The Art of War by Sun Tzu is one of the oldest military treatises on the art of strategy.

At the moment, it can be argued that this art is applicable in all areas of life, whether it is work in corporations, firms, not simple relationships with people, and more. etc. It is extremely interesting to consider The Art of War from a psychological point of view.

The commander embodies wisdom, trust, humanity, courage and severity.

War is a way of deceit. Therefore, even if you are capable, show your opponent your inability. When you have to bring your forces into battle, pretend to be inactive. When the target is close, show that it is far away; when she is really far away, give the impression that she is close.

Fake a profit to lure him in. Make disorder at its best and use it.

If it's full, get ready; if he is strong, avoid him.

If he is angry, disturb him; be respectful that he thinks of himself.

If the enemy is rested, make him strain his strength.

If it is united, separate it.

Attack where he is not prepared, or forward where he does not expect.

The strategy of warfare is as follows: if the strength is ten times greater than that of the enemy, surround him; if five times more, attack him; if twice as many, divide your forces. If the forces are equal, you can fight him. If there is less strength, outsmart him. If you are outnumbered, avoid him. Therefore, he who persists with the small will become a prisoner of the big.

The one who knows when to fight and when not to will win.

He who understands how to use great and small forces will win.

The one whose tops and bottoms burn with the same desire will win.

He who, fully prepared, waits for the unprepared, will win.

He who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be in danger even in a hundred battles. He who does not know the enemy, but knows himself, will either win or lose. He who knows neither the enemy nor himself will inevitably be defeated in every battle.

Invincibility lies within oneself; the possibility of victory depends on the enemy.

Therefore, one who succeeds in war can make himself invincible, but not necessarily can make the enemy submit, therefore it is said that the strategy of defeating the enemy can be learned, but not always can be applied.

The one who cannot win is on the defensive; who can win - attacks. Under these circumstances, if you take up defense, then there will be more than enough forces, while when attacking they will be lacking.

Those who know how to defend themselves burrow into the very depths of the Earth. He who knows how to attack falls from the very heights of Heaven. Thus they can save themselves and achieve complete victory.

To walk a thousand li and not get tired, cross unoccupied territories. To ensure the achievement of the goal when attacking, strike at undefended positions. To be sure of the strength of the defense, fortify positions that the enemy cannot attack.

Therefore, when someone knows how to attack, the enemy does not know where to organize a defense; when someone knows how to defend, the enemy does not know where to attack.

The form of the forces of the army is like water. The shape of water is to avoid heights and aim down. The shape of the forces of the army is to avoid fullness and strike at the void. The water shapes the flow according to the terrain, the army goes to victory according to the enemy. Therefore, the army does not have any permanent strategic disposition of forces; water has no permanent shape.

The commander has five dangers:

Those who want to die can be killed.

He who strives to live can be captivated.

Easily enraged and thoughtlessly acting may be offended.

Whoever wants to be conscientious and pure can be disgraced.

A person who loves people may be in trouble.

· He who knows when he can fight and when he can't will be the winner.

·First, be like an innocent girl - and the enemy will open his door. Then, be like a runaway hare - and the enemy will not have time to take measures to protect.

The willingness to sacrifice oneself for the sake of fulfilling one's duty is the basis for sustaining life.

When soldiers are in mortal danger, they are not afraid of anything; when they have no way out, they hold on tight; when they go into the depths of the enemy's land, nothing holds them back; when nothing can be done, they fight.

· War loves victory and does not like duration.

War is a way of deceit. If you can do anything, show your opponent that you can't; if you use something, show him that you do not use it; even though you were close, show that you are far away; even though you are far away, show that you are close.

The evil qualities and deeds of a person depend on himself.

·If you don't know what your children are like, look at their friends.

· If you find out that you have an enemy spy and is watching you, be sure to influence him with benefits; bring it in and place it with you.

· To fight a hundred times and win a hundred times is not the best of the best; the best of the best is to subdue someone else's army without fighting.

· Managing the many is the same as managing the few. It's about organization.

· In battle, numerical superiority does not in itself give an advantage. No need to go on the attack, relying only on naked military power.

· The best war is to break the plans of the enemy; in the next place - to break his unions; in the next place - to break his troops. The worst thing is to besiege fortresses.

· Music is a source of joy for wise people, it is able to evoke good thoughts in the people, it penetrates deeply into their consciousness and easily changes mores and customs.

The one who correctly points out my mistakes is my teacher; he who correctly marks my faithful deeds is my friend; he who flatters me is my enemy.

