Pagina 17 van 266

[The beginning of this sentence does not balance properly with

the next, though obviously intended to do so. The arrangement,

moreover, is so awkward that I cannot help suspecting some

corruption in the text. It never seems to occur to Chinese

commentators that an emendation may be necessary for the sense,

and we get no help from them there. The Chinese words Sun Tzŭ

used to indicate the cause of the people's impoverishment clearly

have reference to some system by which the husbandmen sent their

contributions of corn to the army direct. But why should it fall

on them to maintain an army in this way, except because the State

or Government is too poor to do so?]

11. On the other hand, the proximity of an army causes prices to

go up; and high prices cause the people's substance to be drained

away.

[Wang Hsi says high prices occur before the army has left its own

territory. Ts'ao Kung understands it of an army that has already

crossed the frontier.]