Interpretation of the thirty-eighth attack of Zhuge Liang's Art of War. General Court

The thirty-eighth attack

——Act on occasion

In ancient times, those who are good at fighting must first explore the enemy's situation and then plan for it. All the old teachers have no food, the people are worried and resentful, the military orders are not learned, the equipment is not repaired, the plan is not set first, and the external rescue cannot be reached. The officials are cut off, the rewards and punishment are lax, the battalion is lost, the victory is arrogant, and you can attack them. If we use our talents to give us power, we will have more food, our troops will be strong, our neighbors will be harmonious, and the big countries will help us.

translation

The generals who were good at using troops in ancient times would first inquire about the situation of the enemy and then take corresponding countermeasures. The enemy is always in the following situations: the army loses its morale in the long campaign and the food supply is not enough; The people complained constantly about the war; Soldiers are not familiar with military laws and regulations; Insufficient weapons and equipment; There is no plan for operational operations; Being isolated in wartime; Generals and officials are unkind to their subordinates and amass wealth; The reward and punishment are unclear, and the soldiers are slack; The camp is chaotic and disorderly; Once in a while, you will become arrogant and arrogant, and then you can attack the enemy. When the enemy is in the following situations: able to send virtuous men to assist the general, sufficient food and pay, stable life of the people, sharp and excellent armor and weapons, able to maintain harmonious and friendly relations with the surrounding countries, and backed by the great powers, then we should try to avoid the enemy and not act lightly.

analysis

This article discusses the importance of "detecting the enemy's situation", and requires that the enemy's situation be found out before the advance and retreat. It is common knowledge that the enemy must be found out before the war. However, how to find out and how to make decisions is not what everyone knows and can handle. The essence of this article is that it provides the general with reference in this regard. The article explains in detail which enemy forces can be attacked and which enemy forces should be avoided. These experiences are very useful for the commanders on the battlefield!

Extension example

Zhuge Liang Suspects His Soldier to Take Xichuan

In March and April of 219 AD, the struggle between Cao Cao and Liu Bei for Hanzhong (now part of Shaanxi and Hubei) became increasingly fierce.

The Wei and Shu armies encamped across a river. Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei's military adviser, used the suspected tactics to frighten Cao Cao and defeated the Wei army. Zhuge Liang ordered hundreds of soldiers to take battle drums and bugles and ambush in the mountains upstream. They were asked to beat the drum and blow the horn with the sound of artillery. So, either at dusk or in the middle of the night, as long as the artillery in the barracks roared, these soldiers beat drums and blew trumpets desperately.

When Cao Cao heard the trumpets coming from the Shu camp, he thought that the Shu army was going to rob the camp. He went to the tent to check. He didn't see the shadow of a Shu soldier, so he went back to the tent to rest. After a while, the sound of guns and drums came from the Shu camp, and Cao Cao was shocked again. After tossing and turning for several nights, Cao Cao was frightened and suspicious. In order to deal with the sneak attack of the Shu army, he had to move the military camp from a concealed place to a spacious place. When Zhuge Liang saw Cao Cao's plot and Wei's army was exposed, he led his army across the river and set up an array. When Cao Cao saw it, he was even more suspicious. After the war between the two sides, the Shu soldiers feigned defeat and deliberately discarded weapons along the road. Cao Cao's soldiers were chasing and fighting for weapons, and there was chaos. Seeing this, Cao Cao ordered the soldiers who robbed weapons to be killed, and ordered the army to retreat. Zhuge Liang took the opportunity to command the Shu army to pursue, and the Wei army was defeated.

