The First Chapter: On Heaven Without Yin and Yang

經曰：天圓地方，本乎陰陽。陰陽旣形，逆之則敗，順之則成。葢敬授農時，非用兵也。夫天地不為萬物所有，萬物因天地而有之；陰陽不為萬物所生，萬物因陰陽而生之。天地不仁，以萬物為芻狗。陰陽之於萬物，有何情哉！

The classic text says: The heavens are round and the earth is square, and both originate from the two energies of yin and yang. Once yin and yang take form, opposing them leads to failure, while following them leads to success—this refers to the matter of "respecting the timing for people" in the Book of Documents, the Yao Classic, which means guiding farming according to the seasons, not warfare. The heavens and earth are not possessed by all things, but rather all things rely on the heavens and earth to exist. Yin and yang do not intentionally give birth to all things, but rather all things rely on yin and yang to be transformed and generated. The Tao Te Ching says, "Heaven and earth are impartial; they treat all things as straw dogs used in sacrifice," meaning that heaven and earth have no particular affection for any thing, just as straw dogs are used once and then discarded. Thus, how could yin and yang have any likes or dislikes toward all things?

夫火之性，自炎，不為焦灼萬物而生其炎；水之性，自濡，不為漂蕩萬物而生其濡。水火者，一其性，而萬物遇之，自有差殊；陰陽者，一其性，而萬物遇之，自有榮枯。若水火有情，能浮石、沉木、堅金、流土，則知陰陽不能勝敗存亡吉凶善惡明矣。

Fire's nature is to burn itself, not to produce flames in order to burn things; water's nature is to moisten itself, not to generate wetness in order to wash away things. Water and fire, their nature remains constant, yet when they meet things, their effects differ. Yin and yang also remain constant in their nature, yet when they meet things, some flourish and some wither. If water and fire truly had biased intentions, then they would be able to make stones float, make wood sink, make metal not melt, and make soil melt instead. But in reality, they cannot do so. From this we can see that yin and yang cannot determine the success or failure, survival or destruction, good fortune or misfortune, and moral goodness or evil of human affairs. This truth is clear beyond doubt.

夫春風東來，草木甲坼，而積廩之粟不萌；秋天肅霜，百卉具腓，而蒙蔽之草不傷。陰陽寒暑，為人謀所變；人謀成敗，豈陰陽所變之哉！

Spring wind blows from the east, and grass and trees sprout and grow vigorously, yet the grain stored in granaries does not sprout. In autumn, severe frost falls, and all grasses wither together, yet the grass covered up is not harmed. This shows that the effects of yin and yang, cold and heat, are actually altered by human planning and management. How can the success or failure caused by human plans be changed by yin and yang?

昔王莽徵天下善韜鈐者六十三家，悉備補軍吏，及昆陽之敗，會大雷風至，屋瓦皆飛，雨下如注。當此之時，豈三門不發、〈張刻本作「嚴」。〉五將不具耶！《亭亭白奸》錯太歲月建，誤殆至如此。

In the past, Wang Mang summoned sixty-three renowned families throughout the land who were skilled in military strategy and tactics, and appointed them all as officers in his army. When the battle of Kunyang was lost, a sudden storm with thunder and lightning broke out, causing tiles and roof tiles to fly through the air and heavy rain to fall. In such a situation, could it be that the "Three Doors" in the art of Qimen Dunjia were not open, and the five directional generals were not properly arranged? This clearly shows that the so-called yin-yang military texts like "Tingting Baijian" are fundamentally wrong in their calculation of the Tai Sui and the Month Builder and other divine influences, leading people to such great errors. (Note: The character "发" in the Zhang edition is written as "严".)

古有張伯松者，值亂出居，營內為賊所逼，營中豪傑皆遁。伯松曰：「今日反吟，不可出奔。」俄而賊至，伯松被殺，妻子被虜，財物被掠。桓譚《新論》曰：「至愚之人，解避惡時，不解避惡事。」則陰陽之於人有何情哉！

In ancient times there was a man named Zhang BoSong who, during a time of chaos, moved to live outside the city. His camp was besieged by bandits, and the heroes within the camp all scattered. However, Zhang BoSong said, "Today's day branch is in the 'reverse chant' pattern, so we cannot flee." "Reverse chant" is a bad pattern according to the numerological calculations. Just as he finished speaking, the bandits arrived and killed Zhang BoSong. His wife and children were captured, and all his property was taken. Huan Tan's "New Discourses" says, "The most foolish people only know how to avoid bad hours, but do not know how to avoid immediate dangers." Thus, how can yin and yang show any favor or bias towards people!

太公曰：「任賢使能，不時日而事利；明法審令，不卜筮而事吉；貴功賞勞，不禳祀而得福。」無厚德而占日月之數，不識敵之強弱而幸於天時，無智無慮而候於風雲，小勇小力而望於天福，怯不能擊而恃龜筮，士卒不勇而恃鬼神，設伏不巧而任向背。凡天道鬼神，視之不見，聽之不聞，索之不得，指虛無之狀，不可以決勝負，不可以制生死，故明將弗法，而眾將不能已也。

Chang Taigong said, "Appointing virtuous men and employing capable people does not require selecting an auspicious day, and affairs will naturally proceed smoothly; establishing strict laws and issuing careful commands does not require divination or consulting oracle bones, and affairs will naturally bring good fortune; valuing achievements and rewarding labor does not require worshiping or making offerings, and one will naturally receive blessings." Without profound virtue, yet one calculates the positions of the sun, moon, and stars; without understanding the strength of the enemy, yet one hopes for good fortune through favorable weather; without wisdom or strategy, yet one observes the wind and clouds; with only a little courage and strength, yet one expects heaven to bestow blessings; timid and unwilling to attack, yet one relies on divination and oracle bones; soldiers who are not brave, yet one depends on ghosts and spirits; and if the ambush is not well planned, yet one blames the success or failure on the direction of the terrain. In general, what is called heavenly way and ghosts and spirits is something that cannot be seen, heard, or found. It refers to a mere empty name. It cannot decide victory or defeat, nor can it determine life or death. Therefore, wise generals do not rely on this, while mediocre generals always cannot get rid of it.

孫武曰：「明王聖主、賢臣良將，所以動而勝人，成功出於眾者，先知也。先知，不可取於鬼神，不可求象於事，不可驗之於度，必求於人人。」吳子曰〈舊抄本脫此三字，依張刻本補。〉「料敵有不卜而戰者」，先知也。

Sun Wu said in The Art of War: "The wise king, the enlightened sovereign, the capable minister, and the outstanding general are able to defeat their opponents and achieve outstanding results because they have prior knowledge of the enemy. This prior knowledge cannot be obtained by consulting ghosts and spirits, cannot be inferred from past events, and cannot be verified by astronomical calculations. It must be obtained from those who are familiar with the enemy's situation." Wu Qi also said, "When the enemy's situation is known, there are cases where battle can be fought without divination." He was speaking of the same idea of acquiring accurate information in advance. (Note: The three characters "Wu Zi Yu" were missing in the old manuscript and have been restored according to the Zhang edition.)

