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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.

Sun Tzu

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Sun Tzu
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Kingdom of Qi
Sun Wu
Sun Zi
Changqing
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More quotes by Sun Tzu

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The skillful tactician may be likened to the shuai-jan. Now the shuai-jan is a snake that is found in the Ch'ang mountains. Strike at its head, and you will be attacked by its tail strike at its tail, and you will be attacked by its head strike at its middle, and you will be attacked by head and tail both.
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Secret operations are essential in war upon them the army relies to make its every move.
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So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak. 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.
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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.
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Weigh the situation, then move.
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Bestow rewards without respect to customary practice publish orders without respect to precedent. Thus you may employ the entire army as you would one man.
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When the higher officers are angry and insubordinate, and on meeting the enemy give battle on their own account from a feeling of resentment, before the commander-in-chief can tell whether or not he is in a position to fight, the result is ruin.
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One who speaks deferentially but increases his preparations will advance. One who speaks belligerently and advances hastily will retreat.
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It is the business of a general to be quiet and thus ensure secrecy upright and just, and thus maintain order.
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If an enemy has alliances, the problem is grave and the enemy's position strong if he has no alliances, the problem is minor and the enemy's position weak.
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When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting men become as it were like unto rolling logs or stones. For it is the nature of a log or stone to remain motionless on level ground, and to move when on a slope if four-cornered, to come to a standstill, but if round-shaped to go rolling down.
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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.
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The expert in battle seeks his victory from strategic advantage and does not demand it from his men.
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Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small.
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In the tumult and uproar, the battle seems chaotic, but there is no disorder, the troops appear to be milling about in circles but cannot be defeated.
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Until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared
Sun Tzu
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Therefore I say: know the enemy and know yourself in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril.
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The value of time, that is of being a little ahead of your opponent, often provides greater advantage than superior numbers or greater resources.
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Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend march swiftly to places where you are not expected.
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Therefore a victorious army first wins and then seeks battle a defeated army first battles and then seeks victory.
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