Sun Tzu Quotes

When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. ~ Sun Tzu

Generally, management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization. And to control many is the same as to control few. This is a matter of formations and signals. ~ Sun Tzu

It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle. - Sun Tzu ~ Siddhartha Mukherjee

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. ~ Sun Tzu

The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points; ~ Sun Tzu

The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat: - let such a one be dismissed! ~ Sun Tzu

At first, then, exhibit the coyness of a maiden, until the enemy gives you an opening; afterwards emulate the rapidity of a running hare, and it will be too late for the enemy to oppose you. ~ Sun Tzu

Balk the enemy's power; force him to reveal himself. ~ Sun Tzu

Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of business. ~ Sun Tzu

When strong, appear weak. Brave, appear fearful. Orderly, appear chaotic. Full, appear empty. Wise, appear foolish. Many, appear to be few. Advancing, appear to retreat. Moving quickly, appear to be slow. Taking, appear to leave. In one place, appear to be in another. ~ Sun Tzu

In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack
the
direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to
an endless series of maneuvers. ~ Sun Tzu

My eldest brother sees the spirit of sickness and removes it before it takes shape, so his name does not get out of the house. My elder brother cures sickness when it is still extremely minute, so his name does not get out of the neighborhood. As for me, I puncture veins, prescribe potions, and massage skin, so from time to time my name gets out and is heard among the lords. ~ Sun Tzu

Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots. ~ Sun Tzu

He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them. ~ Sun Tzu

There are not more than five primary colors (blue, yellow, red, white, and black), yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. ~ Sun Tzu

Know the enemy, know yourself and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles. ~ Sun Tzu

The Completer and Wu Wang all used spears and battle-axes in order to succor their generation. The SSU-MA FA says: If one man slay another of set purpose, he himself ~ Sun Tzu

Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the whole Empire says, "Well done! ~ Sun Tzu

In all history, there is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. Only one who knows the disastrous effects of a long war can realize the supreme importance of rapidity in bringing it to a close. ~ Sun Tzu

The dance of battle is always played to the same impatient rhythm. What begins in a surge of violent motion is always reduced to the perfectly still. ~ Sun Tzu

We become one body ; the enemy being separated into ten parts. We attack the divided ten with the united one. We are many, the enemy is few, and in superiority of numbers there is economy of strength. ~ Sun Tzu

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

No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique. ~ Sun Tzu

Heaven and earth are not humanistic - they regard myriad beings as straw dogs; sages are not humanistic - they regard people as straw dogs, ~ Sun Tzu

Leaders can change the tenor of the workplace and create harmony in motion toward a favorable result. So every time you say to your team, "Let's rock and roll," make sure you have already set up the stage to where they can actually perform like rock stars. ~ Thomas Huynh

Therefore the master of war causes the enemy's forces to yield, but without fighting ; he captures his fortress, but without besieging it ; and without lengthy fighting takes the enemy's kingdom. Without tarnishing his weapons he gains the complete advantage. This is the assault by stratagem. ~ Sun Tzu

You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended. ~ Sun Tzu

When the outlook is bright, bring it before their eyes; but tell them nothing when the situation is gloomy. ~ Sun Tzu

The best general is the one who never fights. ~ Sun Tzu

Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack. ~ Sun Tzu

Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm ~ Sun Tzu

The leader of armies is the arbiter of the people's fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in peril. ~ Sun Tzu

Keep your fiends close and your enemies even closer. ~ Sun Tzu

Thus, though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays. ~ Sun Tzu

The best military policy is to attack strategies; the next to attack alliances; the next to attack soldiers. ~ Sun Tzu

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 ~ Sun Tzu

The art of using troops is this:
... When ten to the enemy's one, surround him;
... When five times his strength, attack him;
... If double his strength, divide him;
... If equally matched you may engage him;
... If weaker numerically, be capable of withdrawing;
... And if in all respects unequal, be capable of eluding him,
... for a small force is but booty for one more powerful. ~ Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu Wu was a native of the Ch`i State. His Art of War brought him to the notice of Ho Lu, King of Wu. Ho Lu said to him: "I have carefully perused your 13 chapters. May I submit your theory of managing soldiers to a slight test? ~ Sun Tzu