范蠡曰：「天時不作，弗為；人事不作，弗始。」天時為敵國有水旱災害、蟲蝗霜雹荒亂之天時，非孤虛向背之天時也。太公曰：「聖人之所生也，欲正後世。」故為譎書而寄勝於天道，無益於兵也。夫如是，則天道於兵，有何陰陽哉！

Fan Li said, "Do not act unless the conditions of heaven are present; do not begin unless the conditions of human affairs are complete." Here, the term "heavenly conditions" refers to actual situations such as drought or flood in an enemy country, locust plagues, hail damaging crops, and famine and chaos, not the so-called "guxu" and "xiangbei" theories of the diviners. The Master said, "The reason a sage is born into the world is to correct the later generations." However, later people fabricated strange military treatises, relying on heavenly ways to determine victory or defeat, which is of no benefit to warfare. According to this, how can there be any yin and yang in the use of military force?

經曰：「地利者，兵之助。」猶天時不可恃也。昔三苗氏，左洞庭，右彭蠡，德義不修，禹滅之；夏桀之居，左河濟，右太華，伊闕在其南，羊腸在其北，修政不仁，湯放之；殷紂之國，左孟門，右太行，常山在其北，太河經其南，荒淫怠政，武王殺之；秦之地，左崤函，右汧隴，終南、太華居其前，九原、上郡居其後，刑政苛酷，子嬰迎降於軹道，姚泓面縛於灞上；吳之居，五嶺在其南，三江在其北，左滄浪，右衡山，刑政不修，吳王終於歸命，陳主卒於長城；蜀之分，左巫峽，右卭僰，南有瀘溪之障，北有劍閣之險，時無英雄，劉禪不能守，李勢不能固。

The classic text says: "Geographical advantage is merely an auxiliary condition for military campaigns." It is as unreliable as heavenly timing. In ancient times, the Sanmiao people had the Dongting Lake to the east and the Pengli Lake to the west, but they failed to cultivate virtue and righteousness, and were defeated by Yu the Great. The capital of Xia Jie was flanked by the Yellow River and the Ji River to the east, the Taihua Mountains to the west, the Yique Pass to the south, and the Yangchang Pass to the north, yet he ruled unjustly and was exiled by Tang of Shang. The capital of Yin Zou was bordered by Mengmen to the east, Taixing Mountains to the west, Changshan Mountains to the north, and the Yellow River to the south, yet he indulged in luxury and neglected governance, and was eventually killed by King Wu of Zhou. The territory of the state of Qin was protected by the Xiaoshan Mountains and the Hangu Pass to the east, the Qian water and Longshan Mountains to the west, the Zhongnan Mountains and Taihua Mountains in front, and the Jiuyuan and Shangjun behind, yet its laws and administration were harsh, and even the son of the last king, Ziying, surrendered to Liu Bang at the Jizhou Pavilion. Later, the Later Qin ruler Yao Hong also surrendered at Baoshang with his hands tied behind his back. The territory of Wu was protected by the five Ling Mountains to the south, the three Jiang rivers to the north, the Canglang River to the east, and the Heng Mountains to the west, yet it neglected governance, and the ruler Sun Hao eventually surrendered to the Jin dynasty, being granted the title of "Guimeng Hou." Chen Houzhu also ultimately destroyed the Chen dynasty's foundation, which had originated from Wuxing Changcheng. The territory of Shu was bordered by the Wuxia Pass to the east, the Qiongbo region to the west, the Luxi River to the south as a barrier, and the Jiange Pass to the north, yet due to the lack of heroes in the world, Liu Shan of Shu could not defend it, and Li Shi of Chenghan also failed to hold it. (Ancient people faced south and sat north, so "left" in the text refers to the east, and "right" refers to the west.)

由此言之，天時不能祐無道之主，地利不能濟亂亡之國。地之險易，因人而險，因人而易；無險、無不險，無易、無不易，存亡在於德，戰守在於地，惟聖主智將能守之，地奚有險易哉！

Therefore, heavenly circumstances cannot protect an unjust ruler, and geographical advantages cannot save a doomed nation. The terrain's strategic value or accessibility depends on people; it is neither absolutely dangerous nor absolutely safe, neither absolutely easy nor absolutely difficult. The survival or downfall of a state depends on virtue, and only when there is an attack or defense does the terrain become a factor. Only wise rulers and capable generals can hold their ground, so how can terrain itself have any inherent advantage or disadvantage?

經曰：勇怯有性，強弱有地。秦人勁，晉人剛，吳人怯，蜀人懦，楚人輕，齊人多詐，越人澆薄，海岱之人壯，崆峒之人武，燕趙之人銳，涼隴之人勇，韓魏之人厚。地勢所生，人氣所受，勇怯然也。且勇怯在謀，強弱在勢。謀能勢成，則怯者勇；謀奪勢失，則勇者怯。

The classic text says: Courage and timidity arise from nature, while strength and weakness depend on the land. People often say: Those from the Qin region are vigorous, those from the Jin region are strong, those from the Wu region are timid, those from the Shu region are weak, those from the Chu region are reckless, those from the Qi region are deceitful, those from the Yue region are superficial, those from the area between the Hai and Dai mountains are strong and sturdy, those from the Kongtong region are martial, those from Yan and Zhao are sharp, and those from the Liangzhou and Longyou regions are brave. It seems as if these traits are formed by the terrain and endowed by the land's energy, and courage and timidity are innate. In reality, courage and timidity depend on strategy, and strength and weakness depend on circumstances. When strategy is proper and circumstances are favorable, even timid people can become brave; when strategy is lost and circumstances are unfavorable, even brave people can become timid.

旣言秦人勁，申屠之子敗於嶢關，杜洪之將北於𤃪水，則秦人何得而稱勁？吳人怯，吳王夫差兵無敵於天下，敗齊於艾陵，長晉於黃池，則吳人何得而稱怯？蜀人懦，諸葛孔明撮巴蜀之眾，窺兵中原，身為殭尸，而威加魏將，則蜀人何得而稱懦？楚人輕，項羽破秦，虜王離，殺蘇角，威加海內，諸侯俯伏，莫敢窺視，則楚人何得而稱輕？

Since it is said that people from the Qin region are strong and vigorous, how can the son of Shentu fail at the battle of Yao Pass, and Du Hong's subordinates suffer defeat at the Ji Water? On what grounds can people from the Qin region be called strong and vigorous? It is said that people from the Wu region are timid, yet the army of King Fuchai of Wu once dominated the world, defeating the Qi army at Ailing and surpassing the Jin kingdom at Huangchi to claim the position of hegemon. On what grounds can people from the Wu region be called timid? It is said that people from the Shu region are weak, yet Zhuge Liang, with only the troops from the Bashu region, launched an expedition to the Central Plains. Even after his death in the military and his body still unburied, he frightened the main general of the Wei army, Sima Yi. On what grounds can people from the Shu region be called weak? It is said that people from the Chu region are reckless, yet Xiang Yu defeated the Qin army, captured Wang Li, killed Su Jiao, and his power overshadowed the whole country. The feudal lords knelt on the ground, none dared to look up. On what grounds can people from the Chu region be called reckless?

