Interpretation of the 15th chapter of "Zhuge Liang's Art of War. General Court"

No. 15

——"Subdue the enemy without fighting"

In ancient times, those who are good at reasoning don't learn, those who are good at teaching don't fight, those who are good at fighting don't lose, and those who are good at losing don't die. In the past, the governance of sages was to live in peace, enjoy their careers, and never attack each other until they were old. If Shun revised the "Code of Punishment" and Gui You wrote the "Scholar's Teacher", there would be no punishment to be imposed if people did not obey the order. If Yu attacked the Miao people, Shun danced the dry feathers and the Miao people were qualified, it could be said that those who were good at fighting would not fight. If Qi Huannan is strong in Chu and the north is strong in Shanrong, it can be said that those who are good at fighting are invincible. If Chu Zhao is in trouble, he runs to Qin to ask for help, and he can return to the country, it can be said that the good loser will not die.

translation

In ancient times, those who were good at governing the country did not use the army, did not rely on force, and those who were good at using strategy did not rely on non-formation. Those who were good at arranging the formation did not rely on combat. Only those who were good at fighting could remain invincible. Those who are good at summarizing the lessons of failure and working hard will not be destroyed by the enemy. Just as in ancient times, sages ruled the world mainly to make people live in peace, work hard, live and work in peace and contentment, and never attack each other in old age, which is the meaning of "being good at governance without relying on the army and force" mentioned above. Another example is that Shun revised the penal code and made the minister Gao Tao an official in charge of the criminal law, but no one offended the laws and regulations, so the criminal law has nowhere to be applied. This is the meaning of "being good at using force, but not going out of line". Again, like the Miao people who were attacked by Dayu, Shun conquered the Miao people with the dry shield and feather fan for dancing, which means "those who are good at arranging the formation do not need force". Another example is that Duke Huan of Qi was brave and good at fighting and invincible in the process of attacking the State of Chu in the south and Shanrong in the north. When the State of Chu was invaded by the State of Wu, the King of Chu immediately fled to the State of Qin for help, finally defeated the Wu army and returned to his own country, which means that "only when you are good at dealing with defeat can you turn defeat into victory and not perish".

analysis

This article puts forward the highest command art of leading the war: "Those who are good at management do not division, those who are good at division do not array, those who are good at array do not fight, those who are good at war do not lose, and those who are good at defeat do not perish." This is the same line with the idea of "subduing the army without war" pursued by military celebrities of all dynasties in China. It is the perfect state of leading the army that people deliberately pursue. There are few politicians and military strategists who can achieve this goal in history. The examples of Yao, Shun, Yu, Qi and Chu cited by Zhuge Liang as arguments are created by sages in ancient Chinese history, which is not what ordinary emperors and generals can do.

Extension example

Zhuge Liang plans to retreat

In August of the first year of Jianxing, Sima Yi sent troops to attack Xichuan in five ways: the first way was to send envoys to bribe the King of Xianbei and let him send 100000 Qiang troops to attack Xiping Pass; In the second way, the envoy was sent to award Meng Huo, the king of the Southern Barbarians, to send 100000 troops to attack Yizhou, Yongchang and other four counties from the south; The third way was to send envoys to repair the Soochow, grant them the land, and let Sun Quan send 100000 troops to attack the gorge and take Fucheng; In the fourth way, Meng Da, the general, was ordered to send 100000 soldiers to attack Hanzhong; In the fifth way, the commander of the army, Cao Zhen, was appointed to be the governor of Dadu, leading 100000 troops to attack Yangping Pass and take Xichuan. The five-way army, a total of 500000, went forward in parallel, making Zhuge Liang unable to save and resist. Someone reported to the empress that the five armies of the Wei army came to Xichuan and reported to the prime minister. For some reason, the prime minister did not come out to take care of affairs for several days. Later, the Lord hurriedly sent people to summon Zhuge Liang to enter the court, but said that the prime minister was ill and could not come out. The next day, the officials waited in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion for a whole day, but still did not come out. Du Qiong enters, and asks the queen to come in person. After driving to the gate of the Prime Minister's Mansion, I saw Zhuge Liang alone, leaning on a bamboo stick, watching fish by the pool.

