Pagina 114 di 266

[Tu Mu tells us that Yao Hsing, when opposed in 357 A.D. by Huang

Mei, Teng Ch'iang and others shut himself up behind his walls and

refused to fight. Teng Ch'iang said: "Our adversary is of a

choleric temper and easily provoked; let us make constant sallies

and break down his walls, then he will grow angry and come out.

Once we can bring his force to battle, it is doomed to be our

prey." This plan was acted upon, Yao Hsiang came out to fight,

was lured as far as San-yuan by the enemy's pretended flight, and

finally attacked and slain.]

(4) a delicacy of honour which is sensitive to shame;

This need not be taken to mean that a sense of honour is really a

defect in a general. What Sun Tzŭ condemns is rather an

exaggerated sensitiveness to slanderous reports, the thin-skinned

man who is stung by opprobrium, however undeserved. Mei Yao-ch'en

truly observes, though somewhat paradoxically: "The seeker after

glory should be careless of public opinion."]