齊人多詐：田橫感五百死士，東奔海島，及橫死，同日而伏劒，則齊人何得而稱詐？越人澆薄，越王勾踐以殘亡之國，恤孤老之眾，九年滅吳，以弱攻強，以小取大，則越人何得而稱澆薄？燕趙之人銳，蚩尤敗於涿鹿，燕丹死於易水，王濬縛於薊門，公孫戮於上谷，則燕趙之人何得而稱銳？

It is said that people from Qi are often deceitful, but Tian Heng inspired five hundred brave men to flee eastward to an island. When Tian Heng committed suicide, all five hundred died by sword on the same day. Why then can the people of Qi be called deceitful? It is said that people from Yue are superficial and fickle, but King Goujian of Yue, with a broken and dying state, cared for orphans and the elderly, and after nine years of rest and recuperation, he defeated Wu. He overcame a strong enemy with a weak force, and a small state defeated a great one. Why then can the people of Yue be called superficial and fickle? It is said that people from Yan and Zhao are sharp and fierce, but Chi You was defeated at Zhu Lu, the crown prince of Yan, Dan, died at Yishui, and the governor of Youzhou during the Western Jin, Wang Jun, was captured by Shi Le at Jimen. Even the warlord Gongsun Zan who ruled Youyan was executed in Shanggu. Why then can the people of Yan and Zhao be called sharp and fierce?

涼隴之人勇。〈文瀾閣本無此五字。張刻本連上句，云「則燕趙汧隴亦未必勇且銳也」。按：舊抄本此下空三十餘格，葢原書殘缺，傳寫者遂以意刪改之。〉所以勇怯在乎法，成敗在乎智；怯人使之以刑，則勇；勇人使之以賞，則死。能移人之性、變人之心者，在刑賞之間。勇之與怯，於人何有哉！

As for the people of Liangzhou and Longyou, who are known for their bravery, they are equally unable to withstand such persistent questioning. Therefore, courage and timidity depend on laws and decrees, success and failure depend on strategy and wisdom. A timid person, when driven by punishment, becomes brave; a brave person, when rewarded with great prizes, is willing to die for his cause. The ability to change human nature and alter people's wills lies precisely in punishment and reward. What are courage and timidity to human beings anyway! (Note: The text 'cool state Longyou people brave' consists of five characters, which is missing in the Wenlan Pavilion edition; the Zhang edition connects it with the previous sentence, reading 'then Yan and Zhao Qianlong might not necessarily be brave and resolute.' According to the old manuscript, there is a blank space of over thirty lines below this part, indicating the original text was incomplete, and the copyist altered it according to his own interpretation.)

經曰：古者，三皇得道之統，立於中央，神與化遊，〈「化」，原作「天」，依張刻本改。此用《淮南‧原道訓》語。〉以撫四方，天下無所歸其功；五帝則天法地，有言有令，而天下太平，君臣相讓其功。道德廢，王者出，而尚仁義；仁義廢，伯者出，而尚智力；智力廢，戰國出，而尚譎詐。聖人知道不足以理，則用法；法不足以理，則用術；術不足以理，則用權；權不足以理，則用勢；勢用，則大兼小、強吞弱。

The classic text says: In ancient times, the Three Sovereigns mastered the principles of the Dao, remaining in the center of the world, their spirit and nature traveling together with the workings of heaven and earth, thus pacifying the four directions. The people could not find anyone to attribute the credit to. The Five Emperors modeled themselves after heaven and earth, issuing teachings and decrees, thus bringing peace to the world, with ministers and sovereigns mutually yielding the credit. When morality and virtue were abandoned, kings emerged, emphasizing benevolence and righteousness; when benevolence and righteousness were abandoned, hegemonic rulers emerged, emphasizing intelligence; when intelligence was abandoned, the age of the Warring States emerged, emphasizing cunning and deceit. The sage understood that relying solely on the Dao was insufficient for governance, so he resorted to law; when law was insufficient, he used tactics; when tactics were insufficient, he used authority; when authority was insufficient, he used power; once power was used, it led to the situation of great states annexing small ones and strong states conquering the weak. (Note: The original text had the character "hua" (change), which has been changed to "tian" (heaven) according to the Zhang edition; this passage is taken from the "Original Dao" section of the "Huainanzi.")

周建一千八百諸侯，其後並為六國，六國連兵結難，戰爭方起。六國之君非疏道德而親權勢；權勢用，不得不親；道德廢，不得不疏；其理然也。唯聖人能反始復本，以正理國，以奇用兵，以無事理天下。正者，名法也。奇者，權術也。以名法理國，則萬物不能亂；以權術用兵，則天下不能敵；以無事理天下，則萬物不能〈此上二十三字原缺，依文瀾閣木補。〉撓。

The Zhou dynasty enfeoffed one thousand eight hundred feudal lords, but later they were consolidated into six states. These six states fought each other continuously, accumulating hatred, which led to large-scale warfare. The kings of the six states were not intentionally neglecting morality and favoring power; since power proved effective, they could not help but favor it; and since morality had been abandoned, they could not help but neglect it. This is the natural course of things. Only the sages could return to the original state and restore the fundamental principles, governing the country with "correctness," waging war with "strangeness," and governing the world with "non-action." What is called "correctness" is the system of examining names and holding to reality; what is called "strangeness" is the flexible and adaptable tactics. Governing the country with the system of names and reality, the myriad things cannot disturb it; waging war with flexible tactics, the world has no match; governing the world with the way of non-action, the myriad things cannot disturb it. (Note: The twenty-three characters above "rǎo" were originally missing, and this version is supplemented according to the Wenlan Pavilion edition.)

不撓，則神清。神清者，智之原。智者，心之府。〈文瀾閣本「智」下有「平」字。〉神清、智平，乃能形物之情。人主知萬物之情，裁而用之，則君子小人不失其位。夫德厚而位卑者，謂之過；德薄而位尊者，謂之失。寕過於君子，無失於小人。過於君子，則人闕其理；失於小人，則物罹其殃。故曰：「人不鑑於流水，而鑑於止水。」以其清且平也。

If the mind is not disturbed, it remains clear. A clear mind is the source of wisdom; wisdom is the treasury of the heart. Only when the mind is clear and wisdom is balanced can one perceive the true nature of things. The sovereign who understands the true nature of all things can make fair judgments and appointments, thus placing the virtuous in proper positions and the petty in their places. A person with great virtue but low rank is called "excess"; a person with little virtue but high rank is called "loss." It is better to have "excess" in the virtuous than "loss" in the petty. An "excess" in the virtuous merely means that talented people may be temporarily overlooked; but a "loss" in the petty will bring calamity to all things. Therefore, the "De Chong Fu" chapter of the "Zhuangzi" says: "People do not use flowing water as a mirror, but only still water." Because still water is both clear and level. (Note: The "Ping" character appears below "Zhi" in the Wenlan Pavilion edition.)