War is the great cause of the state, the basis of life and death, the path to survival or death. This needs to be carefully weighed and considered.

Music is the source of joy for wise people.

· Troubles come when people in their laziness forget to take care of themselves.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu is the oldest manual on warfare that has come down to our times. The treatise "The Art of War" was written around the end of the 6th and beginning of the 5th century BC by the greatest commander of that time, Sun Tzu, who lived in the kingdom of Qi. It is still not clear whether Sun Tzu is a real historical person and the author of The Art of War, based on recent research, the commander Sun Bin could be a possible author. Despite the fact that the author is not exactly known, the book went down in history as - "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu, there are also names: "treatment on the art of war" by Sun Tzu, "The laws of war (military methods) of the venerable (teacher) Sun" .

Philosophy of the "Art of War"

The book The Art of War itself consists of 13 chapters, which describe the main stages of warfare. Here are the chapters:

• preliminary calculations
• Waging war.
• Strategic.
• Combat form.
• Power.
• Fullness and emptiness.
• Fight in the war.
• Nine changes.
• hike.
• Terrain forms.
• Nine locations.
• Fire attack.
• The use of spies.

The book itself is replete with Confucian philosophy, and it should be noted that the essence of Sun Tzu's The Art of War is that war must be avoided. And it is worth using military operations for the sake of the prosperity of the state and people. It is this deep life philosophy that makes the book not only relevant even thousands of years after it was written, but also allows it to be applied in other areas of life, for example, in business.

Applying the Art of War

The Art of War of Sun Tzu was most widespread in the east, and, moreover, including outside of China. In particular, the treatise on the art of war was widely used in Japan. In many countries, it is still used in the training of officers, for example, in the US and Chinese armies. There are also many unconfirmed stories that the "Arts of War" was used by famous generals of the past, in particular Napoleon and Nazi Germany.

Since most of the book is written about how to wage war without the use of force, the book has been widely used in areas not related to the army, especially in sports, as well as in sports. A lot of modern business literature has been written on the practical use of the tips described in The Art of War. One of the most famous is the story of concubines.

The Story of the Concubines

Once the prince asked Sun Tzu to demonstrate his abilities in practice. For this, he offered him his harem at his disposal. It was a cunning move, but Sun Tzu did not refuse, he divided the harem into two detachments, distributed halberds to women and appointed two of the prince's favorite concubines at the head of the detachments.

The detachments took up battle formation. When Sun Tzu began to command "right", "left", "forward" - the women began to laugh and not obey the order. Sun Tzu said: "The detachment did not follow the order, so it needs to be repeated," which he did.

But the concubines did not follow the order again, then Sun Tzu said "if the order is not repeated, it is the fault of the commanders, since the commander explained the order twice." And he ordered the execution of two beloved concubines.

The prince, realizing the seriousness of the situation, decided to cancel the order, to which Sun Tzu said that no one has the right to cancel the order of the commander in the war and the concubines were executed. After that, the concubines began to follow all orders the first time.

Quotes from the book "The Art of War"

There are many famous quotes in Sun Tzu's book The Art of War, they have been used for many centuries among generals. But in the 21st century, these quotes are often used in peaceful areas as well. The most famous quotes from the book "The Art of War" you can read below:

“War is a great thing for the state, it is the soil of life and death, it is the way of existence and death. It needs to be understood"

“Power is the ability to apply tactics in accordance with profit”

“It has never happened before that the war lasted for a long time and this would be beneficial to the state. Therefore, one who does not fully understand all the harm from war cannot fully understand all the benefits of war.

"War loves victory and does not like duration"

“Being in order, expect disorder; being in peace, waiting for unrest; this is the control of the heart"

“There are roads that are not followed; there are armies that are not attacked; there are fortresses over which no one fights; there are places for which no one fights; there are orders of the sovereign, which are not carried out "

“The essence of war is deceit. The skillful must pretend to be incompetent. Show submission when ready to attack. When you're close, pretend to be far, but when you're very far, pretend to be near.

“Winning a hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the pinnacle of martial art. To defeat the enemy without a fight is the pinnacle"

“I dare to ask: if the enemy appears in large numbers and in perfect order, how to meet him? I answer: seize first what is dear to him. If you capture, he will be obedient to you."

