This post continues our project explaining each stanza of Sun Tzu’s work. The English translation and Chinese transliterations are from my award-winning book, The Art of War and The Ancient Chinese Revealed.
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This article discusses the second and third stanzas of Section One of Chapter 11 of The Art of War. This chapter analyses the “nine grounds.” These “grounds” explain the different common situations. These situations, in a sense, measure the “progress” of a competitive contests that that continue over time. The three stages introduced here are initial situations. The first three situations describe conditions more common at the beginning of a competitive contest.
<Various> <noblemen> <self> <battle> <this> <ground> <is>
Warring parties must sometimes fight inside their own territory.
In this situation, the contest comes to us. A potential competitor moves into a territory in which we have established our positions. If this were an ordinary competitor, we would simply defend our positions. Defense is easier than offense
However, we must first make a calculation. Defense is easier than offense, but sometimes the opponent is large enough and well-organized enough to overcome our defenses. Typically, this means that they have at least five times the resources that we do. We must realize when we are in this situation and respond accordingly,
<Become> <scattered> <ground>
This is scattering terrain.
When our existing positions are challenged or threatened by a large, well-prepared opponent, this is called a “scattering” situation because we cannot win by facing that opponent directly. Opponents creating these situations will obviously overwhelm our defensive resources so we must “scatter” rather than face them directly.
<Enter> <men> <’s> <ground> <no> <deep> <is>
When you enter hostile territory, your penetration is shallow.
This situation arises when you first start exploring a new opportunity. Our initial tests of the new ground teach us a little about the opportunity, but such initial steps are frequently all positive. This positive information teaches us little new.
The danger here is that we are too conservative when we find ourselves in this situation. We build only positions that are the easiest, those that use methods similar to what we have done before.
<Become> <easy> <ground>
This is easy terrain.
The temptation of easy terrain is to stay where it is easy, enjoying our good fortune in finding an area that is rewarding without developing new methods . While this sounds like good strategy, it is a form of laziness that eventually gets us into trouble.
<I> <obtain> <then> <advantage>
Some terrain gives you an advantageous position.
When a new territory produces easy rewards for us, the situation changes. We establish a successful position within it, but rewarding positions are, by their nature, visible. Positions are what others see about what we are doing.
<Others> <obtain> <also> <advantage> <is>
But it gives others an advantageous position as well.
When others see that this new territory offers easy rewards, those easy rewards attract others. Everyone is looking for rewarding new positions.
<Become> <contentious> <ground>
This will be disputed terrain.
As the competition moves in, what was easy ground quickly changes into ground where people are competing with us for its rewards. This is now contested terrain. The change from easy ground to disputed ground surprises many, but we should expect it as the natural flow of events.
If we developed only the easiest ground, close to our existing positions, our situations can get even worse. As this disputed ground lures others near to us, our base positions can become contested ground as well. Our mistake was in how we handled the easy ground.
These early stage situations all arise in almost every competitive contest. We must know the appropriate response if we want to be successful. Large competitors can move in. What do we do? We can find new opportunities that seem easy. What do we do? Competitors will challenge us on this new ground because it is easy. What do we do?
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