人主之道清平，則任人不失其才，六官各守其職。四封之內，百姓之事，任之於相；四封之外，敵國之事，任之於將。語曰：「將、相明，國無兵。」舜以干鏚而服有苗，魯以頖宮而來淮夷。以道勝者，帝；以德勝者，王；以謀勝者，伯；以力勝者，強。強兵滅，伯兵絶，帝王之兵前無敵。人主之道，信其然矣。

The way of a sovereign is clear, upright, and impartial, so he will not appoint the wrong person to a position. Each of the six officials will fulfill their duties. Matters within the four borders are entrusted to the prime minister, while matters beyond the four borders, concerning foreign states, are entrusted to generals. An old saying goes: "When both the general and the prime minister are virtuous, the country will not need to resort to war." Yu Shun, by wielding the halberd and the drum, was able to bring the people of You Miao to submission; Duke Xi of Lu, by building the Pan Palace, was able to attract the Huai Yi to pay homage. These two events are recorded in the "Book of Documents · Da Yu Mo" and the "Book of Songs · Lu Song · Pan Shui" respectively. Achieving the imperial state is through the Way, achieving the kingdom is through virtue, achieving hegemony is through strategy, and achieving strength is through military force. A force that relies solely on strength will eventually perish, a hegemonic force will eventually decline, but the army of a sage ruler is invincible. Indeed, the way of a sovereign is like this.

經曰：國之所以富強者，審權以操柄，審數以御人。課農者，術之事，而富在粟；謀戰者，權之事，而強在兵。故曰：「興兵而伐叛，則武爵任；武爵任，則兵強。按兵而勸農桑，農桑勸，則國富。」國不法地，不足以成其富；兵不法謀，不足以成其強。古者，聖人法天而皇，賢君法地而帝，智主法人而伯。乘天之時，因地之利，用人之力，乃可富強。

The classic text says: A country can become wealthy and strong by clearly understanding and firmly holding power, and by clearly understanding and using methods to control the people. Supervising agricultural affairs belongs to the category of "methods," and wealth is reflected in grain; planning military campaigns belongs to the category of "power," and strength is reflected in military force. Therefore, it says: "When the army is sent to suppress rebellion, people will strive for military merit and rank; when people strive for military merit and rank, military strength becomes strong. When the army remains inactive and rewards and encourages agriculture and sericulture, agriculture and sericulture will be encouraged, and the country will become wealthy." Governing the country without following the example of the earth cannot achieve its wealth; waging war without employing strategy cannot achieve its strength. In ancient times, sages followed the example of heaven to become emperors, virtuous kings followed the example of the earth to become emperors, and wise rulers followed the example of human affairs to become hegemonic rulers. By following the timing of heaven, utilizing the advantages of the land, and employing human resources, only then can a country achieve wealth and strength.

乘天之時者，春植穀、秋植麥、夏長成、冬備藏。因地之利者，國有沃野之饒，而人不足於食者，器用不備也；國有山海之利，而人不足於財者，商旅不備也。通四方之珍異，以有易無，謂之商旅。飭力以長地之財，用資軍實，謂之農。夫理絲麻，以成衣服，謂之女功。

Following the natural seasons means planting grain in spring, sowing wheat in autumn, allowing crops to grow in summer, and storing provisions in winter. Taking advantage of geographical benefits means that if a country has fertile land but its people are still hungry, it is because farming tools are insufficient; if a country has mountains, rivers, and seas but its people are still poor, it is because trade is not smooth. Circulating rare goods from all directions and exchanging what is surplus for what is lacking is called "commerce." Working hard to cultivate the land to increase wealth for the state to supply military needs is called "agriculture." Processing silk and hemp into clothing is called "women's crafts."

雲夢之毛羽，黔溪之丹砂，荊揚之皮革角骨，江衡之柟梓，會稽之竹箭，燕齊之魚鹽旃裘，兗豫之漆枲絺薴，鄭之刀，宋之斤，魯之削，吳之劒，燕之角，荊之簳，汾胡之笴，吳越之金錫，此地之財也。燕之涿鹿，趙之邯鄲，魏之溫、軹，韓之滎陽，齊之臨淄，陳之宛邱，鄭之陽翟，洛川之二周，越之具區，楚之雲夢，齊之鉅鹿，宋之孟瀦，此地之良也。

The feathers from birds in Yunmeng泽, cinnabar from Qianxi, leather and horn from Jingzhou and Yangzhou, cypress and梓 trees from the Yangtze River and Hengshan region, arrow bamboo from Kuaiji, fish, salt, felt, and fur from Yan and Qi, lacquer, hemp, fine gauze, and ramie cloth from Yanzhou and Yu州, the knife from Zheng, the axe from Song, the book knife from Lu, the sword from Wu, the horn from Yan, the arrow shaft from Jing, the arrow shaft from Fen water and Hu region, copper and tin from Wu and Yue — these are the treasures produced by the land. The capital of Yan at Zhuolu, the capital of Zhao at Handan, the capital of Wei at Wen and Jizi, the capital of Han at Xingyang, the capital of Qi at Linzi, the capital of Chen at Wanqiu, the capital of Zheng at Yangdi, the Eastern and Western Zhou states along the Luo River, the Lake of Juqu from Yue, the Yunmeng泽 from Chu, the Jilu from Qi, the Mengzhu from Song — these are the fertile lands in the land. (Note: The text in the Wenlan Pavilion edition has the words "gong ju qi di" following this.)

非有災害疾病而貧者，非惰則奢；世無奇業而獨富貴者，非儉則力。同列而相臣妾者，貧富使然也；同貫〈文瀾閣本作「貴」。〉而相兼併者，強弱使然也；同地而或強或弱者，理亂使然也。茍有道理，地足容身，事可致也；茍有市井，交易所通，貨財可積也。

There are no cases of people suffering poverty without encountering calamity or illness, except for laziness or extravagance; there are no special trades in the world that lead to wealth alone, except for frugality or diligence. Those of the same rank falling into servitude to each other result from differences in wealth and poverty; those of the same family turning against each other result from strength and weakness; on the same piece of land, some are strong and some are weak, resulting from order and chaos. As long as governance is proper, even if the land is only enough for one person, a career can be established; as long as there is a market, trade can circulate, and wealth can be accumulated. (Note: The character '贯' in '同贯' is in the Wenlan Pavilion edition as '贵'.)

夫有容身之地，智者不言弱；有市井之利；智者不言貧。地誠任，不患無財；人誠用；不畏強禦。故神農教耕而王天下，湯武戰伐而服諸侯。國愚，則智可以強國；國智，則力可以強人。用智者，可以強於內而富於外；用力者，可以富於內而強於外。〈原脫「用力者可以」五字，張刻本有。以下文攷之正合。〉

There is a piece of land that can accommodate people; the wise man will not say he is weak. There is the advantage of a market; the wise man will not say he is poor. When land is truly put to use, there will be no lack of wealth; when human effort is truly utilized, there is no fear of strong enemies. Therefore, Shen Nong taught the people to till the soil and thus ruled the world. King Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou used military campaigns to bring the feudal lords under their control. If the people remain dull, use wisdom to make the state strong; if the people are already clever, use strength to make the people numerous and strong. Those who use wisdom can make the country strong internally and wealthy externally; those who use strength can make the country wealthy internally and strong externally. (Note: The five characters '用力者可以' were originally missing, but the Zhang edition has them, and they fit well with the following text.)

