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
waiting enemy firsts
First learn to become invincible, then wait for your enemy's moment of vulnerability.
rivers long waiting
Wait by the river long enough and the body of your enemy will float by you.
war winning waiting
He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
art war waiting
With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up.
art waiting enemy
Of old the expert in battle would first make himself invincible and then wait for his enemy to expose his vulnerability.
captures cities disputes forces intact kingdom laying leader lengthy mastery operations siege troops
The skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field. With his forces intact he disputes the mastery of the emp
art blunders giving minor orders petty rectify swayed
The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify the minor blunders and not to be swayed by petty doubts.
battles breaking conquer conquest consists excellence fight resistance supreme
To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
victory
So it is said that victory can be made.
dark fall night plans
Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.
chinese-philosopher country instance prolonged
There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.
forbid result ruler sure though
If fighting is sure to result in victory, than you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler's bidding.
country war
There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited.
consists enemy excellence supreme warfare
Supreme excellence in warfare consists of subduing the enemy without fighting.