Chapter 58: Preparations Against Water Attacks
Inside the city wall and outside the moat, build a circumferential road eight bu in width. When preparing against water attacks, carefully measure the elevation of the terrain on all four sides. If the ground inside the city is generally low, dig drainage channels (“Er”) inside, and excavate deeply in the low-lying areas to allow water to drain out. Place a tile in a well to observe the water level outside; if the external water depth exceeds one zhang, open the internal drainage channels.
Lash boats together in pairs to create ten “Lin” (assault boats), with thirty men on each boat, each armed with a crossbow. Calculate the four cardinal directions, and be adept at using the boats as “Fenwen” (covered siege shelters). Group twenty boats into a squadron. Select thirty strong and capable warriors to share a boat: twenty of them should be armed with large axes (“Fang”), wearing armor and leather helmets, while ten should be armed with long spears (“Miao”).
First, provide for these capable warriors by giving them separate quarters and supplying food for their parents, wives, and children, using their families as hostages to ensure their loyalty. When the time is right to breach the dikes, use the “Lin” and “Fenwen” to break open the outer embankments. Meanwhile, set up shooting mechanisms on the city walls to provide rapid supporting fire.
Note
This chapter outlines Mohist countermeasures against enemy water sieges, including terrain surveys, inner drainage ditches, and paired assault boats. Elite sappers with hostage families sabotage outer dikes under crossbow cover.
Water Warfare (水攻):
Water attacks were a common siege tactic in ancient China, where attackers would dam rivers and flood the city. This chapter highlights the Mohist emphasis on topographical surveying (“measuring the elevation”) and proactive hydraulic engineering (drainage channels) to counter flooding.
Fenwen (轒辒):
Originally a covered, four-wheeled wooden cart used to protect soldiers approaching city walls. Here, the Mohists innovatively adapt this concept for naval warfare, using lashed boats as armored amphibious assault vehicles to safely approach and breach enemy dikes.
Hostage System (以为质):
The text mentions keeping the families of elite soldiers well-fed in separate quarters as “hostages.” This reflects the harsh military realities of the Warring States period, where ensuring the absolute loyalty of specialized shock troops (like the axe-wielding sappers) was paramount. It shows a pragmatic, albeit ruthless, aspect of Mohist military organization.
Lin (临):
In this context, it refers to specialized assault boats constructed by lashing two boats together for stability, used for amphibious sabotage missions.
Fang (方) and Miao (苗):
“Fang” refers to a large axe or spade, used here by sappers to dig and destroy dikes. “Miao” refers to a long spear or lance, used by the remaining soldiers to protect the sappers from enemy counterattacks.
58章 备水
城内堑外周道，广八步。备水谨度四旁高下。城地中徧下，令耳其内，及下地，地深穿之，令漏泉。置则瓦井中，视外水深丈以上，凿城内水耳。
并船以为十临，临三十人，人擅弩，计四有方，必善以船为轒辒。二十船为一队，选材士有力者三十人共船，其二十人擅有方，剑甲鞮瞀，十人人擅苗。
先养材士，为异舍食其父母妻子以为质，视水可决，以临轒辒，决外堤，城上为射机，疾佐之。
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