Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Sun Tzu (Chinese Military Leader)

Sun Tzu (fl. c.544–496 BCE,) also Sunzi, Sun-pin, or Sun-wu, was a legendary Chinese warrior-philosopher, general, and military theorist. He is recognized as the author of The Art of War (Bingfa,) the world’s leading treatise of military strategy. It soon became influential in China and then Japan, not only for its advice on conducting and avoiding war but also for its approach to policy on the whole.

Academics speculate if Sun Tzu was a real person or a mythical figure. He is believed to be from the beginning of the Iron Age in China, about the time of Confucius. He may have been the historical Sun Wu, a military adviser at the court of King Helü of Wu (who ruled 514–496 BCE,) one of the kings in power in the Warring States period of Chinese history (sixth to fifth-century BCE.)

Sun Tzu’s narratives and contemplations in The Art of War fill barely 25 pages of text and are organized into 13 chapters. With only about six thousand Chinese characters in length, The Art of War is a much abbreviated, aphoristic text, both philosophical and pragmatic in its exposition on principles of military strategy.

Not unlike many great works of military thought, The Art of War is a blend of profound philosophy and thorough—and partly out-of-date—tactical directions. Its objective is documented in the opening sentence, “war is a matter of vital importance to the state; the province of life and death; the road to survival or ruin. It is mandatory that it be thoroughly studied.”

The first translation of Sun Tzu into a western language was by the French Jesuit missionary Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, published in Paris in 1772. Many European language translations emerged in the 19th century, and the influence of The Art of War spread to military academies around the world. It is thought of as a critical influence on military thinking inside and outside of Asia. Sun Tzu was immensely influential on Mao Zedong and the Soviet military system.

The Art of War is often used as a yardstick for Western political analysts to inform their work on China (particularly its cautiousness against the use of offensive force,) which is seen as being unharmonious and too pricey. Besides, the book has also been widely adapted to a business context—especially to influence interpersonal office dynamics, develop long-term business strategies, and anticipate the actions of competitors. Numerous books such as Mark R. McNeilly’s Sun Tzu and the Art of Business have applied its precepts to the fields of management, corporate politics, and negotiating.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Sun Tzu

If our soldiers are not overburdened with money, it is not because they have a distaste for riches; if their lives are not unduly long, it is not because they are disinclined to longevity.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Navy, The Military, Army

Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Soldiers

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.
—Sun Tzu

To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Excellence

If you are near the enemy, make him believe you are far from him.
If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Enemy

O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be invisible, through you inaudible and hence we can hold the enemy’s fate in our hands.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Secrets

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Quality, Decisions

Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Persuasion, Battle, Excellence

Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be defeated.
—Sun Tzu

Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise, for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Unhappiness

All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: War

Invincibility lies in the defence; the possibility of victory in the attack.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Victory

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Victory, Defeat

Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Defeat, War

If I wish to engage, then the enemy, for all his high ramparts and deep moat, cannot avoid engagement; I attack that which he is obliged to rescue.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: War

So it is said that if you know others, and know yourself,
you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles;
if you do not know others but know yourself,
you win one and lose one;
if you do not know others and do not know yourself,
you will be imperiled in every single battle.
—Sun Tzu

The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.
—Sun Tzu

The one who figures on victory at headquarters before even doing battle is the one who has the most strategic factors on his side.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Battle

The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Defeat

Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy’s strategy.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Enemy

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.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Victory

Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Army

A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.
—Sun Tzu

All war is based on deception.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Deception

Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Defense, War

One who sets the entire army in motion to chase an advantage will not attain it.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Army

To a surrounded enemy, you must leave a way of escape.
—Sun Tzu
Topics: Enemy

There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare.
—Sun Tzu

So the important thing in a military operation is victory, not persistence.
—Sun Tzu

Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
—Sun Tzu

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