| Here are some of the more interesting things I picked up from"The Art of War" an ancient Chinese military text written by Sun-Tzu. This work is generally considered to be among the most important pieces of literature on the subject of strategy. Opportunities mulitply as they are siezed The highest realization of warfare is to attack the enemy's plans There are five factors from which victory can be known: One who knows when he can fight, and when he cannot fight, will be victorious One who recognizes how to employ large and small numbers will be voctorious One whose ranks have the same desires will be victorious One who, fully prepared, awaits the unprepared, will be victorious One who is capable and not interfered with will be victorious One who knows the enemy, and knows himself, will not be endangered in a hundred engagments Being unconquerable lies within yourself. One who cannot be victorious assumes a defensive posture; one who can be victorious attacks. One who excels first establishes himself in a position where he cannot be defeated, while not losing any opportunity to defeat the enemy. The colors do not exceed five, but the changes of the five colors can never be completely seen. Simulated chaos is given birth from control. One who excels at moving the enemy deploys in a configuration to which the enemy must respond, he offers something that the enemy must seize. Race forth where he does not expect it. To effect an unhampered advance strike thier vacuities. Attack objectives they must rescue. What is most difficult is turning adversity into advantage Do not pursue feigned retreats, do not swallow the army acting as bait. Do not rely on thier not attacking, rely on having an unassailable position. If you know them and know yourself, your victory will not be imperiled. One who excels may be compared to the snake. If you strike its head the tail will respond, if you strike its tail the head will respond, and if you strike its center, both the head and tail will respond. If the enemy opens the door, you must race in. If someone is victorious in battle, but does not exploit the acheivment, it is disasterous, and his fate should be termed 'wasteful'. If it is not advantageous do not move, when it is advantageous move. What others want, we will give them, what they abandon we will take. One who is in difficulty but does not make plans, is impoverished. One who is impoverished and does not fight is lost. There are roads that are not followed, there is terrain for which one does not contend. BACK TO HOME |