Chapter[ X. TERRAIN
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X. TERRAIN
[Only about a third of the chapter, comprising ss. ss. 1-13,
deals with "terrain," the subject being more fully treated in ch.
XI. The "six calamities" are discussed in SS. 14-20, and the
rest of the chapter is again a mere string of desultory remarks,
though not less interesting, perhaps, on that account.]
Item[ 1. Sun Tzu said: We may distinguish six kinds of terrain,
to wit: (1) Accessible ground;
[Mei Yao-ch`en says: "plentifully provided with roads and
means of communications."]
(2) entangling ground;
[The same commentator says: "Net-like country, venturing
into which you become entangled."]
(3) temporizing ground;
[Ground which allows you to "stave off" or "delay."]
(4) narrow passes; (5) precipitous heights; (6) positions at a
great distance from the enemy.
[It is hardly necessary to point out the faultiness of this
classification. A strange lack of logical perception is shown in
the Chinaman's unquestioning acceptance of glaring cross-
divisions such as the above.]
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