After standing behind Zhuge Liang for a long time, the Later Lord slowly said, "Is the Prime Minister all right?" The Later Lord asked Wei Bing about his invasion. Zhuge Liang laughed, helped the rear lord to sit down in the inner room, and said, "How can I not know when the fifth route soldier arrived? I am not looking at fish, but thinking about something. Now the fourth route soldier has been dismissed by me, only Sun Quan has gone all the way, and I have a way to withdraw. But I haven't found a suitable envoy yet, so I'm thinking about it. What is your majesty to worry about?" The rear lord was surprised and pleased. Recipient, Zhuge Liang added: "The Emperor Xiandi entrusted his majesty to me, and I dare not neglect it at all. But how can I reveal it to others? Ma Chao is considered by the Qiang people to be a divine general. I have sent someone to let him hold the Xiping Pass and ambush four strange soldiers. There is no need to worry about this way. I ordered Wei Yan to take an army south and lay out a plan of suspicious soldiers. The barbarians are suspicious and will not dare to enter. There is no need to worry about this way. Li Yan and Meng Da have a close relationship When I returned to Chengdu, I had written a letter and sent it to Meng Da as Li Yan's personal letter. Meng Da was bound to stay ill. There was no need to worry about it all the way. The terrain of Yangping Pass is precipitous. I ordered Zhao Yunjian not to defend it. Cao Zhen could not break it and would soon withdraw. Don't worry about the fourth route. I also secretly assigned Guan Xing and Zhang Bao to lead 30000 soldiers and stationed them in critical places as a means of rescue to protect the people. I didn't move these people through Chengdu, so nobody knew. Cao Pi had violated the Eastern Wu Dynasty. Sun Quan would not send troops easily. He would only send troops if the four routes won. Now we need to send an eloquent envoy to Soochow. Chen said that he had a stake and withdrew from Soochow first. I haven't found the right person yet, so I'm still thinking. Why do you have to come to work? " Later, Zhuge Liang sent Deng Zhi to Soochow to make peace with Soochow. The Five Route Army retreats without fighting.

 解读《诸葛亮兵法.将苑》 不阵第十五

不阵第十五

——“不战而屈人之兵”

诸葛长青

修身、齐家、治国、平天下

中国·成功者俱乐部http://q.blog.sina.com.cn/chgyzh

 东方巨龙 天下驰骋！

   古之善理者不师，善师者不阵，善阵者不战，善战者不败，善败者不亡。昔者，圣人之治理也，安其居，乐其业，至老不相攻伐，可谓善理者不师也。若舜修《典刑》，咎繇作《士师》，人不干令，刑无可施，可谓善师者不阵。若禹伐有苗，舜舞干羽而苗民格，可谓善阵者不战。若齐桓南服强楚，北服山戎，可谓善战者不败。若楚昭遭祸，奔秦求救，卒能返国，可谓善败者不亡矣。

 译文

　　古代善于治理国家的人，不动用军队，不依靠武力，善于用谋略的人，不依靠不列阵式，善于布阵的人不依靠作战，善于作战的人才能立于不败之地。善于总结失败教训、励精图治的人不会被敌方所消灭。正象古时候圣人治理天下，主要是让老百姓生活安定，勤于工作，人们安居乐业，老死不互相攻打，这就是上面所说的“善于治理而不依靠军队和武力”的意思。再象舜修刑典，让大臣皋陶作了理刑法的官员，可是老百姓无人冒犯法令，因此刑法无处可施，这就是“善于运用武力却不去不列阵式”的意思。再象大禹征伐的苗族，舜手持舞蹈用的干盾、羽扇就征服了有苗族人，这就是“善于布列阵式的却不需要武力”的意思。再象齐桓公在南讨楚国，北伐山戎的过程中，英勇善战，所向无敌，这就是“善战者不败”的意思。楚昭王时楚国受到吴国的侵犯，楚昭王立刻逃到秦国求救，终于击败吴军，返回自己的国家，这就是“善于处理败局才能转败为胜不至于灭亡”的意思。

　　解析

　　本篇文章提出了领兵作战的最高指挥艺术：“善理者不师，善师者不阵，善阵者不战，善战者不败，善败者不亡。”这和我国历代军事名家追求的“不战而屈人之兵”的主张是一脉相承的，是人们刻意追求的治国领兵的尽善尽美境界。历史上能做到这一境界的政治家、军事家是很少的，诸葛亮作为论据列举的尧、舜、禹、齐、楚的事例，都是我国古代历史上的圣贤之人所创造的，实在并非一般帝王将相所能做到。

