This book purportedly records political advices and tactical instructions of the "Great Duke Taigong 太公" (Jiang Shang 姜尚, Lü Shang 呂尚 or Jiang Ziya 姜子牙) to the Kings Zhou Wenwang 周文王 and Zhou Wuwang 周武王. It dates from late Warring States period 戰國時代, as can be seen in the mature development of concepts and strategies, the extensive knowlede of weapons and defensive equipment, the emphasis on benevolence of government, and the efforts to preserve the book’s secrecy. It does not only discuss strategy and tactics but also proposes government measures necessary for forging effective state control and attaining national prosperity. Chapters of Liutao, or The Six Secret Teachings:
1.文韜 Wentao, or Civil secret teaching
2.武韜 Wutao, or Martial secret teaching (content rather political)
3.龍韜 Longtao, or Dragon secret teaching (military organisation)
4.虎韜 Hutao, or Tiger secret teaching (military equipment)
5.豹韜 Baotao, or Leopard secret teaching (tactical solutions)
6.犬韜 Quantao, or Canine secret teaching (component forces: chariots, infantry, cavalry)
Exemplarious translation:
２．２．（１４）文啟
文王問太公曰：聖人何守？
太公曰：何憂何嗇，萬物皆得。何嗇何憂，萬物皆遒。政之所施，莫知其化。時之所行，莫知其移。聖人守此而萬物化。何窮之有。終而復始，優而游之。展轉求之，求而得之，不可不藏。既已藏之，不可不行。既以行之，勿復明之。夫天地不自明，故能長生。聖人不自明，故能名彰。
古之聖人，聚人而為家，聚家而為國，聚國而為天下。分封賢人，以為萬國，命之曰大紀。陳其政教，順其民俗，群曲化直，變於形容。萬國不通，各樂其所，人愛其上，命之曰大定．．．
天下之人如流水，障之則止，啟之則行，靜之則清。嗚呼神哉。聖人見其始，則知其終．．．
Civil instructions
King Wen asked the Taigong: "What does the sage preserve?"
The Taigong said: "What worries does he have? What constraints? The myriad things all naturally realize their positions. What constraints, what worries? The myriad things all flourish. No one realizes the transforming influence of government; moreoever, no one realizes the effects of the passing of time. The sage preserves the tao of actionless action and the myriad things are transformed. What is exhausted? When things reach the end they return again to the beginning. Relaxed and complacent the sage turns about, seeking it. Seeking it he gains it, and cannot but store it. Having already stored it, he cannot but implement it. Having already implemented it, he does not turn about and make it clear that he did so. Now, because heaven and earth do not illuminate themselves they are forever able to give birth to the myriad things. The sage does not cast light upon himself so he is able to attain a glorious name.
The sages of antiquity assembled people to comprise families; assembled families to compose states; and assembled states to constitute the realms of All under Heaven. They divided the relams and enfeoffed worthy men to administer the states. They officially designated this order as the Great Outline. They promulgated the government’s instructions and accorded with the people’s customs. They transformed the multitude of crooked into the straight, changing their form and appearance. Although the customs of the various states were not the same, they all took pleasure in their respective place. The people loved their rulers, so it was termed the Great Settlement…
The people of the world are like flowing water. If you obstruct it, it will stop. If you open a way, it will flow. If you keep it quiet, it will be clear. How spiritual! When the Sage sees the beginning, he knows the end…
２．３．（１５）文伐
文王問太公曰：文伐之法奈何？
太公曰：凡文伐有十二節：
一曰：因其所喜，以順其志。彼將生驕，必有奸事。苟能因之，必能去之。
二曰：親其所愛，以分其威。一人兩心，其中必衰。廷無忠臣，社稷必危。
三曰：陰賂左右，得情甚深．．．
四曰：輔其淫樂，以廣其志，厚賂珠玉，娛以美人；卑辭委聽，順命而合，彼將不爭，奸節乃定。
五曰：嚴其忠臣，而薄其賂．．．
六曰：收其內，間其外．．．
九曰：尊之以名．．．
十曰：下之必信，以得其情．．．
十一曰：塞之以道：人臣無不重貴與富，惡危與咎；陰示大尊，而微輸重寶，收其豪傑；內積甚厚，而外為乏；陰內智士，使圖其計；納勇士，使高其氣．．．
所謂上察天，下察地，徵已見，乃伐之。
Civil offensive
King Wen asked the Taigong: "What are the methods for civil offensives?"
The Taigong replied: "There are twelve measures for civil offensives.
First, accord with what he [the ruler you want to attack] likes in order to accommodate his wishes. He will eventually grow arrogant, and invariably mount some perverse affair. If you can appear to follow along, you will certainly be able to eliminate him.
Second, become familiar with those he loves in order to fragment his awesomeness. When men have two different inclinations, their loyalty invariably declines. When his court no longer has any loyal ministers, the state altars will inevitably be endangered.
Third, covetly bribe his assistants, fostering a deep relationship with them…
Fourth, assist him in his licentiousness and indulgence in music in order to dissipate his will. Make him generous gifts of pearls and jade, and ply him with beautiful women. Speak deferentially, listen respectfully, follow his commands, and accord with him in everything. He will never image you might be in conflict with him. Our treachrous measures will then be settled.
Fifth, treat his loyal officials very generously, but reduce the gifts you provide to the ruler…
Sixth, make secret alliances with his favored ministers, but visibly keep his less-favored outside officials at a distance…
Ninth, honor him with praise…
Tenth, be submissive so that he will trust you and therey learn about his true situation…
Eleventh, block up his access by means of the dao [universal natural way]. Among subordiates there is no one who does not value rank and wealth, nor hat danger and misfortune. Secretly express great respect toward them, and grdually bestow valuable gifts in order to gather in the more outstanding talents. Accumulate your own resources until they become very substantial, but manifest an external appearancce of shortage. Covetly bring in wise knights, and entrust them with planning great strategy. Attract courageous knights and augment their spirit…
Thus when, as it is said, one looks at heaven above and investigates earth below and the proper signs are already visible, attack him.
６．４．（５４）教戰
武王問太公曰：合三軍之眾。欲令士卒服習教戰之道，奈何？
太公曰：凡領三軍，必有金鼓之節，所以整齊士眾者也，將必明告吏士，申之以三令，以教操兵起居，旌旂指麾之變法。故教吏士：使一人學戰；教成，合之十人。十人學戰；教成，合之百人。百人學戰；教成，合之千人．．．故能成其大兵，立威於天下。
武王曰：善哉。
Teaching combat
King Wu asked the Taigong. "When we assemble the masses of the three armies and want to have the officers and men assimilate and become practiced in the way for teaching combat, how should we proceed?"
The Taigong said: "For leading the three armies you must have the constraints of the gongs and drums by which to order and assemble the officers and masses. The generals should clearly instruct the commanders and officers, explaining the orders three times, thereby teaching them the use of weapons, mobilization, and stopping, all to be in accord with the method for changing the flags and signal pennants. Thus when teaching the commanders and officers, one man who has completed his study of combat instrucitions will extend them to ten men. Ten men who have completed their study of combat instructions will extend them to a hundred men. Hundred men who have completed their study of combat instructions will extend them to a thousand men… in this fashion you will be able to realize a great army, and establish your awesomeness throughout the realm."
"Excellent," said King Wu. |
