications for an army planning its manoeuvre through them.

• 圮 translates as collapsed or falling apart. It refers to terrain that is difficult to manoeuvre, traverse in. One should not base her forces (无舍) on such forbidding grounds, such as swamps and thick jungles, as they restrict the projection one’s forces effectively and render her vulnerable during attacks.
• 衢 translates as thoroughfare, points of confluence, the intersections of key axes and boundaries. These are prized passageways linking many territories but also contentious grounds, difficult to dominate and defend. One therefore seeks to secure one’s safety and passage through the terrain by forming friendly alliances with adjacent forces (交合).
• 绝 translates as desperate, cut off, barren and refers to grounds that are threatening for its lack of subsistence conditions or natural defences. One should not linger and traverse these grounds quickly (无留) or avoid them altogether for fear of being trapped in them.
• 围 translates as encircled, surrounded. Adjacent forces could easily access the grounds but one who occupies it cannot easily escape from it. One avoids, or resorts to stratagem (谋) to extricate herself from these grounds.
• 死 translates as impassable, dead. One finds herself trapped with her enemy in pursuit and has no options but to engage the enemy in combat (战).

One should know that there exists conditions where she will be compelled to alter her plans or make specific decisions — roads that shall be avoided, armies that shall not be engaged, walled cities that shall not be attacked, lands that shall not be contested, and where even the ruler’s instructions shall not be followed, if they contradict with situations on the ground.

An effective general possesses an adaptive mind to continuously assimilate new information, combine these with knowledge and experience, and vary her plans accordingly. She sees nature’s duality in all circumstances and weighs the benefits 利 and drawbacks 害 before making decisions. In difficult times, she identifies opportunities that could move her closer to her goals. In apparent good times, she anticipates challenges to avoid mishaps.

A general’s downfall can be attributed to one of these five weaknesses:

• witless courage 必死 that puts her army in unnecessary danger and disadvantaged conflicts that destroys them (杀).
• fear of death 必生 which eventually lands her and her army in enemy hostage (虏).
• impatience and irascibility 忿速 which causes her to fall prey to the enemy’s provocations (侮).
• foolish pride and self righteousness 廉洁 which makes her susceptible to the enemy’s insults (辱)；
• love for her people 爱 that distracts her from making strategic decisions (烦).

孙子曰：
凡用兵之法，将受命于君，合军聚众。
Sun Tzu said: In war, the general receives his commands from the sovereign, collects his army and concentrates his forces

圮地无舍，
衢地交合，
绝地无留，
围地则谋，
死地则战。
When in difficult country, do not encamp.
In country where high roads intersect, join hands with your allies.
Do not linger in dangerously isolated positions.
In hemmed-in situations, you must resort to stratagem.
In desperate position, you must fight.

涂有所不由，
军有所不击，
城有所不攻，
地有所不争，
君命有所不受。
There are roads which must not be followed,
armies which must be not attacked,
towns (castles or fortified cities) which must (not) be besieged,
positions which must not be contested,
commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.

故将通于九变之地利者，知用兵矣；
将不通于九变之利者，虽知地形，不能得地之利者矣。
治兵不知九变之术，虽知五利，不能得人之用矣。
The general who thoroughly understands the advantages that accompany variation of tactics knows how to handle his troops.
The general who does not understand these,
may be well acquainted with the configuration of the country, yet he will not be able to turn his knowledge to practical account.
So, the student of war who is unversed in the art of war of varying his plans,
even though he be acquainted with the Five Advantages, will fail to make the best use of his men.

是故智者之虑，必杂于利害。
杂于利，而务可信也；
杂于害，而患可解也。
Hence in the wise leader’s plans, considerations of advantage and of disadvantage will be blended together.
If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way, we may succeed in accomplishing the essential part of our schemes.
If, on the other hand, in the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.

是故屈诸侯者以害，
役诸侯者以业，
趋诸侯者以利。
Reduce the hostile chiefs by inflicting damage on them;
and make trouble for them, and keep them constantly engaged;
hold out specious allurements, and make them rush to any given point.

故用兵之法，
无恃其不来，
恃吾有以待也；
无恃其不攻，
恃吾有所不可攻也。
The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him;
not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.

故将有五危：
必死，可杀也；
必生，可虏也；
忿速，可侮也；
廉洁，可辱也；
爱民，可烦也。
There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general:
(1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction;
(2) cowardice, which leads to capture;
(3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults;
(4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame;
(5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.

凡此五者，将之过也，用兵之灾也。
覆军杀将必以五危，不可不察也。
These are the five besetting sins of a general, ruinous to the conduct of war.
When an army is overthrown and its leader slain, the cause will surely be found among these five dangerous faults.
Let them be a subject of meditation.

Translation by Lionel Giles

< previous: Manoeuvring
> next: The Army On The March