Sun Tzu

To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance read more

To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

The proximity of an army causes prices to go up; and high prices cause people's substance to be drained away. read more

The proximity of an army causes prices to go up; and high prices cause people's substance to be drained away. When their substance is drained away, they will be afflicted by heavy exactions. With this loss of substance and exhaustion of strength, the homes of the people will be stripped bare, and their incomes dissipated.

To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.

To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.

If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting read more

If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result is victory, then you must not fight, even at the ruler's bidding.

Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.

Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.