The Art of War (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

• Master Sun: Author and character in treatise
• Wei: Add a description of this character.
• Pang
• Wu
• Chang Yu
• Wei Liao Tzu
• Wu Tzu
• Giles
• Mo Tun
• Wang Hsi
• Chia Lin
• Li Ching
• Liang
• Han Hsin
• Turenne
• Yueh
• Tu Mu
• Ho Shih
• Hao
• Meng Shih
• Chu
• Kou Chien
• Col. Henderson
• Tso
• Kuei
• Ho Lu
• Wang Tzu
• Zhang
• Li Quan
• Cao Cao
• Li Mi

Quotes edit see section history

• “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles”

• “In war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak”

• “The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals”

• “When you surround an army, leave an outlet free”

• “Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.”

• “Attaining one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the pinnacle of excellence. Subjugating the enemy's army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence.”

• “No country has ever profited from protracted warfare. Those who do not thoroughly comprehend the dangers inherent in employing the army are incapable of truly knowing the potential advantages of military actions”

• “Knowledge of the enemy’s disposition can only be obtained from other men. Knowledge of the spirit world is to be obtained by the divination; information in natural science may be sought by inductive reasoning; the laws of the universe can be verified by mathematical calculations; but the dispositions of the enemy are ascertainable through spies and spies alone.”

• “Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”

  Sun Tzu

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• ‘Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril.

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• The first of these factors is moral influence; the second, weather; the third, terrain; the fourth, command; and the fifth, doctrine.

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• For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.

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• By command I mean the general’s qualities of wisdom, sincerity, humanity, courage, and strictness.

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• For there has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited.

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• Victory is the main object in war.1 If this is long delayed, weapons are blunted and morale depressed. When troops attack cities, their strength will be exhausted.

  Highlighted by 56 Kindle customers

• When he concentrates, prepare against him; where he is strong, avoid him.

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• When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders. The Book of Changes says: ‘In happiness at overcoming difficulties, people forget the danger of death.’

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• All warfare is based on deception. 18. Therefore, when capable, feign incapacity; when active, inactivity. 19. When near, make it appear that you are far away; when far away, that you are near. 20. Offer the enemy a bait to lure him; feign disorder and strike him.

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• Generally, management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization.2

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Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Chia Lin
• Confucius
• Chao
• Heaven
• Chou
• China
• Hsia
• Ung Tien

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by The Book of Deeds of Arms and of Chivalry, and followed by Don Quixote.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Sun Tzu (Author)
2. Charles River Editors (Author)

Other Contributors:

1. Hagopian Institute (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: U101 .S95
• Dewey: 355.02

Notes for Parents edit see section history

NOT FOR CHILDREN!

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Nonfiction › Philosophy › Eastern › Chinese
• Books › History › Military Science
• Books › History › Military

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• Book Review: The Art of War is about far more than war. It is about any sort of struggle or confrontation. Taken literally, I can see how the advice would have helped in ancient warfare; taken metaphorically, you can easily apply the techniques to business, politics, or any other place that contention or conflict exists.
• Web Site for People who follow The Art of War: Discuss important issues with other Sun Tzu readers. One of the more intellectual conversations on the Web.
• Book Review: The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it has long been praised as the classic work on military strategies and tactics of its time. As one of the oldest and most famous studies of strategy, it has had a huge influence on military planning, business tactics, and beyond. First translated into a European language in 1782 by French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, it had been credited with influencing Napoleon, the German General Staff, and even the planning of Operation Desert Storm. Leaders as diverse as Mao Zedong, Vo Nguyen Giap, and General Douglas MacArthur have claimed to have drawn inspiration from the work.
• Wikipedia Article on The Art of War: The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise that is attributed to Sun Tzu , a high ranking military general and strategist of the Kingdom of Wu who was active in the late-sixth century BC, during the late Spring and Autumn period. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it is said to be the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time, and is still read for its military insights.
• Book Review: What are the principles of war; what are their philosophical foundations, and what methods of waging war do they imply? In ancient China, a thriving culture of thinkers tried to answer such questions. They derived principles of warfare from ideas that were fundamental to their own philosophies and applied those principles to the practical needs of military commanders. The extant remains of these works have been compiled into the so-called seven Chinese military classics, the best preserved of which is Art of War by Sun-Tzu, who lived sometime between 450 and 250 BC, about the time of classical Greece.
• Book Review: The small book has been used by generals planning battle, businessmen planning hostile takeovers, politicians planning their campaigns, and everyone in between. It's the most used and most widely known strategy book in existence. Naturally, there are passages that don't relate directly to modern times or even modern warfare. Nobody uses spears and bucklers in large-scale war anymore. But the basic thoughts about strategy are just as valid today and will continue to be as long as people insist on playing power games. However, the book can't give tips for modern times; that is for readers to mine from it themselves. Most of Sun-Tzu's advice is quite simple, but clearly we need to be reminded of the basics from time to time. The book is more a philosophy on life than a guide to war; people attracted to Eastern philosophy will quite likely get the most out of it.

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