是以漢武帝南平百粵，以為園囿；𨚫羌胡，以為苑圃；珍怪異物，充於後宮；騊駼駃騠；實於外廐；匹庶乘堅良，人間厭柚橘。此謂智強於內而富於外。

Therefore, Emperor Wu of Han subdued the Baiyue to the south and made that land his own garden; he repelled the Qiang and Hu people to the north and regarded that grassland as his own park. Rare and strange treasures filled his inner palace, and fine horses like Taotu and Jiatu filled the stables outside. Even common people rode sturdy good chariots, and in the marketplaces, people had grown tired of eating pomelos and oranges. This is called strengthening the country through wisdom internally and acquiring wealth externally.

秦孝公行墾草之令，使商不得糴，農不得糶；廢逆旅，禁山澤；貴酒肉之價，重關市之賦，使農佚而商勞。行之數年而倉庾實，人知禮義。至於始皇，以為之資，東向而併吞諸侯。此為力富於內而強於外也。故知伯王之業，非智不戰，非農不贍，過此以往而致富強者，未之有也。

Qin Xiaogong promulgated laws to cultivate wastelands, forbidding merchants from buying grain and farmers from selling grain; he abolished inns, closed mountains, rivers, lakes, and marshes; raised the prices of meat and wine, and increased taxes at checkpoints and markets, making farming easy and commerce burdensome. After several years of implementation, granaries were full, and the people understood propriety and righteousness. By the time of Qin Shihuang, he used this accumulated wealth as capital to conquer the six feudal states to the east. This is called enriching the country internally through human effort and becoming strong externally as a result. From this we can see that the achievements of a hegemon or emperor cannot be accomplished without strategy and without agriculture. There has never been a case where one could seek wealth and power without these two elements.

經曰：賢人之生於世，無籍地，無貴宗，無奇狀，無智勇；或賢或愚，乍醉乍醒，不可以事蹟求，不可以人物得。其得之者，在明君之心，道合而志同，信符而言順，如覆水於地，先流其濕；如燎火於原，先就其燥。

The classic says: A virtuous person is born into the world without illustrious lineage, without noble ancestry, and without extraordinary appearance. They may not necessarily display wisdom and courage outwardly. At times they seem virtuous, at times seem foolish; sometimes they act as if drunk, sometimes as if awake. One cannot find them through past deeds, nor can one obtain them by judging their appearance or character. Truly, those who can obtain a virtuous person are the enlightened rulers, whose hearts are sincere. Their principles align, their aspirations are the same, their trust and righteousness correspond, and their words match. It is like pouring water on the ground, which first flows to the damp places; or setting fire in the fields, which first burns the dry areas.

故伊尹，有莘之耕夫，夏癸之酒保，湯得之於鼎飪之間，升陑而放桀。太公，朝歌之鼓刀，棘津之賣漿，周得之於垂綸之下，殺紂而立武庚。伍員被髮徒跣，挾弓矢乞食於吳，闔閭向風而高其義，下階迎之，三日與語，無復疑者。

Therefore, Yi Yin was originally a farmer from the state of You Shen and a cook in the service of Xia Jie (named Lü Gui). When Shang Tang found him while he was cooking in the kitchen, he led his army from the mountain of Er, expelled Xia Jie. Tai Gong was originally a butcher in Chao Ge and a seller of soup in Ji Jin. When the Zhou dynasty found him while he was fishing in the Wei River, he eventually destroyed Shang Zhou and established Wu Geng to continue the sacrifices of the Yin dynasty. Wu Yuan (Wu Zǐxū) walked barefoot with his hair hanging loose, carrying a bow and arrow, begging for food in the state of Wu. King Hu Lü of Wu heard of his virtue and integrity, descended the steps to personally welcome him, talked with him for three days, and had no doubts at all.

范蠡生於五戶之墟，為童時，內視若盲，反聽若聾，時人謂之至狂；大夫種來觀而知其賢，扣門請謁，相與歸於地戶。管夷吾束縛於魯，齊桓任之以相。百里奚自鬻於虞，秦穆任之以政。韓信，南鄭之亡卒，淮陰之怯夫，漢高歸之以謀。

Fan Li was born in a desolate village with only five households. As a child, he could see nothing but darkness and hear nothing but silence, and at that time, people called him a complete madman. However, when the minister Wen Zhong came to examine him, he immediately recognized Fan Li's talent and went to visit him, and the two then joined forces to go to the state of Yue, located in the southeast direction of "Di Hu". Guan Yiwu (Guan Zhong) was once bound and sent out of the state of Lu, but Duke Huan of Qi appointed him as his prime minister. Bai Li Xi was once sold himself to the state of Yu, but Duke Mu of Qin entrusted him with state affairs. Han Xin was a soldier who had fled from Nanzheng and a timid man who had once suffered the humiliation of being forced to kneel under someone's thighs in the market of Huayin, yet Emperor Gaozu of Han entrusted him with the entire military strategy.

故曰：「明君之心，如明鑑，如澄泉。」圓明於中，形物於外，則使賢任能，不失其時。若非心之見，非智之知，因人之視，借人之聽，其猶眩耄叟以黼黻，聒聾夫以《韶》《濩》，玄黃宮徵無貫於心，欲求得人，而幸其伯，未之有也。故五帝得其道而興，三王失其道而廢。廢興之道，在人主之心、得賢之用，非在兵強、地廣、人殷、國富也。

Therefore, it is said: "The mind of a wise ruler is like a bright mirror and clear spring water." Within it is round and clear, so external things are reflected clearly. Appointing the virtuous naturally does not miss the right time. If it is not seen by oneself, nor determined by one's own wisdom, but only relying on others' eyes to see and others' ears to hear, then it is like dazzling an old man with dim eyes using the ornate patterns of the黻 and黼, or disturbing a deaf person with the refined music of the Shao and Huo. The colors and tones cannot penetrate his heart. To seek talents and hope to achieve hegemony in this way has never happened before. Therefore, the five emperors flourished by following this path, while the three kings declined by losing it. The key to rise and fall lies in the ruler's mind, in obtaining virtuous talents and employing them, not in strong military power, vast territory, numerous people, or rich state.