Of all the "Seven Military Canons," Sun Tzu's "Military Strategy," traditionally known as "The Art of War," is the most widespread in the West. First translated by a French missionary about two centuries ago, it was constantly studied and used by Napoleon, and possibly by some of the Nazi high command. For the last two millennia, it has remained the most important military treatise in Asia, where even the common people knew its name. Chinese, Japanese, Korean military theorists and professional soldiers were sure to study it, and many of the strategies played an important role in the legendary military history of Japan, starting from the 8th century. For more than a thousand years, the concepts of the book have generated continuous discussion and passionate philosophical debate, attracting the attention of highly influential figures in various fields. Although the book has been translated into English many times, and translations by L. Giles and S. Griffith have not lost their significance so far, new ones continue to appear.

sun tzu and text

It has long been considered that The Art of War is China's oldest and most profound military treatise, and all other books are second-rate at best. Traditionalists attributed the book to the historical character Sun Wu, who was active at the end of the 6th century. BC, starting from 512. BC, recorded in "Shi Ji" and in "Springs and Autumns of Wu and Yue". According to them, the book must date from this time and contain the theories and military concepts of Sun Wu himself. However, other scholars first identified numerous historical anachronisms in the surviving text, such as: terms, events, technologies, and philosophical concepts; secondly, they emphasized the absence of any evidence (which should have been in the "Zuo zhuan" - the classic chronicle of the political events of that time) confirming the strategic role of Sun Wu in the wars between Wu and Yue; and, thirdly, they drew attention to the divergence of the concept of large-scale war discussed in The Art of War, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, remembered only as an atavism of the battle of the late 6th century. BC.

The traditional interpretation sees a significant proof of its correctness in the fact that numerous passages from the Art of War can be found in many other military treatises, which, and it is proved, could not have been the case if the text had not been earlier. It is even believed that this wholesale imitation means that The Art of War is the earliest military treatise, valued above any other work, oral or written. The emergence of certain analytical concepts, such as the classification of localities, is also associated with Sun Tzu; further, their use by the compilers of Sima fa is considered indisputable proof of the historical primacy of Sunzi, and the possibility that Sunzi himself came from other works is not taken into account.

However, even disregarding the possibility of later accretions and changes, the traditional position still ignores the fact of more than two thousand years of warfare and tactics prior to 500 BC. and attributes the actual creation of the strategy to Sun Tzu alone. The concise, often abstract nature of his passages is cited as evidence that the book was composed at an early stage in the development of Chinese writing, but an equally compelling argument can be made that such a philosophically sophisticated style is only possible with combat experience and a tradition of serious military study. . Basic concepts and general passages are more likely to speak in favor of an extensive military tradition and progressive knowledge and experience than in favor of "creation from nothing."

With the exception of the obsolete position of skeptics who considered the work a late forgery, there are three points of view on the time of the creation of the "Art of War". The first ascribes the book to the historical figure Sun Wu, believing that the final edition was made shortly after his death at the beginning of the 5th century. BC. The second, based on the text itself, ascribes it to the mid-second half of the Warring Kingdoms period; that is, to the IV or III centuries. BC. The third, also based on the text itself, as well as on previously discovered sources, places it somewhere in the second half of the 5th century. BC. It is unlikely that the true date will ever be established, for traditionalists are extremely emotional in defending the authenticity of Sun Tzu. However, it is likely that such a historical figure existed, and Sun Wu himself not only served as a strategist and, possibly, commander, but also compiled the outline of the book that bears his name. Then, the most essential was passed down from generation to generation in the family or school of the closest students, corrected over the years and becoming more and more widespread. The earliest text was possibly edited by the famous descendant of Sun Tzu, Sun Bin, who also made extensive use of his teachings in his Martial Methods.

The "Shi Ji" contains biographies of many prominent strategists and generals, including Sun Tzu. However, "Spring and Autumn Wu and Yue" offers a more interesting option:

"In the third year of Helui-wang's reign, the generals from Wu wanted to attack Chu, but no action followed. Wu Zixu and Bo Xi said to each other: "We are preparing warriors and calculations on behalf of the ruler. These strategies will be beneficial for the state and therefore the ruler should attack Chu. But he does not give orders and does not want to raise an army. What should we do?"

Some time later, the King of Wu asked Wu Zixu and Bo Xi, "I want to send an army. What do you think about this?" Wu Zixu and Bo Xi replied, "We would like to receive orders." Lord Wu secretly believed that the two harbored a deep hatred for Chu. He was very afraid that the two would lead an army only to be destroyed. He climbed the tower, turned his face to the south wind and sighed heavily. After a while, he sighed again. None of the ministers understood the thoughts of the ruler. Wu Zixu guessed that the ruler would not make a decision, and then recommended Sunzi to him.

