# Terrain: circumstances and responsibility: summary

Classifies terrain and military failures, assigning leaders responsibility for understanding circumstances, their people and the opposing side.

https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/sunzi/chapter-10-terrain-circumstances-and-responsibility

## Source and summary

[Sunzi · The Art of War · Terrain: circumstances and responsibility](https://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E5%AD%AB%E5%AD%90%E5%85%B5%E6%B3%95&oldid=7906064#%E5%9C%B0%E5%BD%A2%E7%AC%AC%E5%8D%81)

> 孫子曰：凡地形有通者、有掛者、有支者、有隘者、有險者、有遠者。我可以往，彼可以來，曰通。通形者，先居高陽，利糧道，以戰則利。可以往，難以返，曰掛。掛形者，敵無備，出而勝之；敵若有備…

Classifies terrain and military failures, assigning leaders responsibility for understanding circumstances, their people and the opposing side.

## Editorial interpretation

The example below adapts this chapter’s questions to modern work. Evaluate it against the actual purpose and conditions; ancient politics, warfare or ethics do not establish business results.

## Business application

Before blaming an owner for a failed project, review acceptance conditions, authority, training and dependencies; define management improvements too.

1. Choose one relevant case and record its objective, available resources, verified facts and unknowns.
2. Compare options using this chapter’s perspective; choose a limited trial, owner, deadline and a measure to assess the result.

Deliverable: A comparison using terrain: circumstances and responsibility, with conditions for acting or declining.

## Limits

The summary selects main points rather than translating every sentence. The example is not a demonstrated business method; check it against stakeholders’ conditions and actual evidence.

## Validation question

How does this chapter’s perspective change the selected option or priority, and what further evidence could change the decision?

[The Art of War: a guide to key ideas](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/sunzi)

[This material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/sunzi/chapter-10-terrain-circumstances-and-responsibility.en.md)

Updated: 2026-10-13 · v1.0.0