"The_Art_of_War" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tzu Sun)

at the most fateful crises of her history. Thus, Po Ch`i stands out conspicuous in the period when Ch`in was
entering upon her final struggle with the remaining independent states. The stormy years which followed the
break-up of the Ch`in dynasty are illuminated by the transcendent genius of Han Hsin. When the House of
Han in turn is tottering to its fall, the great and baleful figure of Ts`ao Ts`ao dominates the scene. And in the
establishment of the T`ang dynasty,one of the mightiest tasks achieved by man, the superhuman energy of Li
Shih-min (afterwards the Emperor T`ai Tsung) was seconded by the brilliant strategy of Li Ching. None of
these generals need fear comparison with the greatest names in the military history of Europe. In spite of all
this, the great body of Chinese sentiment, from Lao Tzu downwards, and especially as reflected in the
standard literature of Confucianism, has been consistently pacific and intensely opposed to militarism in any
form. It is such an uncommon thing to find any of the literati defending warfare on principle, that I have
thought it worth while to collect and translate a few passages in which the unorthodox view is upheld. The
following, by Ssu-ma Ch`ien, shows that for all his ardent admiration of Confucius, he was yet no advocate of
peace at any price: --

Military weapons are the means used by the Sage to punish violence and cruelty, to give peace to troublous
times, to remove difficulties and dangers, and to succor those who are in peril. Every animal with blood in its
veins and horns on its head will fight when it is attacked. How much more so will man, who carries in his
breast the faculties of love and hatred, joy and anger! When he is pleased, a feeling of affection springs up
within him; when angry, his poisoned sting is brought into play. That is the natural law which governs his
being.... What then shall be said of those scholars of our time, blind to all great issues, and without any
appreciation of relative values, who can only bark out their stale formulas about "virtue" and "civilization,"
condemning the use of military weapons? They will surely bring our country to impotence and dishonor and
the loss of her rightful heritage; or, at the very least, they will bring about invasion and rebellion, sacrifice of
territory and general enfeeblement. Yet they obstinately refuse to modify the position they have taken up. The
truth is that, just as in the family the teacher must not spare the rod, and punishments cannot be dispensed
with in the State, so military chastisement can never be allowed to fall into abeyance in the Empire. All one
can say is that this power will be exercised wisely by some, foolishly by others, and that among those who
bear arms some will be loyal and others rebellious. [58]

The next piece is taken from Tu Mu's preface to his commentary on Sun Tzu: --

War may be defined as punishment, which is one of the functions of government. It was the profession of
Chung Yu and Jan Ch`iu, both disciples of Confucius. Nowadays, the holding of trials and hearing of
litigation, the imprisonment of offenders and their execution by flogging in the market- place, are all done by
Chapter V. 15
officials. But the wielding of huge armies, the throwing down of fortified cities, the hauling of women and
children into captivity, and the beheading of traitors -- this is also work which is done by officials. The objects
of the rack and of military weapons are essentially the same. There is no intrinsic difference between the
punishment of flogging and cutting off heads in war. For the lesser infractions of law, which are easily dealt
with, only a small amount of force need be employed: hence the use of military weapons and wholesale
decapitation. In both cases, however, the end in view is to get rid of wicked people, and to give comfort and
relief to the good.... Chi-sun asked Jan Yu, saying: "Have you, Sir, acquired your military aptitude by study,
or is it innate?" Jan Yu replied: "It has been acquired by study." [59] "How can that be so," said Chi-sun,
"seeing that you are a disciple of Confucius?" "It is a fact," replied Jan Yu; "I was taught by Confucius. It is
fitting that the great Sage should exercise both civil and military functions, though to be sure my instruction in
the art of fighting has not yet gone very far." Now, who the author was of this rigid distinction between the
"civil" and the "military," and the limitation of each to a separate sphere of action, or in what year of which
dynasty it was first introduced, is more than I can say. But, at any rate, it has come about that the members of
the governing class are quite afraid of enlarging on military topics, or do so only in a shamefaced manner. If
any are bold enough to discuss the subject, they are at once set down as eccentric individuals of coarse and