Art of War (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (59 page)

20. Whether the object be to crush an army, to storm a city, or to assassinate an individual, it is always necessary to begin by finding out the names of the attendants,

 

those who wait on others, servants and retainers generally.

the aides-de-camp,

 

[Tu Yu describes them as] “those whose duty it is to keep the general supplied with information,” which naturally necessitates frequent interviews with him.

the door-keepers and sentries of the general in command. Our spies must be commissioned to ascertain these.

 

As the first step, no doubt, towards finding out if any of these important functionaries can be won over by bribery.

21. The enemy’s spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they will become converted spies and available for our service.

22. It is through the information brought by the converted spy that we are able to acquire and employ local and inward spies.

 

Tu Yu expands this into “through conversion of the enemy’s spies we learn the enemy’s condition.” And Chang Yü says: “We must tempt the converted spy into our service, because it is he that knows which of the local inhabitants are greedy of gain, and which of the officials are open to corruption.”

23. It is owing to his information, again, that we can cause the doomed spy to carry false tidings to the enemy.

 

[Chang Yü puts it thus:] “Because the converted spy knows how the enemy can best be deceived.”

24. Lastly, it is by his information that the surviving spy can be used on appointed occasions.

25. The end and aim of spying in all its five varieties is knowledge of the enemy; and this knowledge can only be derived, in the first instance, from the converted spy.

 

He not only brings information himself, but makes it possible to use the other kinds of spy to advantage.

Hence it is essential that the converted spy be treated with the utmost liberality.

26. Of old, the rise of the Yin dynasty

 

Sun Tzu means the Shang dynasty, founded in 1766 B.C. Its name was changed to Yin by P’an Kêng in 1401.

was due to I Chih,

 

Better known as I Yin, the famous general and statesman who took part in Ch’êng T’ang’s campaign against Chieh Kuei.

who had served under the Hsia. Likewise, the rise of the Chou dynasty was due to Lü Ya,

[Lü Ya was also known as] Lü Shang. [He] rose to high office under the tyrant Chou Hsin, whom he afterwards helped to overthrow. . . . He is said to have composed a treatise on war.

who had served under the Yin.

 

There is less precision in the Chinese than I have thought it well to introduce into my translation, and the commentaries on this passage are by no means explicit. But, having regard to the context, we can hardly doubt that Sun Tzu is holding up I Chih and Lü Ya as illustrious examples of the converted spy, or something closely analogous. His suggestion is, that the Hsia and Yin dynasties were upset owing to the intimate knowledge of their weaknesses and shortcomings which these former ministers were able to impart to the other side. Mei Yao-ch’ên appears to resent any such aspersion on these historic names: “I Yin and Lü Ya,” he says, “were not rebels against the Government. Hsia could not employ the former, hence Yin employed him. Yin could not employ the latter, hence Chou employed him. Their great achievements were all for the good of the people.”

Ho Shih is also indignant: “How should two divinely inspired men such as I and Lü have acted as common spies? Sun Tzu’s mention of them simply means that the proper use of the five classes of spies is a matter which requires men of the highest mental calibre, like I and Lü, whose wisdom and capacity qualified them for the task. [His] words only emphasize this point.” Ho Shih believes then that the two heroes are mentioned on account of their supposed skill in the use of spies. But this is [a] very weak [interpretation].