經曰：太古之初，有栢皇氏，至於容成氏，不令而人自化，不罰而人自齊，不賞而人自勸，不知怒，不知喜，俞然若赤子。庖犧氏、神農氏，教而不誅；軒轅氏、陶唐氏、有虞氏，誅而不怨。葢三皇之政以道，五帝之政以德。夏商衰，湯武廢道德，任智謀。〈此處似有脫誤。張刻本云：「夏商周室弱，春秋戰國廢道德，任智謀。」亦以意改。〉

The classic text says: In the most ancient times, from the Baohuang dynasty to the Rongcheng dynasty, there was no need to issue orders and the people naturally became harmonized, no need for punishment and the people naturally became orderly, no need for rewards and the people naturally became diligent. They did not know how to be angry, nor did they know how to be happy, living in a state of peace and harmony like newborn infants. The Paoxi dynasty (Fuxi) and Shen Nong dynasty only practiced education and did not resort to punishment. The Huangdi dynasty (the Yellow Emperor), Taotang dynasty (Yao), and Youyu dynasty (Shun) used punishment, yet the people did not resent them. Generally speaking, the Three Emperors governed the world through the Dao, while the Five Emperors governed through virtue. By the time of the Xia and Shang dynasties' decline, Shang Tang and King Wu of Zhou abandoned virtue and the Dao, and instead used cunning and strategy. (Note: There seems to be an omission here. The Zhang edition reads 'When the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties declined, the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods abandoned virtue and the Dao, and instead used cunning and strategy,' which is a personal alteration.)

秦任商鞅、李斯之智，而並諸侯；漢任張良、陳平之智，而滅項籍；光武任寇恂、馮異之智，而降樊崇；曹公任許攸、曹仁之智，而破袁紹；孫權任周瑜、魯肅之智，而敗魏武；劉備任諸葛亮之智，而王西蜀；晉任杜預、王濬之智，而平吳；苻堅任王猛之智，而定八表之眾；石勒任張賓之智，而生擒王淩；拓拔任崔浩之智，而保河朔之師；宇文任李穆之智，而挫高歡之銳；梁任王僧辯之智，而戮侯景；隋任高熲之智，而面縛陳主；太宗任李靖之智，而敗頡利可汗。有國家者，未有不任智謀而成王業也。故曰：將軍之事，以靜正理，以神察微，以智役物。見福於重關之內，慮患於杳冥之外者，將之智謀也。

The state of Qin employed the wisdom of Shang Yang and Li Si, thus conquering the feudal lords; the Han dynasty used the strategies of Zhang Liang and Chen Ping, thereby eliminating Xiang Yu; Emperor Guangwu used the tactics of Kou Xun and Feng Yi, thus persuading Fan Chong of the Chimei army to surrender; Cao Cao relied on the strategies of Xu You and Cao Ren, thus defeating Yuan Shao; Sun Quan used the strategies of Zhou Yu and Lu Su, thus defeating the warlord Wei Wu Di at Chibi; Liu Bei relied on the wisdom of Zhuge Liang, thus establishing his kingdom in western Shu; the Western Jin dynasty used the strategies of Du Yu and Wang Jun, thus subduing the Eastern Wu; Fu Jian employed the strategies of Wang Meng, thus pacifying the people of all directions; Shi Le used the strategies of Zhang Bin, thus capturing Wang Jun (the original text says 'Wang Ling', which should be a mistake for 'Wang Jun'); the Tuoba clan used the strategies of Cui Hao, thus preserving the armies of the Hebo region; the Yuwen clan used the strategies of Li Mu, thus defeating Gao Huan's forces; the Liang dynasty used the strategies of Wang Shengbian, thus eliminating Hou Jing; the Sui dynasty used the strategies of Gao Jing, thus capturing Chen Houzhu and binding him in chains; Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty used the strategies of Li Jing, thus defeating the Khagan Jie Li. All those who ruled a state achieved their imperial success through the use of strategy. Therefore, the duties of a general involve using calmness to regulate order, using wisdom to discern details, and using strategy to control all things. The ability to foresee auspicious signs within complex territories and to anticipate disasters beyond the reach of sight and thought is the wisdom of a general.

經曰：古之善用兵者，必重天下之權，而研諸侯之慮。重權不審，不知輕重強弱之稱；揣情不審，不知隱匿變化之動靜。〈張刻本無「靜」字。〉重莫難於周知，揣莫難於悉舉，事莫難於必成，此三者，聖人能任之，故兵有百戰百勝之術，非善之善者也；不如不戰而屈人之兵，善之善者也。

The classic text says: In ancient times, those skilled in warfare would first assess the power and strength of the world, then carefully study the intentions and plans of the various feudal lords. If the assessment of power is not thorough, one cannot clearly determine the relative strength and weakness; if the investigation of the actual situation is not thorough, one cannot understand the hidden movements and changes of the enemy. The difficulty in assessment lies in having full knowledge, the difficulty in investigation lies in having no omissions, and the difficulty in action lies in ensuring certain success. These three things can only be handled by sages. Therefore, even if one has a hundred victories in battle, it is not the best; it is better to subdue the enemy without resorting to warfare, which is the best of the best. (Note: The edition of Zhang does not include the character '静'.)

夫太上用計謀，其次用人事，其下用戰伐。用計謀者，熒惑敵國之主，陰移諂臣，以事佐之；惑以巫覡，使其尊鬼事神；重其彩色文繡，使賤其菽粟，令空其倉庾；遺之美好，使熒其志；〈文瀾閣本此下有「蕩其心」三字。〉遺之巧匠，使起宮室高臺，以竭其財、役其力；易其性，使化改淫俗。〈文瀾閣本作「酗」。〉

The highest strategy is to use cunning, then to use human affairs, and the lowest is to resort to warfare. Using cunning involves deceiving the ruler of the enemy country, secretly bribing his flatterers and sycophants to support him from the side; sending witches and mediums to bewilder him, making him worship ghosts and deities; raising the value of colorful silk and embroidered fabrics so that he undervalues grain, thus emptying his granaries; sending beautiful women and precious treasures to dazzle his mind; sending skilled artisans to entice him into building grand palaces and towers, thus exhausting his resources and forcing his people into labor; altering his nature so that he becomes addicted to licentious customs. (Note: In the Wenlan Pavilion edition, after '使荧其志', there are additional words '荡其心'; the character '淫' in '淫俗' is written as '酗' in the Wenlan Pavilion edition.)

奢暴驕恣，賢臣結舌，莫肯匡助；濫賞淫刑，任其喜怒，政令不行；信卜祠鬼，逆忠進諂，〈文瀾閣本「逆」作「退」。〉請謁公行。而無聖人之政，愛而與官，無功而爵，未勞而賞；喜則赦罪，怒則肆殺；法居而自順，令出而不行，信蓍龜、卜筮、鬼神、禱祠、讒佞、奇技，〈此四字，文瀾閣本作「讒諂諛佞，奇技貨財」。〉亂行於門戶。

Thus he became extravagant and tyrannical, arrogant and unrestrained. The virtuous ministers kept their mouths shut and would not speak out, no one dared to correct and assist him. Rewards were given indiscriminately, punishments were applied capriciously, everything was done according to his whims. His decrees could not be carried out. He firmly believed in divination and worshiped ghosts and spirits, expelled the loyal and virtuous, and promoted flatterers. Secret dealings and private requests were openly practiced. In this way, there was no government of the sage in the country: officials were appointed merely on the basis of personal favor, titles were granted without any merit, and rewards were given without any effort. When he was pleased, criminals were pardoned; when he was angry, people were killed at will. The laws were placed there only to conform to his will, and the orders issued were not executed by anyone. He relied solely on the divining yarrow stalks, turtle shells, and divination, believing in ghosts and spirits and prayers. Thus, the cunning and deceitful men and those who practiced strange and licentious arts were allowed to run rampant in the court. (Note: In the Wenlan Pavilion edition, the character '逆' in '逆忠' is written as '退'; and the phrase '谗佞、奇技' is written as '谗谄谀佞，奇技货财'.)

