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Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu Quotes

Strategist

Sun Tzu, born around 544 BC and died around 496 BC, was a renowned Chinese military strategist. His military thoughts are mainly reflected in his book 'The Art of War', which is considered the classic of military strategy and has had a profound impact on various fields such as military, politics, and economics in later generations.

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All War Art Of War Art Enemy Army Strategist Victory Ifs War Strategy Battle Fighting Military Strategy Knows Winning May Men Advantage Firsts Force

Famous Sun Tzu Quotes

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

Art War Water Situation Enemy Victory Shapes Flow Army Manage Art Of War

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“The supreme excellence is not to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles. The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without having to fight them.”

Art War Fighting Winning Enemy Victory Battle Hundred Army Excellence Supreme Art Of War

Author:Sun Tzu

“It is the rule in war, if ten times the enemy's strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if double, be able to divide them; if equal, engage them; if fewer, defend against them; if weaker, be able to avoid them.”

Ifs Art War Able Enemy Five Ten Equal Army Surround Divides Fewer Art Of War

Author:Sun Tzu

“What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations.”

Art War Victory Essentials Army Operations Art Of War

Author:Sun Tzu

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

Art War Common Victory Army Excellence Art Of War Herds War Strategy War Victory

Book:Sun Tzu: The Art of War (Illustrated)

Source: Sun Tzu: The Art of War (Illustrated)

“Where the army is, prices are high; when prices rise the wealth of the people is exhausted.”

People Wealth Army Exhausted

Author:Sun Tzu

“A leader leads by example not by force.”

“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!”

Suffering Army Defeat Command Conquer Art Of War

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“The true objective of war is peace.”

War Army Objectives

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.”

Firsts Looks Has Beens War Fighting Victory Battle Army Defeat Destined Art Of War Strategist War Strategy Stratagem War Victory

Book:The Complete Art of War

Source: The Complete Art of War

“One defends when his strength is inadequate, he attacks when it is abundant.”

Army Art Of War Inadequate

Book:Sun Tzu: The Art of War for Managers; 50 Strategic Rules

Source: Sun Tzu: The Art of War for Managers; 50 Strategic Rules

“Being unconquerable lies with yourself; being conquerable lies with your enemy.”

Lying Enemy Army Unconquerable

Author:Sun Tzu

“Management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization.”

Matter Organization Army Management Art Of War

Author:Sun Tzu

“The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.”

Wells War Decision Quality Military Army Victim Strikes Art Of War Making Decisions Decisions Made Decisions You Make Falcon War Strategy Wise Decision

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary men is foreknowledge.”

Men War Reason Moving Enemy Wise Achievement Ordinary Army Warrior Conquer Enlightened Art Of War Ordinary Man Samurai Surpassing War Strategy

Author:Sun Tzu

“Therefore a victorious army first wins and then seeks battle; a defeated army first battles and then seeks victory.”

Firsts War Winning Victory Battle Army Defeated

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“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.”

People Home Causes Loss Army Heavy Income Substance Exhaustion Proximity Drained High Prices His Loss

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“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.”

War Law Victory Army Profit Contests Imperatives Strategic Factions Siege

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“It is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for the purposes of spying, and thereby they achieve great results.”

War Use Wisdom Purpose Results Wise Achieve Highest Army Enlightened Rulers Great Results

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“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.”

Ifs Two War Force Enemy Five Ten Army Surround Divides Art Of War Stratagem

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“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.”

War Position Army Towns Command Sovereign

Book:Strategy Six Pack

Source: Strategy Six Pack

“Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans, the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces, the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field, and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.”

Art War Form Order Next Force Cities Enemy Plans Worst Military Policy Fields Highest Army Art Of War Strategist Stratagem Junction

Book:Sun Tzu: The Art of War (Illustrated)

Source: Sun Tzu: The Art of War (Illustrated)

“Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals.”

Art Different War Fighting Military Army Command Signals Art Of War

Book:Sun Tzu: The Art of War (Illustrated)

Source: Sun Tzu: The Art of War (Illustrated)

“Maneuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous.”

Art War Military Dangerous Army Multitudes Art Of War Strategist Undisciplined

Book:SUN TZU on the ART OF WAR

Source: SUN TZU on the ART OF WAR

“Bestow rewards without regard to rule, issue orders without regard to previous arrangements; and you will be able to handle a whole army as though you had to do with but a single man.”

Men Art War Whole Able Order Issues Military Army Regard Rewards Handle Arrangements Art Of War Strategist Single Man War Strategy

Book:The Art of War (The Classic Lionel Giles Translation)

Source: The Art of War (The Classic Lionel Giles Translation)

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

Art Important War Moving Water Ability Depends Elements Army Spy Art Of War

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“Thus those skilled in war subdue the enemy's army without battle .... They conquer by strategy.”

War Enemy Battle Army Strategy Conquer

Author:Sun Tzu

“Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy. Do not interfere with an army that is returning home.”

Home Enemy Army Interfere Bait Returning Home

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“Without harmony in the State, no military expedition can be undertaken; without harmony in the army, no battle array can be formed.”

States Military Battle Army Harmony Expeditions

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“Hostile armies may face each other for years, striving for the victory which is decided in a single day. This being so, to remain in ignorance of the enemy's condition simply because one grudges the outlay of a hundred ounces of silver in honors and emoluments, is the height of inhumanity.”

Years May Faces Enemy Conditions Ignorance Victory Honor Hundred Decided Army Strive Height Silver Hostile Grudge Inhumanity

Author:Sun Tzu

“Place your army in deadly peril, and it will survive; plunge it into desperate straits, and it will come off in safety.”

War Army Safety Desperate Peril Art Of War Plunge

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“There are routes not to be followed, armies not to be attacked, citadels not to be besieged, territory not to be fought over.”

Inspirational Inspiration Army Territory Routes Alliances Citadels

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

About the Author

Born: 544 BC
Died: 496 BC
Known for: Strategist
Quotes: 544

Related Topics

War Art Of War Art Enemy Army Strategist Victory Ifs War Strategy Battle Fighting Military Strategy Knows Winning May Men Advantage Firsts Force

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

The Art of WarRelated source material

Strategy Six PackRelated source material

Sun Tzu's Art of War - Illustrated & Translated for Modern ReadersRelated source material

Sun Tzu: The Art of War (Illustrated)Related source material

Sun Tzu: The Art of War for Managers; 50 Strategic RulesRelated source material

The Complete Art of WarRelated source material

Sun Tzu's The Art of War: Bilingual Edition Complete Chinese and English TextRelated source material

Art of WarRelated source material

Sun Tzu Art of WarRelated source material

The Illustrated Art of WarRelated source material

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