解读《诸葛亮兵法.将苑》 击势第三十八

击势第三十八

——见机而作

  古之善斗者，必先探敌情而后图之。凡师老粮绝，百姓愁怨，军令不习，器械不修，计不先设，外救不至，将吏刻剥，赏罚轻懈，营伍失次，战胜而骄，可以攻之。若用贤授能，粮食羡余，甲兵坚利，四邻和睦，大国应援，敌有此者，引而计之。

译文

　　古代善于用兵的将领，一定会首先打探敌人的情况然后再采取相应的对策。凡是敌人处于下列情况：军队长期征战失去锐气，粮食供应不上；百姓对战争怨声不断；士兵不熟悉军中的各项法令；武器装备不充足；行动作战没有任何计划可言；战时孤立无援；将、官对部下刻薄无度又暴敛资财；赏罚不清，士兵懈怠；阵营混乱，没有秩序；偶尔取得一点成绩就骄傲自大，这时就可以向敌人发起进攻。凡是敌处于下列情况：能选派贤良之士辅助将帅，粮饷充足有余，百姓生活安定，铠甲、兵器锐利精良，能与周边国家保持和睦友善的关系，又有大国作后盾，这时，就应设法避开敌人，不可轻举妄动。

　　解析

　　本篇文章论述了“探敌情”的重要，要求将领先探明敌情，再定进退。临战必先探明敌情，这是尽人皆知的常识。然而，如何探明，如何决策，就不是人人懂得，人人能处理好的了。这篇文章的精妙之处就在于，给将领提供了这方面的参考。文章详尽说明，对哪些敌军可以进攻，对哪些敌军则要避开。这些经验之谈，对临阵指挥的将领太有用了！

　　拓例

　　诸葛亮疑兵取西川
　　公元２１９年三、四月间，曹操与刘备争夺汉中（今陕西、湖北部分地区）的斗争日趋激烈。
　　魏蜀两军隔着一条河安营扎寨。刘备的军师诸葛亮使用了疑兵计惊诈曹操，大败魏军。诸葛亮命数百名士兵带上战鼓和号角，埋伏在上游的山上。要他们以炮声为号使劲敲鼓吹号。于是，或在黄昏，或在半夜，只要军营里炮声轰鸣，这些士兵就拼命擂鼓吹号。
　　曹操听到从蜀营传来鼓号声，以为蜀军要来劫营，忙出帐察看，连一个蜀兵的影子也没有见到，他就回帐中休息。隔了一阵了，蜀营又传来炮声和鼓号声，曹操又被惊动。这样一连折腾了好几个通宵，曹操被弄得心惊胆颤，疑虑重重，为了对付蜀军的偷袭，他只好把军营从隐蔽的地方迁到宽敞的地方。诸葛亮见曹操中计，魏军暴露，就率大军渡河背水设阵。曹操看到后，更是心疑。双方交战后，蜀兵佯败，并故意沿路丢弃兵器。曹操的士兵一边追，一边争抢兵器，一片混乱。曹操见状，下令杀死了那些抢兵器的士兵，同时命军队撤退，诸葛亮乘机指挥蜀军追击，魏军大败。

(This article is an original article by Zhuge Changqing, and the pictures are selected from the Internet. Welcome to forward it, and please indicate the source for forwarding)

Introduction to Zhuge Changqing: Zhuge Changqing, the inheritor and promoter of traditional Chinese culture, is willing to "learn from sages, promote virtue, revitalize China and benefit the world" together with people with the same ideals in the world.

(Zhuge Changqing: zhuge8031@163.com ）

Zhuge Changqing mailbox：

zhuge8031@163.com

Zhuge Changqing's Chinese Dream

Learn from sages and carry forward virtue

Revitalizing China for the benefit of the world

 （本文是诸葛长青原创文章，图片选自网络。欢迎转发，转发引用请注明出处）

诸葛长青简介：诸葛长青，中国国学传统文化传承弘扬者，愿与天下志同道合者一起“学习圣贤、弘扬善德、振兴中华、造福世界”。

（诸葛长青：zhuge8031@163.com）

Zhuge Changqing mailbox：

zhuge8031@163.com

  诸葛长青中国梦  

学习圣贤 弘扬善德

振兴中华 造福世界

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