Be stern in the council-chamber, [Show no weakness, and insist on your plans being ratified by the sovereign.] so that you may control the situation. ~ Sun Tzu

8. EARTH comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death. 9. The COMMANDER stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerely, benevolence, courage and strictness. ~ Sun Tzu

However desperate the situation and circumstances, don't despair. When there is everything to fear, be unafraid. When surrounded by dangers, fear none of them. When without resources, depend on resourcefulness. When surprised, take the enemy by surprise. ~ Sun Tzu

Fear comes from uncertainty; we can eliminate the fear within us when we know ourselves better. As the great Sun Tzu said: When you know yourself and your opponent, you will win every time. When you know yourself but not your opponent, you will win one and lose one. However, when you do not know yourself or your opponent, you will be imperiled every time. ~ Bruce Lee

As water shapes its flow in accordance with the ground, so an army manages its victory in accordance with the situation of the enemy. ~ Sun Tzu

The Chinese general Sun Tzu said that all war was based on deception. Oscar Wilde said the same thing of romance. ~ Marco Tempest

Thus, what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge. ~ Sun Tzu

The essential factor of military success is speed, that is taking advantage of others' unpreparedness or lack of foresight, their failure to catch up, going by routes they do not expect, attacking where they are not on guard. This you cannot accomplish with hesitation. ~ Sun Tzu

In a position of this sort, even though the enemy should offer us an attractive bait, it will be advisable not to stir forth, but rather to retreat, thus enticing the enemy in his turn; then, when part of his army has come out, we may deliver our attack with advantage. ~ Sun Tzu

On the field of battle, the spoken word does not carry far enough; hence the institution of gongs and drums ... banners and flags. Gongs and drums, banners and flags, are means whereby the ears and eyes of the host may be focused on one particular point. ~ Sun Tzu

The good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy. ~ Sun Tzu

If we wish to wrest an advantage from the enemy, we must not fix our minds on that alone, but allow for the possibility of the enemy also doing some harm to us, and let this enter as a factor into our calculations. ~ Sun Tzu

One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own terms or fights not at all. ~ Sun Tzu

On open ground, do not try to block the enemy's way. On the ground of intersecting highways, join hands with your allies. ~ Sun Tzu

There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed. ~ Sun Tzu

Do not press an enemy at bay. Prince Fu Ch'ai said: Wild beasts, when at bay, fight desperately. How much more is this true of men! If they know there is no alternative, they will fight to the death. ~ Sun Tzu

To plan secretly, to move surreptitiously, to foil the enemy's intentions and balk his schemes, so that at last the day may be won without shedding a drop of blood. ~ Sun Tzu

The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected. ~ Sun Tzu

When a general, unable to estimate the enemy's strength, allows an inferior force to engage a larger one, or hurls a weak detachment against a powerful one, and neglects to place picked soldiers in the front rank, the result must be rout. ~ Sun Tzu

Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards ... Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing. Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain. ~ Sun Tzu

And addressed them thus: I presume you know the difference between front and back, right hand and left hand? ~ Sun Tzu

The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they will become double agents and available for our service. It is through the information brought by the double agent that we are able to acquire and employ local and inward spies. It is owing to his information, again, that we can cause the doomed spy to carry false tidings to the enemy. ~ Sun Tzu

Bravery without forethought, causes a man to fight blindly and desperately like a mad bull. Such an opponent, must not be encountered with brute force, but may be lured into an ambush and slain. ~ Sun Tzu

Don't flail against the world, use it. Flexibility is the operative principle in the art of war. ~ Sun Tzu

To ... not prepare is the greatest of crimes; to be prepared beforehand for any contingency is the greatest of virtues. ~ Sun Tzu

All war is based on deception. ~ Sun Tzu

The host thus forming a single united body, is it impossible either for the brave to advance alone, or for the cowardly to retreat alone ~ Sun Tzu

In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them. ~ Sun Tzu

he not honestly believed the contrary. And it is precisely on such a point that the judgment of an educated Chinaman will carry most weight. Other internal evidence is not far to seek. Thus in XIII. ss. 1, there is an unmistakable allusion to the ancient system ~ Sun Tzu

