Tao Te Ching
Sun Tzu 孙武
(Sun Zi)
544 – 496 BCE
HIstory's supreme strategist
A huge influence in China from the first emperor, Qin's Shi Huangdi who considered Sun Tau’ strategy invaluable in his success to Mao Zedong who partially credited to him his 1949 victory over Chiang Kai-shek; Sun Tau also became influential in the West during the twentieth century. It helped leaders unify Japan, generals in Viet Nam win over superior French and American forces, Colin Powell win the Gulf War and continues to help people all over the world involved in politics, the military, business, sports and any competitive endeavor. Sun Tzu uses Daoist principles and terms emphasizing victory over aggression, taking whole, how to be rather than what to do.
Lineages
Trickster
Eras
Western
Egyptian Civilization (3150 – 305 BCE)The Axial Age, “The Great Leap of Being” (800 – 200 BCE)
Sources
Unlisted Sources
Quotes by Sun Tzu (52 quotes)
“Being prepared and awaiting the unprepared is victory.”
Chapters:
26. The Still Rule the Restless
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“Defend and one has a surplus. Attack and one is insufficient…Taking whole is victory over aggression… It preserves the possibilities. Victory is ongoing, a way of being rather than a final goal.”
Chapters:
31. Victory Funeral
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“Do not repeat the means of victory respond to form from the inexhaustible.”
Chapters:
49. No Set Mind
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“Faced with chaos or conflict, the sage commander looks first to the largest reference point. No matter what ground he has been given, he always thinks bigger… he looks to the space around things.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
27. No Trace
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“Generals who advance with no thought of fame, who retreat with no fear of punishment, who think only of protecting their country and helping their king are the treasures of the realm.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
69. No Enemy
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“He advances yet does not seek fame,
He retreats yet does not avoid blame.
He seeks only to preserve the people.”
Chapters:
9. Know When to Stop
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“If you climb to a height and beckon, it’s not that your arm grows longer, but it is seen from farther away. If you yell downwind it’s not that the sound gets swifter, but it is heard more clearly.”
Chapters:
32. Uncontrived Awareness
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“In seeing victory, not going beyond what everyone knows is not skilled… One skilled at battle takes a stand in the ground of no defeat… Therefore, the victorious military is first victorious and after that does battle.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
60. Less is More
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“Knowing the other and knowing oneself,
In one hundred battles no danger.
Not knowing the other and knowing oneself, one victory for one loss.
Not knowing the other and not knowing oneself, in every battle certain defeat.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
33. Know Yourself
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“One skilled at battle takes a stand in the ground of no defeat… the victorious military is first victorious and after than does battle… And so one who is skilled cultivates Tao and preserves method.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
60. Less is More
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“Resolved to die one can be killed.
Resolved to live, one can be captured.
Quick to anger, one can be goaded.
Pure and honest, one can be shamed.
Loving the people one can be aggravated.
All five are excesses.”
Chapters:
45. Complete Perfection
32. Uncontrived Awareness
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“The all-victorious sage commander doesn’t attain victory by bringing the enemy over to his side. Instead he creates a larger view that includes both sides.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
22. Heaven's Door
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“the form of the military is like water. Water in its movement avoids the high and hastens to the low. The military in its victory avoids the solid and strikes the empty. The water determines its movement in accordance with the earth. The military determines victory in accordance with the enemy.”
Chapters:
8. Like Water
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“The military in its victory avoids the solid and strikes the empty. Thus water determines its movement in accordance with the earth.”
Chapters:
30. No War
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“The Rearing Serpent sports in the mists,
This Flying Dragon rides on the clouds.
But when the clouds are gone and the mists have cleared,
They are no different from earthworms.”
Chapters:
34. An Unmoored Boat
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“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
Chapters:
73. Heaven’s Net
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“Therefore, 100 victories in 100 battles is not the most skillful. Subduing the other’s military without battle is the most skillful.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
66. Go Low
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“Know the other and know oneself,
Then victory is not in danger.