Sunzi, named Wu, was originally from Wu. He excelled in military strategy, but lived away from the court, so ordinary people did not know about his abilities. Wu Zixu, being knowledgeable, wise and perceptive, knew that Sunzi could infiltrate the enemy's ranks and destroy him. One morning, when he was discussing military affairs, he recommended Sunzi seven times. Ruler Wu said, "Since you found an excuse to nominate this husband, I want to see him." He asked Sun Tzu about military strategy, and every time he posted one or another part of his book, he could not find enough words to praise.

Very pleased, the ruler asked, "If possible, I would like to put your strategy to a little test." Sunzi said, "It's possible. We can check with the women from the inner palace." The ruler said: "I agree." Sun Tzu said, "Let Your Majesty's two beloved concubines lead two divisions, each leading one." He ordered all three hundred women to put on helmets and armor, carry swords and shields, and line up. He taught them military rules, that is, go forward, retreat, turn left and right, and turn around in accordance with the beat of the drum. He announced the prohibitions and then ordered: "At the first beat of the drum, you must all assemble, with the second blow, advance with weapons in your hands, with the third, line up in battle formation." The women covered their mouths with their hands and laughed.

Sun Tzu then personally took up the chopsticks and struck the drum, giving orders three times and explaining them five times. They laughed as before. Sun Tzu realized that women would continue to laugh and would not stop.

Sun Tzu- an outstanding Chinese strategist and thinker, who lived, presumably, in the VI - V centuries. BC e. He was the author of the famous treatise on military strategy. Biographical information about him is recorded by Sima Qian in his Historical Notes. It is known that Sun Tzu was born in the kingdom of Qi and served as a hired commander for Prince Heluyu in the kingdom of Wu.

The Art of War is the most famous ancient Chinese treatise on military strategy and politics. It is studied in military academies and business schools around the world, and many prominent leaders have been inspired by this work.

We selected 10 quotes from it:

The rule of warfare is not to rely on the enemy not coming, but on what I can meet him with; not to rely on him not to attack, but to rely on me to make it impossible for him to attack myself.

Disorder is born out of order, cowardice is born out of courage, weakness is born out of strength. Order and disorder is a number; courage and cowardice are power; strength and weakness are form.

If there is no benefit, do not move; if you cannot acquire, do not use the troops; if there is no danger, do not fight. The sovereign must not take up arms because of his anger; a general should not engage in battle because of his malice. Move when it corresponds to the benefit; if this does not correspond to the benefit, they remain in place.

There are roads that do not go; there are armies that are not attacked; there are fortresses over which no one fights; there are places for which no one fights; there are orders of the sovereign, which are not carried out.

Avoidance of a collision with great forces is not evidence of cowardice, but of wisdom, for sacrificing oneself is never and nowhere an advantage. Sun Tzu To buy a book Add to favorites Add to favorites

The sovereign must not take up arms because of his anger; a general should not engage in battle because of his malice. Move when it corresponds to the benefit; if this does not correspond to the benefit, they remain in place. Anger can again turn into joy, anger can again turn into joy, but the lost state will not be reborn again, the dead will not come to life again.

The skill of a commander is judged by the diligence of his subordinates.

Fury kills the enemy, greed captures his wealth.

Winning a hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the pinnacle of martial art. To defeat the enemy without a fight is the pinnacle.

War is a way of deceit.

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"War Craft. The Laws of War of the Venerable Master Sun" is the most famous ancient Chinese treatise on military strategy and politics, the founding text of the "school of military philosophy". This treatise was used in military operations by such commanders as Vo Nguyen Giap and Takeda Shingen, and is also used in military training in the US Army, including the Navy.

The author of the treatise is the strategist and military leader Sun Tzu. Initially, the treatise was dated to the end of the 6th - beginning of the 5th centuries BC, however, after its extended version was discovered in the burial of the beginning of the Han era in 1972, some researchers began to believe that it was created in the second half of the 5th century BC . In any case, this treatise is a very important historical document, and it is a great happiness that today every person has the opportunity to get acquainted with it.

Sun Tzu is a Chinese thinker, strategist, who probably lived in the 6th century BC. He served as a mercenary commander of Prince Huo Lu, who ruled in the kingdom of Wu, managed to defeat the strongest kingdom of Chu and capture its capital city of Ying, as well as defeat the kingdoms of Jin and Qi. It was the merits of Sun Tzu that made the kingdom of Wu very powerful and allowed it to become part of civilized China.

