Art of War 8.5
The Art of War (孫子兵法), Variation Of Tactics 九變篇
將不通於九變之利者雖知地形不能得地之利矣
The general who does not understand these, may be well acquainted with the configuration of the country, yet he will not be able to turn his knowledge to practical account.
Lionel Giles's notes
Literally, “get the advantage of the ground,” which means not only securing good positions, but availing oneself of natural advantages in every possible way. Chang Yü says: “Every kind of ground is characterised by certain natural features, and also gives scope for a certain variability of plan. How is it possible to turn these natural features to account unless topographical knowledge is supplemented by versatility of mind?”
Character glossary
- 將jiāngthe future, what will be; ready, prepare
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 通tōngto pass through, to open, to connect; to
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 九jiǔnine
- 變biànto change, to transform, to alter; rebel
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 利lìgains, advantage, profit, merit
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 雖suīalthough, even though
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 地deearth, ground, soil; land, region; struc
- 形xíngform, shape; to appear; to describe; to
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 得déto obtain, to get, to acquire; suitable,
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
Passages with shared wording
- Art of War 8.4
- Art of War 8.6
- Zhuangzi On Declining Power
- Zhuangzi Perfect Happiness
- Zhuangzi On Letting Alone
- Zhuangzi Tien Tzŭ Fang
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.