兵书战策里的春秋
兵书战策里的春秋
THE TIMES IN THE MILITARY STRATEGIES
孙武,又被尊称为孙子或孙武子,字长卿,生卒年月不详,约和儒家创始人孔子相处同一时代,被誉为“百世兵家之师”、“东方兵学的鼻祖”。
孙武的祖先叫妫完,被周朝天子册封为陈国国君(陈国在今河南东部和安徽一部分,建都宛丘,今河南淮阳)。后来由于陈国内部发生政变,孙武的直系远祖妫完便携家带口,逃到齐国,投奔齐桓公。齐桓公早就了解陈公子妫完年轻有为,任命他为负责管理百工之事的工正。妫完在齐国定居以后,由姓妫改姓田,故他又被称为田完。田完的第五世孙田书(即孙子的祖父)曾经是齐国大夫,在攻打莒国的战争中立下了战功,齐景公便把乐安(今滨州市惠民县)封给了田书,同时还赐“孙”为姓,以表示对田书嘉奖。
公元前532年,齐国发生内乱,孙子便离开齐国,到了南方的吴国,在吴国的都城姑苏(今江苏省苏州市)过起了隐居生活,潜心研究兵法。在吴国,孙子结识了伍子胥。据《吴越春秋·阖闾内传》载,在诸侯争霸中,南方新兴的吴国国君阖闾,为图霸业,欲攻打楚国。但是,一时难以选出合适的将领。伍子胥常与吴王论兵,他曾向吴王推荐说:孙子“精通韬略,有鬼神不测之机,天地包藏之妙,自著兵法十三篇,世人莫知其能。诚得此任为将,虽天下莫敌,何论楚哉!”经过伍子胥七次向吴王推荐,吴王便让伍子胥拜请孙子出山。
孙子晋见吴王之后,呈上所著兵书现仅存十三篇。吴王看后,赞不绝口。据有关资料记载,为考察孙子的统兵能力,吴王挑选了100多名宫女由孙子操练。孙子把佳丽们分为两队,把吴王最宠爱的两位妃子命为左右队长。第一天操练的时候,佳丽们没有一个听从号令,并捧腹大笑,队形大乱。孙子召来军史,根据兵法,斩吴王最宠爱的两位妃子。吴王见孙子要杀掉自己的爱姬,马上派人传令说:“我已经知道将军能用兵了,没有这两个美人伺候,我吃饭也没有味道,请将军赦免他们。”孙子毫不留情地说:“臣既然已受命为将,将在军中,君命有所不受。”下令开刀问斩。接着任命两队排头的宫女为队长,重新击鼓发令,众宫女前后左右,进退回旋,跪爬滚起,全都合乎规矩,阵形十分齐整。这就是人们所传说的孙子“吴宫教战斩美姬”的故事。吴宫操练之后,吴王任命孙子为上将军,封为军师。从此,孙子与伍子胥共同辅佐吴王,安邦治国,发展军力。
公元前506年冬天,吴国任命孙子、伍子胥为将,出兵伐楚。孙子采取“迂回奔袭、出奇制胜”的战法,溯淮河西上,从淮河平原越过大别山,长驱深入楚境千里,直奔汉水,在柏举(今湖北汉川北)重创楚军;接着五战五胜,一举攻陷楚国国都郢。“柏举之战”后,楚国元气大伤,渐渐走向衰落,而吴国的声威则大振,成为春秋五霸之一。吴国不仅成为南方的强国,而且使北方的齐、晋等大国也畏惧吴国。对于孙子的历史功绩,司马迁在《史记·孙子吴起列传》写道:“西破强楚,入郢,北威齐、晋,显名诸侯,孙子与有力也。”常有孙子兵法,成为兵家用兵之道的典范。
In 532 BC, when the State of Qi was involved in civil strife, Sun Tzu, Master of Military Strategy, left the State of Qi for the State of Wu in the south. He lived a secluded life in Gusu (Suzhou), capital of Wu, devoting himself to the art of war. In the State of Wu, he got acquainted with Wu Zixu who often discussed the art of war with the King of Wu. As Wu Zixu recommended him to the King of Wu seven times, the King of Wu asked Wu Zixu to invite Sun Tzu to become an official. After meeting with the King of Wu, Sun Tzu presented the king with his book on military strategy (only 13 chapters still exist). After reading the book, the King of Wu spoke highly of it. Thus, he appointed Sun Tzu as a top general and tactician. Hence, Sun Tzu and Wu Zixu jointly assisted the King of Wu in governing the state and developing military power, and enabled the State of Wu to become one of the Five Overlords in the Spring and Autumn Period.
○山东省惠民县孙子兵法城中的“兵圣孙子”的雕像。The “Master of the War” statue in the Military Science of Sun Tzu City in Huimin County, Shandong Province.