Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu
Sun Tzuwas a Chinese general, military strategist, and philosopher who lived in the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China. Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, a widely influential work of military strategy that has affected both Western and Eastern philosophy. Aside from his legacy as the author of The Art of War, Sun Tzu is revered in Chinese and Asian culture as a legendary historical figure. His birth name was Sun Wu,...
NationalityChinese
ProfessionPhilosopher
CountryChina
loss winning enemy
If you know both yourself and your enemy, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.
fighting
The best general is the one who never fights.
desire
Those whose upper and lower ranks have the same desire are victorious.
war following-instructions giving
It is essential to seek out enemy agents who have come to conduct espionage against you and to bribe them to serve you. Give them instructions and care for them. Thus double agents are recruited and used.
unnecessary conflict strategy
The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict unnecessary.
distance army people
To maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be impoverished.
thousand
Kill one, terrify a thousand.
fighting warrior be-prepared
A warrior who is prepared to fight must also be prepared to die.
enemy important
It is more important to outhink your enemy, than to outfight him
fighting squares rocks
Getting people to fight by letting the force of momentum work is like rolling logs and rocks. Logs and rocks are still when in a secure place, but roll on an incline; they remain stationary if square, they roll if round. Therefore, when people are skillfully led into battle, the momentum is like that of round rocks rolling down a high mountain -- this is force.
military war winning
He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.
art-of-war water shapes
Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions.
enemy
Keep your fiends close and your enemies even closer.
successful skills outcomes
The successful person has unusual skill at dealing with conflict and ensuring the best outcome for all.