The value of time, that is of being a little ahead of your opponent, often provides greater advantage than superior numbers or greater resources. ~ Sun Tzu

He who advances without seeking fame,
Who retreats without escaping blame,
He whose one aim is to protect his people and serve his lord,
The man is a jewel of the Realm ~ Sun Tzu

I pee in the toilets of my enemies, so that when they flush my pee comes out ~ Sun Tzu

So there are five ways of knowing who will win. Those who know when to fight and when not to fight are victorious. Those who discern when to use many or few troops are victorious. Those whose upper and lower ranks have the same desire are victorious. ~ Sun Tzu

If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak. ~ Sun Tzu

In the future as in the past, both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu will undoubtedly have a lot to offer. ~ Martin Van Creveld

It is imperative to contest all factions for complete victory, so the army is not garrisoned and the profit can be total. This is the law of strategic siege. ~ Sun Tzu

Those skilled in warfare move the enemy, and are not moved by the enemy. ~ Sun Tzu

Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources. ~ Sun Tzu

The control of a large force is the same principle
as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up
their numbers. ~ Sun Tzu

I thought there was no use for me in reading Sun Tzu and Machiavelli because I am neither a warrior nor a politician, but it turned out to be useful when I married ~ Bangambiki Habyarimana

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

Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory:
1 He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
2 He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
3 He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
4 He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
5 He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign. ~ Sun Tzu

It is the business of a general to be serene and inscrutable, impartial and self-controlled. ~ Sun Tzu

By reinforcing every part, he weakens every part. ~ Sun Tzu

Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley. ~ Sun Tzu

Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance. ~ Sun Tzu

Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor damped, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue. ~ Sun Tzu

Use humility to make the enemy haughty. Tire them by flight. Cause division among them. When they are unprepared, attack and make your move when they do not expect it. ~ Sun Tzu

Being unconquerable lies with yourself; being conquerable lies with your enemy. ~ Sun Tzu

If you fight with all your might, there is a chance of life; where as death is certain if you cling to your corner ~ Sun Tzu

Without harmony in the State, no military expedition can be undertaken; without harmony in the army, no battle array can be formed. ~ Sun Tzu

Should one ask: 'how do I cope with a well-ordered enemy host about to attack me?' I reply: seize something he cherishes and he will conform to your desires. ~ Sun Tzu

To perceive victory when it is known to all is not really skilful. Everyone calls victory in battle good, but it is not really good. ~ Sun Tzu

Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without delay, is desperate ground. ~ Sun Tzu

The ultimate skill in taking up a strategic position is to have no form. ~ Sun Tzu

If his forces are united, separate them. ~ Sun Tzu

When I wish to give battle, my enemy, even though protected by high walls and deep moats, cannot help but engage me, for I attack a position he must succor. When I wish to avoid battle I may defend myself simply by drawing a line on the ground; the enemy will be unable to attack me because I divert him from going where he wishes. ~ Sun Tzu

The general who does not advance to seek glory, or does not withdraw to avoid punishment, but cares for only the people's security and promotes the people's interests, is the nation's treasure. ~ Sun Tzu

In conflict, straightforward actions generally lead to engagement, surprising actions generally lead to victory. ~ Sun Tzu

5,6. The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger. ~ Sun Tzu

Someone unfamiliar with the mountains and forests cannot advance [the team]. One who does not employ local guides cannot gain the advantage. ~ Sun Tzu

12. If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground. All we need do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way. [This extremely concise expression is intelligibly paraphrased by Chia Lin: "even though we have constructed neither wall nor ditch." Li Ch'uan says: "we puzzle him by strange and unusual dispositions;" and Tu Mu finally clinches the meaning by three illustrative anecdotes - one of Chu-ko Liang, who when occupying Yang-p'ing and about to be attacked by Ssu-ma I, suddenly struck his colors, stopped the beating of the drums, and flung open the city gates, showing only a few men engaged in sweeping and sprinkling the ground. This unexpected proceeding had the intended effect; for Ssu-ma I, suspecting an ambush, actually drew off his army and retreated. What Sun Tzu is advocating here, therefore, is nothing more nor less than the timely use of "bluff."] ~ Sun Tzu