The Art of War by Sun Tzu (All 13 chapters)

Chapter 10: Terrain

Sun Tzu said:

Terrain includes accessible, entangling, stalemated, narrow, precipitous, and distant types.

• Accessible: Both sides can move freely. Occupy high, sunny ground with secure supply lines for advantage.
• Entangling: Easy to advance, hard to retreat. Attack if the enemy is unprepared; if prepared, retreat is difficult, making it disadvantageous.
• Stalemated: Neither side benefits from advancing. Avoid attacking even if lured; withdraw to draw the enemy out, then strike when half-advanced.
• Narrow: Occupy first and fully prepare. If the enemy occupies it, do not attack if fortified; attack if not.
• Precipitous: Occupy high, sunny ground first. If the enemy holds it, withdraw, do not attack.
• Distant: Equal forces make challenging risky and disadvantageous.

These six are the principles of terrain, a general’s critical responsibility—examine them carefully.

Armies face six calamities, not from nature but from a general’s errors:

1. Flight: Equal forces attacking tenfold stronger.
2. Laxity: Strong troops, weak officers.
3. Collapse: Strong officers, weak troops.
4. Ruin: Angry subordinates fight independently, ignoring the general’s ability.
5. Disorder: A weak, lenient general with unclear training and inconsistent troops.
6. Rout: Misjudging the enemy, pitting few against many, weak against strong, without elite vanguards.

These six are paths to defeat, a general’s critical responsibility—examine them carefully.

Terrain is the army’s aid. Assessing the enemy, securing victory, and evaluating hazards and distances are the way of a superior general.

Those who understand and use terrain win; those who do not, lose.

If victory is certain, fight even if the ruler forbids; if defeat is likely, avoid battle even if ordered.

A general advances without seeking fame, retreats without avoiding blame, prioritizes the people’s safety and the ruler’s benefit—a state’s treasure.

Treat troops like infants, and they follow you into deep valleys; treat them like beloved sons, and they die with you.

But overindulgence without command, affection without discipline, or chaos without control renders troops unusable, like spoiled children.

Knowing your troops can strike but not the enemy’s vulnerability wins half the time.

Knowing the enemy is vulnerable but not your troops’ readiness wins half the time.

Knowing both but not the terrain’s suitability wins half the time.

Skilled commanders act decisively, with inexhaustible strategies.

Thus: Know yourself and the enemy for consistent victory; know heaven and earth for complete victory.

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