Know earth and know heaven,
Then victory can be complete.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
24. Unnecessary Baggage
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“To go one thousand li without fear, go through unpeopled ground. To attack and surely take it, attack where they do not defend. To defend and surely hold firm, defend where they will surely attack.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
50. Claws and Swords
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“Trust in self interest, spread one’s awesomeness over the enemy... Victory can be known. It cannot be made… And so the superior military cuts down strategy. Its inferior cuts down alliances. Its inferior cuts down the military. The worst attacks walled cities.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
54. Planting Well
28. Turning Back
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“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“By reinforcing every part, he weakens every part.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“It is easy to love your friend, but sometimes the hardest lesson to learn is to love your enemy.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“Pretend to be weak so that your opponent may grow arrogant.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“Those who win success, think deeply before doing anything. Those who suffer failure, avoid contemplation and make few calculations beforehand.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“The king only loves the words, he cannot make use of the reality.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war who an thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“The value of time—being a little ahead of our opponent—has counted for more than either numerical superiority or the best calculations”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“Protecting ourselves against defeat is in our own hands; the opportunity of defeating the enemy is in theirs.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“He plans secretly, moves surreptitiously, and foils the enemy's intentions... but his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom or credit for courage because the world at large knows nothing of them.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
Chapters:
43. Inscrutable
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“In peace prepare for war, in war prepare for peace. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Under no circumstances can it be neglected.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“If the general is not victorious over his anger and sets them swarming like ants, one third of the officers and soldiers are killed”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“The most powerful form of deception is to create the existence of that which does not exist in order to create the nonexistence of that which exists.Thus he can hide in front of people's eyes”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“Projection can be as simple for the sage commander as confirming the projections that others present... Since the sage commander does not hold to a fixed position, the projection does not capture him and is not a threat.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“The sage commander moves beyond defeat by being victorious over his own aggression... the general who is not victorious over his anger brings destruction to his own troops as well as the enemy. Aggression gives the enemy something against which to fight. this mires the general in battle. The sage commander responds to aggression by creating space”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“When ten to one, surround them.
when five to one, attack them.
When two to one, do battle with them.
When matched, then divide them.
When fewer, then defend against them.
When inadequate, then avoid them.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“Like stones thrown on eggs... Victory is gained by surprise.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“The ultimate in giving form to the military is to arrive at formlessness. When one is formless, deep spies cannot catch a glimpse and the wise cannot strategize.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“The sage commander acts without care for others' opinions... he is not restricted to reasonability and negotiation”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“the sage commander.. is not what others expect, not where others look and not predictable in any way.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“A problem usually arises when one holds to a view that has become too small and inflexible. Addressing a problem as it is presented often reinforces the fixation that initially gave rise to it.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“suspending his habitual view, he looks to the space around things,.. The sage commander focuses on the bigger perspective that holds the key to both the problem and the solution... not going beyond what everyone knows is not skilled.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“Because all things are interconnected, you must know each one, and how each one affects and effects every other. Only then can you plan effectively.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“one skilled at battle seeks it in shih and does not demand it of people (seeing the simple and easy thing that changes the whole configuration)”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“Just as tending a garden makes room to observe and care for the seeds you have planted, a contemplative approach provides toom in your mind to see things in a simple and ordinary way.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“confront the enemy with a dilemma. Victory is not achieved by the physical destruction of the enemy but by their demoralization.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“To attack and surely take it, attack where they do not defend.”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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“The sage commander develops a natural sense of discipline that is based on appreciating the world and going along with its natural patterns”
from Art of War 孙子兵法
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Quotes about Sun Tzu (3 quotes)
“How then did the legend of Sun Tzu originate? It may be that the growing celebrity of the book imparted by degrees a kind of factious renown to its author... It is obvious that any attempt to reconstruct even the outline of Sun Tzu's life must be based almost wholly on conjecture.”
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“Sun Tzu said, 'The king only loves the words, he cannot make use of the reality.' After this, Ho-lu knew that Sun Tzu could command troops and in the end appointed him commander.”
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“Master of military tactics and strategy. His Art of War has been much studied and admired ever since it came to the attention of King Ho Lu of the state of Wu, who subsequently became Sun's patron.”
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