Sun Tzu Quotes

If we wish to fight, the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch. All we need do is attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve.

Sun Tzu said: 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 capture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them.

The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations.

Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State.

There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.

One need not destroy one's enemy. One need only destroy his willingness to engage.

The captured soldiers should be kindly treated and kept.

Excessive rewards are a sign of desperation. Excessive punishments are a sign of exhaustion.

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

If, on the other hand, in the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.

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.

licited from spirits; it cannot be obtained inductively from experience, nor by any

It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack him; if twice as numerous, to divide our army into two.

Confucius said, “People may have the finest talents, but if they are arrogant and stingy, their other qualities are not worthy of consideration.

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