田忌赛马 Tianji’s 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 kingd om there was a man named Sun Bin who served as an official. However, because he was persecuted by his fell ow official Pang Juan, and then rescued by an envoy from the Qi kingd om, he ended up in the capital of the Qi kingd om.

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 ind ebted to Tian Ji, and often found ways to help him.

At that time, horse racing was the most popular form of entertainment for the nobl es 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 l ost again at the horse races, and when he got home he was d epressed. Sun Bin cheered him up, saying, "Next time, take me to watch the races. I may be abl e to help you."

At the next horse race, Sun Bin foll owed Tian Ji to the racetrack. All the

officials as well as the common peopl e were there to see the excitement. Sun Bin l earned that all the horses were divid ed into three classes by speed, and that their saddl es correspond ed to their class. Everyone's horses raced according to their class, and matches were decid ed by a best-of-three format.

Watching cl osely, Sun Bin realized Tian Ji's horses were not much different from the others. He was l osing because he wasn't using good strategy. Sun Bin said to Tian Ji, "Don't worry, general, I have a way for you to win." When Tian Ji heard this, he was very glad, and immediately took a thousand pieces of gol d 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 saddl e 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.