田忌赛马 Tianjis horse racing strategy

公元前四世纪的中国，处在诸侯割据的状态，历史上称为“战国时期”。在魏

国作官的孙膑，因为受到同僚庞涓的迫害，被齐国使臣救出后，到达齐国国

都。 齐国使臣将他引见给齐国的大将军田忌，田忌向孙膑请教兵法，孙膑讲了

三天三夜，田忌特别佩服，将孙膑待为贵宾，孙膑对田忌也很感激，经常为他

献计献策。

赛马是当时最受齐国贵族欢迎的娱乐项目。上至国王，下到大臣，常常以

赛马取乐，并以重金赌输赢。田忌多次与国王及其他大臣赌输赢，屡赌屡输。

一天他赛马又输了，回家后闷闷不乐。孙膑安慰他说：“下次有机会带我到马场

看看，也许我能帮你。”

当又一次赛马时，孙膑随田忌来到赛马场，满朝文武官员和城里的平民也

都来看热闹。孙膑了解到，大家的马按奔跑的速度分为上中下三等，等次不同

装饰不同，各家的马依等次比赛，比赛为三赛二胜制。

孙膑仔细观察后发现，田忌的马和其他人的马相差并不远，只是策略运用

不当，以致失败。 孙膑告诉田忌：“大将军，请放心，我有办法让你获胜。”田

忌听后非常高兴，随即以千金作赌注约请国王与他赛马。国王在赛马中从没输

过，所以欣然答应了田忌的邀请。

比赛前田忌按照孙膑的主意，用上等马鞍将下等马装饰起来，冒充上等

马， 与齐王的上等马比赛。比赛开始，只见齐王的好马飞快地冲在前面，而田

忌的马远远落在后面，国王得意地开怀大笑。 第二场比赛，还是按照孙膑的安

排，田忌用自己的上等马与国王的中等马比赛，在一片喝彩中，只见田忌的马

竟然冲到齐王的马前面，赢了第二场。 关键的第三场，田忌的中等马和国王的

下等马比赛，田忌的马又一次冲到国 王的马前面，结果二比一，田忌赢了国

王。

从未输过比赛的国王目瞪口呆，他不知道田忌从哪里得到了这么好的赛

马。 这时田忌告诉齐王，他的胜利并不是因为找到了更好的马，而是用了计

策。 随后，他将孙膑的计策讲了出来，齐王恍然大悟，立刻把孙膑召入王宫。

孙膑告诉齐王，在双方条件相当时，对策得当可以战胜对方，在双方条件相差

很远时， 对策得当也可将损失减低到最低程度。后来，国王任命孙膑为军师，

挥指全国的军队。从此，孙膑协助田忌，改善齐军的作战方法，齐军在与别国

军队的战争中因此屡屡取胜。

In the 4th century BC, China was governed by feudal lords. This time is known in

history as the Warring States Period. In the Wei kingdom there was a man named Sun Bin who served as an official. However, because he was persecuted by his fellow official Pang Juan, and then rescued by an envoy from the Qi kingdom, he ended up in the capital of the Qi kingdom.

The envoy from Qi introduced him to the Qi kingdom's top general, Tian Ji, who asked Sun Bin for military advice. Sun Bin taught him for three days and three nights, and Tian Ji greatly admired him, treating him as an honored guest. Sun Bin in turn felt indebted to Tian Ji, and often found ways to help him.

At that time, horse racing was the most popular form of entertainment for the

nobles of Qi. Everyone from the king to the cabinet ministers amused themselves at the horse races, betting huge sums of money on the outcomes. Tian Ji often bet with the king and other officials, but he always lost. One day he lost again at the horse races, and when he got home he was depressed. Sun Bin cheered him up, saying, \

At the next horse race, Sun Bin followed Tian Ji to the racetrack. All the officials

as well as the common people were there to see the excitement. Sun Bin learned that all the horses were divided into three classes by speed, and that their saddles corresponded to their class. Everyone's horses raced according to their class, and matches were decided by a best-of-three format.

Watching closely, Sun Bin realized Tian Ji's horses were not much different from

the others. He was losing because he wasn't using good strategy. Sun Bin said to Tian Ji, \was very glad, and immediately took a thousand pieces of gold and invited the king to compete with him. The king had never lost at horse racing, so he happily accepted Tian Ji's request.

Before the races began, Tian Ji followed Sun Bin's plan. He put the first-class

saddle on his third-class horse, so that it passed for a first-class horse, and sent it to race with the king's first-class horse. The race started, and when the king saw his good horse sprinting out ahead, and Tian Ji's horse falling far behind, he laughed proudly, long and hard. In the second match, still following Sun Bin's plan, Tian Ji sent his first-class horse to compete with the king's second-class horse. Amidst great cheering,

Tian Ji's horse sprinted ahead of the king's horse, to everyone's surprise, and won the second race.

In the crucial third race, Tian Ji's second-class horse was matched with the king's

third-class horse. Again Tian Ji's horse sprinted ahead of the king's horse. Thus Tian Ji beat the king, 2 races to 1.

The king was speechless. He had never lost a race before. He had no idea where

Tian Ji had gotten such good racehorses. Tian Ji told the king that his victory was not in fact due to finding better horses, but to using strategy. Then he revealed Sun Bin's strategy. The king understood, and immediately took Sun Bin into the imperial palace. Sun Bin told the king that when two sides are equal, appropriate strategies can be used to defeat the opponent, and when two sides are unevenly matched, appropriate strategies can be used to minimize losses.

Afterwards, the king appointed Sun Bin his military advisor over the whole

kingdom's army. From then on, Sun Bin helped Tian Ji improve the Qi army's battle tactics, and the Qi army won victory after victory over the armies of other kingdoms.

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