其所謂是者皆非，非者皆是。離君臣之際，塞忠讜之路。然後淫之以色，攻之以利，娛之以樂，養之以味。以信為欺，以欺為信，以忠為叛，以叛為忠。忠諫者死，諂佞者賞。令君子在野，小人在位，急令暴刑，人不堪命。所謂未戰以陰謀傾之，其國已破矣。

He considered what was right as wrong and what was wrong as right. He then sowed discord between him and his ministers, blocked the path for honest advice. Then he seduced him with beauty, tempted him with wealth, amused him with music, and indulged him with delicious food. He regarded trust as deceit and deceit as trust; regarded loyalty as rebellion and rebellion as loyalty. Those who gave honest advice were executed, while those who flattered were rewarded. Thus, the virtuous were driven into the wilderness, while the wicked occupied high positions. Laws were harsh, punishments cruel, and the people had no way to survive. This is called waging war without actually fighting, using treachery to overthrow him. His country had already fallen before the battle even began.

以兵從之，其君可虜，其國可隳，其城可拔，其眾可潰。故湯用此而桀放，周用此而紂殺，越用此而吳國墟，楚用此而陳蔡舉，三家用此而魯國弱，韓魏用此而東周分。

At this point, if they send troops to follow up, their sovereign can be captured alive, their country can be destroyed, their cities can be taken, and their army can be defeated. Therefore, King Tang of Shang used this strategy and King Jie of Xia was exiled, King Wu of Zhou used this strategy and King Zhou of Shang was executed, the state of Yue used this strategy and Wu was reduced to ruins, the state of Chu used this strategy and Chen and Cai were annexed, the three families of Lu used this strategy and Lu gradually declined, and Han and Wei used this strategy and the Eastern Zhou was divided.

儒生之言皆曰：「兵強大者必勝，小弱者必亡。」是則小國之君無伯王之業，萬乘之主無破亡之兆。昔夏廣而湯狹，殷大而周小，越弱而吳強，所謂不戰而勝者，陰傾之術，夜行之道，文武之教。聖人昭然獨見，忻然獨樂，其在茲乎！

Scholars often say, "Those with strong armies will surely win, and those with weak forces will surely perish." According to this view, the rulers of small states will never achieve the status of a hegemon, and the rulers of great states with ten thousand chariots will never show signs of decline. But in the past, the Xia had a vast territory while the Shang Tang had a narrow one; the Yin was large while the Zhou was small; the Yue was weak while the Wu was strong. Yet in the end, everything turned out the opposite. What is meant by winning without fighting is precisely the use of secret means to undermine the enemy, the methods of moving secretly at night, and the combined use of cultural and military teachings. The sage alone sees through this clearly and delights in it alone, perhaps precisely for this reason.

經曰：古者，鄰國烽煙相望，雞犬相聞，而足跡不接於諸侯之境，車軌不結於千里之外，以道存生，以德安形，人樂其居。後世澆風起而淳樸散，權智用而譎詐生，鄰國往來用間諜。縱橫之事，用檃括之人矣。

The classic text says: In ancient times, neighboring states could see each other's smoke from cooking fires and signals from beacon fires, could hear each other's cocks crowing and dogs barking, yet people's footsteps did not cross into other states, and chariot tracks did not reach thousands of li away. They preserved their lives by the Way and settled their bodies by virtue, and the people were content with their own dwellings. But in later generations, the风气 became shallow and vulgar, and the simple customs faded away. Once cunning and skillful tactics were employed, deceit followed. Diplomatic exchanges between neighboring states then required the use of spies. The strategies of forming alliances and breaking them, such as the纵横, would call for those skilled in rhetoric, like the "檃括" and twisted wood, who could shape people's hearts and minds.

徐守仁義，社稷邱墟。魯尊儒墨，宗廟泯滅。非達奧知微，不能禦敵；不勞心苦思，不能原事；不悉見情偽，不能成名；材智不明，不能用兵；忠實不眞，〈張刻本「眞」作「明」。文瀾閣本作「忠直不伸」。〉不能知人。是以鬼谷先生述《捭闔》、《揣摩》、《飛箝》、《抵巇》之篇，以教蘇秦、張儀遊說於六國而探諸侯之心，於是術行焉。

Xu State clung to benevolence and righteousness, yet its state eventually fell into ruin; Lu State revered Confucianism and Mohism, yet its ancestral temples were still destroyed. Without understanding the subtle and profound, one cannot resist enemies; without exerting one's mind and thinking diligently, one cannot investigate the fundamental nature of things; without clearly distinguishing genuine from false, one cannot achieve fame; without clarity in ability and wisdom, one cannot wage war; without sincere loyalty and integrity, one cannot discern people. Therefore, the Master of Ghost Valley wrote the chapters "Bai He," "Chui Mo," "Fei Qian," and "Di Xi," teaching Su Qin and Zhang Yi to travel through the six states and persuade the princes, thus spreading the art of probing the minds of rulers. (Note: In the Zhang edition, the character "true" in "faithful and true" is written as "clear"; in the Wenlan Pavilion edition, this sentence reads "loyal and upright but not extended.")

夫用探心之術者，先以道德、仁義、禮樂、忠信、詩書、經傳、子史、謀略、成敗渾而雜說，包而羅之，澄其心，靜其志，伺人之情，有所愛惡去就，從欲而攻之，陰慮陽發。此虛言而往，彼實心而來，因其心，察其容，聽其聲，考其辭。言不合者，反而求之，其應必出。

A person skilled in probing the mind first mixes together discussions of morality, benevolence, propriety, music and ceremony, loyalty and trust, poetry and books, classics and transmitted writings, various schools of thought and historical records, strategies, and the success and failure of past events, speaking in a confused manner to cover all topics. At the same time, he clears his mind and stabilizes his will, secretly observing the other person's true feelings: what he loves, what he hates, whether he wishes to leave or stay. He attacks the other person's desires by following their inclinations, calculating secretly while speaking calmly on the surface. I offer empty words, but the other person reveals his true intentions. Then, following his inclinations, I observe his expressions, listen to his tone of voice, and examine his words. Any inconsistency in the statements will be reversed to question him, and his reactions will surely reveal his weaknesses.