　　拓例

　　诸葛亮运筹退敌
　　建兴元年八月，司马懿出兵五路攻打西川：第一路，派使臣收买鲜卑国王，让其出十万羌兵攻西平关；第二路，派使臣封官赏赐南蛮王孟获，让其出兵十万从南面攻打益州、永昌等四郡；第三路，派使臣修好东吴，许给割地，让孙权出兵十万，攻峡口，取涪城；第四路，命降将孟达出动上庸兵十万，攻汉中；第五路，命大将军曹真为大都督，带兵十万攻阳平关，取西川。五路大军，总共五十万，五路并进，让诸葛亮首尾不能相救，无法抵挡。有人报告后主：魏军五路大军来取西川，报告丞相，不知什么原因，丞相几天不出来料理事务。后主急忙派人去宣召诸葛亮入朝，却回说丞相染病不能出来。第二天，众官在相府前等了一整天，仍不见出来。杜琼入奏，请后主圣驾亲自前去。后主车驾到相府门前，看见诸葛亮一个人，拄着竹杖在池边看鱼。

  后主在诸葛亮身后站了很久，才慢慢说：“丞相好了吗？”后主问魏兵来犯之事。诸葛亮大笑，扶后主到内室坐下，奏道：“五路兵到，臣怎么会不知道！我不是看鱼，是在想事。现在四路兵已被我退了，只有孙权一路，我也有了退兵的办法。只不过还没找到合适的使臣，所以在考虑。陛下有什么可忧虑的？”后主又惊又喜。接者，诸葛亮又说：“先帝把陛下托付给我，我哪敢有丝毫怠慢。只不过兵法贵在使人不测，怎能泄漏给别人呢？马超被羌人认为是神威天将，我已派人去让他坚守西平关，埋伏了四路奇兵，这一路不必担忧了。我命魏延带一军南下，布好疑兵计，蛮兵多疑，必定不敢进，这一路也不用忧虑了。李严和孟达有生死之交，我回成都时，已写了一封书信，作为李严的亲笔信派人送给孟达，孟达必然推病不出，这一路也不用忧虑了。阳平关地势险峻，我命赵云坚守不出，曹真没办法攻破，不久也会退兵，第四路也不必担忧。我还密调关兴、张苞领三万兵，驻扎在紧要之处，作为各路救应，以保万全。我调动这些人马，都不经过成都，所以无人知觉。曹丕有过侵犯东吴的事，孙权必定不会轻易出兵，只有四路获胜，他才会出兵。现在需要派一位善辩的人出使东吴，陈说利害，先退东吴。我还未找到合适的人，所以还在思考。何必劳动圣驾亲临呢？”随后，诸葛亮派邓芝出使东吴，与东吴和好。五路大军不战自退。

(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

Selected Articles in Previous Periods

Click the article title to view

往期精选文章

点击文章标题查看

1The wisdom of traditional Chinese culture changes the destiny: filial piety to parents+five in one+self-improvement

1 国学智慧改命运：孝敬父母+五合一+自强不息

2Zhuge Changqing's Three Golden Keys to Changing Destiny

2诸葛长青改命运三把金钥匙诸葛长青施食仪轨 （十五步简洁版）

3Zhuge Changqing's Greeting Ritual (15 Steps Concise Version)

3 诸葛长青施食仪轨 （十五步简洁版）

4How to repent: the ritual of repentance and the method of repentance (full version)

4   如何忏悔：忏悔仪轨忏悔方法（完整版）

5How to read the Dizang Sutra: Methods for reciting Dizang Sutra (complete version)

5 如何念地藏经：念地藏经仪轨方法（完整版）

6How to release? The ritual of releasing life

6怎样放生？放生仪轨

7Zhuge Changqing's Repentance Culture: A Case Study of Repentance Methods for Changing Destiny

7诸葛长青忏悔文化：改变命运忏悔方法案例

8Free Life Culture: Free Life Culture in Ancient China

8放生文化：中国古代的放生文化

9Shocking photo of feeding: Buddha, Bodhisattva and Dharma Protector come to the scene

9施食震撼照片：佛菩萨护法神亲临现场

10Feeding Rite Return: the return is changed to simple return

10施食仪轨回向：回向修改为简洁回向