Quotes from Sun Tzu

preserved in the T`UNG TIEN, and another in Ho Shin's commentary. It is suggested that before his interview with Ho Lu, Sun Tzu had only written the 13 chapters, but afterwards composed a sort of exegesis in the form of question and answer between himself and the King. Pi I-hsun, the author of the SUN TZU HSU LU, backs this up with a quotation from the WU YUEH CH`UN CH`IU: The King

The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy.

War is a place of life and death, a path towards survival and destruction.

Una operación militar implica engaño. Aunque seas competente, aparenta ser incompetente. Aunque seas efectivo, muéstrate ineficaz.

Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.

No hay más de cinco notas musicales, y sin embargo, las combinaciones de estas cinco dan lugar a más melodías de las que nunca se podrán oír.

Vojska mají pÄ›t jmen: První z nich je HrozivÄ› silné, druhé je Obrovsky domýÅ¡livé, tÃ…â"¢etí je Pevné a neochvÄ›jné, ?tvrté je Bázlivé a podezíravé, páté je Nejisté a slabé.

Las armas son instrumentos de mal augurio

Every commander is aware of this five fundamental determinants: the path, the heaven, the earth, the leadership and discipline

Those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him. One able to make the enemy come of his own accord does so by offering him some advantage. And one able to prevent him from coming does so by hurting him. If you are able to hold critical points on his strategic roads the enemy cannot come. Therefore Master Wang said: 'When a cat is at the rat hole, ten thousand rats dare not come out; when a tiger guards the ford, ten thousand deer cannot cross.

of Turenne, deception of the enemy, especially as to the numerical strength of his troops, took a

cited by Pi I-hsun, we may see in this theory a probable solution of the mystery. Between Ssu-ma Ch`ien and

Tzu except the 82 P`IEN, whereas the Sui and T`ang bibliographies give the titles of others in addition to the 13 chapters, is good proof, Pi I-hsun thinks, that all of these were contained in the 82 P`IEN. Without

Moreover, The Art of War ends with a quiet coda whose firm assertion is too often overlooked: that even the most impressive empires fall as soon as their rulers, by their careless conduct, lose or cast aside the best men in their employ.

6. There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.

He who only sees the obvious, wins his battles with difficulty; he who looks below the surface of things, wins with ease.

very well represent a collected edition of these lumped together with the original work. It is also possible

All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved

Spies are a most important element in water, because on them depends an army's ability to move.

The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerely, benevolence, courage and strictness.

The naked man fears no pickpocketing

latter accretions are not to be considered part of the original work. Tu Mu's assertion can certainly not be taken as proof. There is every reason to suppose, then, that the 13 chapters existed in the time of Ssu-ma

Throw the troops into a position from which there is no escape and even when faced with death they will not flee. For if prepared to die, what can they not achieve? Then officers and men together put forth their utmost efforts. In a desperate situation they fear nothing; when there is no way out they stand firm. Deep in a hostile land they are bound together, and there, where there is no alternative, they will engage the enemy in hand to hand combat.

When doing battle, seek a quick victory. A protracted battle will blunt weapons and dampen ardor. If troops lay siege to a walled city, their strength will be exhausted. If the army is exposed to a prolonged campaign, the nation's resources will not suffice.4 When weapons are blunted and ardor dampened, strength exhausted and resources depleted, the neighboring rulers will take advantage of these complications.5