旣得其心，反射其意，符應不失，契合無二。膠而漆之，無使反覆，如養由之操弓，逢蒙之挾矢，百發無不中正。猶設罝□，以罹魚兔，張其會，磔其腰，脇其虛，必衝綱而掛目，亦奚有孑遺哉！

Having already understood his mind, one then turns to meet his wishes, and the verification is like a seal that fits perfectly without any discrepancy. Then one uses the adhesive of glue and lacquer to firmly bind him, preventing him from changing his mind or backtracking, just as Zhang Youji holds his bow and Feng Meng draws his arrow, achieving a hundred percent accuracy. This is also like setting up nets and traps to catch fish and rabbits: spreading out the net's mouth, stretching the net's waist, tightening the empty spaces, so that the prey must inevitably collide with the net ropes or get caught in the net eyes, where could there still be any fish or rabbit escaping? (The original text is missing one character here, indicated by 「□」.)

夫探仁人之心，必以信，勿以財；探勇士之心，必以義，勿以懼；探智士之心，必以忠，勿以欺；探愚人之心，必以蔽，勿以明；探不肖之心，必以懼，勿以常；探好財之心，必以賄，勿以廉。

To probe the heart of a benevolent and kind person, one must use sincerity, not wealth; to probe the heart of a brave person, one must use righteousness, not threats; to probe the heart of a wise person, one must use loyalty, not deception; to probe the heart of an ignorant person, one must be subtle and indirect, not straightforward; to probe the heart of a wicked person, one must use intimidation, not conventional methods; to probe the heart of a greedy person, one must use bribes, not talk about integrity.

夫與智者言，依於博，智有涯而博無涯，則智不可以測博；與博者言，依於辨，博師古而辨應今，則博不可以應辨。與貴者言，依於勢，貴位高而勢制高，則位不可以禁勢。與富者言，依於物，富積財而物可寶，則財不足以易寶。

When speaking with the wise, rely on extensive knowledge and experience: wisdom has limits, but knowledge is boundless, and wisdom cannot fully grasp the vastness of knowledge. When speaking with the learned, rely on eloquence and adaptability: the learned follow ancient teachings, while eloquence and adaptability respond to the present, and the learned cannot match the flexibility of eloquence. When speaking with the powerful, rely on authority: power is merely a high position, but authority can control those in high positions, and rank cannot suppress authority. When speaking with the wealthy, rely on rare treasures: the wealthy merely accumulate wealth, but rare treasures themselves are treasures, and wealth cannot exchange for true treasures.

與貧者言，依於利，貧匱乏而利豐贍，則乏不可以賙豐。與賤者言，依於謙，賤人下而謙降下，則賤不可以語謙。與勇者言，依於敢，勇不懼而敢剛毅，則勇不可以懾剛。與愚者言，〈已上二十一字原缺，依文瀾閣本補。〉依於銳，愚質樸而銳聰明，則樸不可以察聰。

When speaking with the poor, speak with practical benefits: poverty is lack, while practical benefits are abundance; lack cannot relieve abundance. When speaking with the lowly, speak with humility: lowliness is being beneath others, while humility is willingly being beneath; the lowly cannot use humility to dominate others. When speaking with the brave, speak with courage: bravery is fearlessness, while courage is firm resolve; mere bravery cannot intimidate firm resolve. When speaking with the dull, speak with shrewdness: dullness comes from simplicity, while shrewdness comes from intelligence; simplicity cannot perceive the subtleties of intelligence. (Note: The above twenty-one characters for 'With the foolish' were originally missing and are supplemented according to the Wenlan Pavilion edition.)

此八者，皆本同其道，而末異其表。同其道，人所欲聽；異其表，聽而不曉。如此，則不測淺、不測深，吾得出無間、入無朕，獨往而獨來，或縱而或橫；如偃枯草，使東而東，使西而西；如引停水決之則流，壅之則止。謀何患乎不從哉！

These eight responses all originate from the same fundamental approach as the other party, but differ superficially. Since the approach is the same, the other party is willing to listen; yet because the surface differs, they cannot fully understand. In this way, the other party cannot measure my superficiality nor my depth. Thus, I can emerge without any trace and retreat without any clue, moving alone and freely, sometimes moving straight, sometimes sideways. It is like bending a pile of dry grass, making it go east if commanded east, west if commanded west. It is also like guiding a stagnant pond, letting it flow when dug open, and stopping it when blocked. In this way, how can my strategies not be adopted!

夫道貴制人，不貴制於人。制人者握權，制於人者遵命也。制人之術，避人之長，攻人之短；見己之所長，蔽己之所短。故獸之動，必先爪牙；禽之動，必先觜距；螫蟲之動，必以毒；介蟲之動，必以甲。夫鳥獸蟲豸尚用所長以制物，兄其智者乎！

The way of warfare values subduing others rather than being subdued by them. Those who subdue others hold the initiative, while those who are subdued can only obey. To subdue others, one should avoid their strengths and attack their weaknesses; display one's own strengths and conceal one's own weaknesses. Therefore, wild beasts go into battle first using their claws and teeth; birds go into battle first using their beaks and spurs; venomous insects go into battle certainly using their venom; armored insects go into battle certainly using their armor. Even animals and insects use their own strengths to subdue others; how much more so should wise people! (Note: "Xiong" is likely a mistake for "Kuang".)

夫人好說道德者，必以仁義折之；好言儒墨者，必以縱橫禦之；好談法律者，必以權術挫之。必乘其始、合其終、摧其牙、落其角，無使出吾之右。徐以慶弔之言，憂喜其心，使其神不得為心之主。長生、安樂、富貴、尊榮、聲色、喜說，慶言也；死亡、憂患、貧賤、苦辱、刑戮、誅罰，弔言也。

If the other person talks about morality, use benevolence and righteousness to persuade him; if he discusses Confucianism and Mohism, counter him with the strategies of纵横 (horizontal and vertical); if he talks about laws and regulations, use tactics to defeat him. Always follow the thread he starts and grasp the conclusion he draws, breaking his strength and weakening his power so he cannot surpass me. Then gradually use words of congratulations and condolences to make him fluctuate between sorrow and joy, causing his mind to lose control. The topics of longevity, comfort, wealth, honor, beauty, and pleasure belong to the category of "celebration"; while death, worries, poverty, disgrace, punishment, and retribution belong to the category of "condolence."

與貴者談，言弔則悲；與賤者談，言慶則悅。將其心，迎其意，或慶或弔，以惑其志，〈文瀾閣本「惑」作「感」。〉情變於內者，形變於外，常以所見而觀其所隱，所謂測隱探心之術也。雖有先王之道，聖智之術，而無此者，不足以成伯王之業也。

Talking with people of equal status, using words of mourning, he becomes sorrowful; talking with people of low status, using words of celebration, he becomes joyful. Following his mind and meeting his desires, whether celebrating or mourning, is used to disturb his thoughts. When his inner feelings are stirred, his outer appearance shows signs, so people often use visible signs to guess at his hidden thoughts. This is called the art of measuring hidden feelings and exploring the mind. Even if one masters the ways of the former kings and the wisdom of the sages, lacking this skill is insufficient to achieve the great achievements of a hegemon and a king. (Note: The character '惑' in '以惑其志' is rendered as '感' in the Wenlan Pavilion edition.)