King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Art of War 11.31

The Art of War (孫子兵法), The Nine Situations 九地篇

是故方馬埋輪未足恃也

Hence it is not enough to put one’s trust in the tethering of horses,

and the burying of chariot wheels in the ground.

Lionel Giles (1910), Sun Tzŭ on the Art of War (1910), with Giles' notes — public domain.

Lionel Giles's notes

方 is said here to be equivalent to 縛.

These quaint devices to prevent one’s army from running away recall the Athenian hero Sôphanes, who carried an anchor with him at the battle of Plataea, by means of which he fastened himself firmly to one spot. [See Herodotus, IX. 74.] It is not enough, says Sun Tzŭ, to render flight impossible by such mechanical means. You will not succeed unless your men have tenacity and unity of purpose, and, above all, a spirit of sympathetic co-operation. This is the lesson which can be learned from the shuai-jan.

Character glossary

Passages with shared wording

Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.

Last posts

  1. Best Tai Chi Swords with Scabbards for Daily Training
  2. How Much Should You Spend on a Tai Chi Sword Budgeting Tips
  3. Tai Chi vs Wushu Swords What Sets Them Apart
  4. Are Flexible Wushu Swords Suitable for Tai Chi Forms
  5. Best Unsharpened Tai Chi Jian for Forms and Training
  6. How Heavy Should a Tai Chi Sword Be for Proper Training
  7. Best Wooden Tai Chi Swords for Training and Performance
  8. Collapsible Tai Chi Swords in Parks and Public Transit
  9. Are Telescopic Tai Chi Swords Good for Practice
  10. Best Tai Chi Swords for Beginners and How to Choose Yours