March where the enemy cannot rush to defend; advance where he least expects you.
To travel a thousand li without fatigue, move through unguarded lands.
To conquer every target you attack, strike places the enemy fails to defend.
To hold an impregnable defense, guard positions the enemy will not assault.
A master of attack leaves the enemy unsure where to defend. A master of defense leaves the enemy unsure where to strike.
Subtle beyond measure, leaving no trace; divine beyond measure, making no sound. Thus you hold the enemy’s fate in your hands.
Advance irresistibly by charging his weak points; retreat beyond pursuit by extreme speed.
If you desire battle, the enemy must come out even behind high ramparts and deep moats, for you attack what he is forced to rescue.
If you reject battle, you can hold position with mere makeshift defenses, for you divert the enemy’s line of advance.
Note
A great military strategist and thinker in ancient China, who lived in the late Spring and Autumn Period. He authored The Art of War, the world’s earliest and most influential military classic. His strategic thoughts have been widely applied in military, politics and management worldwide.
Strike the undefended
The core offensive tactic, attacking the enemy’s weak and neglected positions.
Defend the unassailable
Focus defense on areas the enemy will not target.
No trace, no sound
The highest realm of military movement, keeping actions secret and unpredictable.
Attack vital rescue points
Force the enemy to leave strong defenses and engage in battle.
Divert advance
Disturb the enemy’s marching direction to avoid confrontation.
Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms
To illustrate the passage from The Art of War above, we can examine the brilliant strategic execution of General Zhou Yafu during the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms in the Western Han Dynasty.
The Art of Deception and Invincible Defense
In 154 BC, the powerful Wu-Chu rebel alliance marched westward toward the Han capital, Chang’an. Emperor Jing appointed Zhou Yafu as Grand Commandant. Instead of rushing to relieve the besieged city of Suiyang (the capital of the allied Liang Kingdom), Zhou Yafu employed a masterstroke of deception and defense. He stationed his main forces at Changyi, northeast of the battlefield, and deliberately refused to send reinforcements to Suiyang, despite repeated pleas from the Liang King and even direct imperial edicts from the Emperor.
By doing so, Zhou remained “hidden in the most secret recesses of the earth.” The rebels did not know where his main force was, nor did they know when he would strike. His defense was so impenetrable that the enemy could not force him into a premature battle.
Attacking What Must Be Saved
Zhou Yafu’s strategy was to use Suiyang as bait to exhaust the rebel army, while his true objective lay elsewhere. Once the Wu-Chu forces had battered themselves against Suiyang’s walls for three months without success, Zhou dispatched a highly mobile light cavalry force to strike Huai-Si Junction (Junction of the Huai River and Si River). This location was the critical logistical choke point for the rebels’ grain supply.
By attacking this vital artery, Zhou forced the enemy’s hand. The rebels, unable to advance and now starving, were forced to abandon their siege and turn back to fight Zhou on his terms. He had successfully attacked what they absolutely had to save.
Forcing the Enemy to Fight on Your Terms
Having cut off the grain supply, Zhou Yafu transformed the rebels’ strength into a fatal weakness. The Wu-Chu army, previously unstoppable, was now starving, exhausted, and desperate for a quick resolution. They marched back to attack Zhou’s well-rested and fortified camp.
Zhou’s defense was absolute. Even when the rebels attempted a feint attack on the southeast corner of his camp to distract him, Zhou saw through the ruse and reinforced the northwest corner, where the real assault came. Waiting patiently behind his fortifications, Zhou allowed the starving rebels to exhaust their final reserves in futile assaults. When they finally broke and retreated, Zhou unleashed his fresh troops in a devastating pursuit, completely annihilating the rebel alliance.
In Summary:
Zhou Yafu’s victory was not achieved through brute force, but through the flawless application of Sun Tzu’s principles. By sacrificing a pawn (Suiyang) to protect the king, striking the enemy’s logistical weak point (Huai-Si Junction), and maintaining an unbreakable defense, he dictated every move of the rebellion. He proved that the supreme commander does not react to the enemy; he forces the enemy to react to him, thereby becoming the master of their fate.
出其所不趨，趨其所不意；行千里而不勞者，行于無人之地也；攻而必取者，攻其所不守也；守而必固者，守其所不攻也。故善攻者，敵不知其所守；善守者，敵不知其所攻。微乎微乎！至于無形；神乎神乎！至于無聲，故能為敵之司命。進而不可禦者，衝其虛也；退而不可追者，速而不可及也。故我欲戰，敵雖高壘深溝，不得不與我戰者，攻其所必救也；我不欲戰，雖劃地而守之，敵不得與我戰者，乖其所之也。
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