Fulfilling the request of Prince Huo Lui, Sun Tzu wrote a treatise on the art of war “The Art of War. The laws of war of the venerable teacher Sun”, after which he returned to his native kingdom of Qi, where he lived the rest of his days. By the way, many years later, members of the Suni clan, Sun Quan, Sun Ce and Sun Jian, who lived in the era of the Three Kingdoms, claimed descent from Sun Tzu.

Summary of the treatise “The Art of War. The Laws of War of Venerable Master Sun"

The treatise consists of thirteen chapters, each of which is devoted to a certain aspect of the conduct of hostilities. Below you can read some provisions of several sections of the treatise.

Preliminary calculations

War is an extremely important process in the life of any state, and in order to come to an understanding of its prospects, it is necessary to realize its five components and answer seven questions.

The five components of war are:

• "Way" - the attitude of the people to their ruler, trust in him, readiness to die for him. This includes human resources and which the ruler has
• "Heaven" - the time that is at the disposal of the belligerent
• "Earth" - the disadvantages and advantages that the terrain provides the commander
• "Commander" - troops, his courage, impartiality and intelligence
• "Law" - everything directly related to the troops: training, level of officers, etc.

Questions to be answered:

• Which of the rulers is characterized by the most pronounced "Way"?
• Which of the commanders can be called talented?
• Which of the commanders already has experience in using "Heaven" and "Earth"?
• Whose army is the most disciplined?
• Whose army is the best trained?
• Which of the commanders understands better what is happening in his troops: who is worthy of a reward, and who should be punished?

Waging war

In the process of waging war, it is required to conduct the most thorough, both obvious and transport, repair, household. It is important to understand what harm should be expected from the war in order to be able to assess the benefits that the war will bring.

If the war is dragged out, then all the belligerents will suffer losses. A competent commander, who was able to correctly calculate the needs, recruits soldiers only once and stocks up on provisions.

strategic attack

A battle and victory is far from the best that a ruler can do for his state, and it is much more competent to win a victory by avoiding a battle altogether. It is most effective to preserve the state of the enemy and its armed forces. The victorious without destruction, sieges and battles can count on much more than he had originally.

The ruler, who controls the army, can be a big problem for the entire state. And victory can be won if the commander knows how to choose the moment for battle and the moment when it needs to be avoided, is able to fight with both large and small armies, knows how to wait and take advantage of the enemy’s negligence, is able to independently control the army.

The form

It is important to be able to distinguish between victory and invincibility. Invincibility is the ability to maintain oneself, and therefore depends on who intends to be invincible. The ability to win is influenced by the enemy, based on which, there are no guaranteed victories. Victory is connected with the offensive, and invincibility - with defense.

A smart leader initially calculates everything, and only after that he enters the fray - this is the predestination of his victory. An illiterate leader initially enters the battle, and only after that he talks about what needed to be done to win - this is the predestination of defeat.

Power

It is not so important whether the leader controls small detachments or numerous armies, the correct conduct of the battle and the effectiveness of maneuver are much more important. If the battle is fought correctly, an effective maneuver will be provided to ensure victory, because. There are a wide variety of combat options available.

It is also important to take into account the power and degree of calculation of the strike. Might is the collection and management of strength, and calculation is the goal. During the fight, power must correspond to the changing situation, and calculation guarantees the implementation of a lightning attack.

Fullness and emptiness

Being on the battlefield before the enemy saves a huge amount of strength, and the leader who sends troops into battle immediately after the end of the march will have to manage a tired army, even if before that it was stronger than the enemy’s army.

The strong must be weakened, those who have food, the strong must be forced to move. To disorientate the enemy, it is necessary to initially move in the direction in which he expects, and then change direction and go the other way. Even if there is no ambush on the long way, the army will come to the battlefield full of strength.

An effective attack requires attacking an unprotected place. Effective defense requires defending a place that is not being attacked. When the enemy does not know where to attack and where to defend, he will disperse his forces.

Fight in the war

Fighting in war is difficult, and the most difficult thing about it is the ability to make sure that you take advantage of the disaster, and turn the detour into a direct one. When moving along a detour, it is required to distract the enemy, luring him with profit, thereby forcing him to slow down. Fighting in times of war is dangerous, because in trying to profit, losses can be incurred, and an army that has no supplies is likely to die.

The importance of information cannot be overestimated. If you do not know the intentions of potential allies, you should not enter into an agreement with them. If you do not know the situation and terrain, it is impossible to send troops and gain advantages on the ground.

five dangers

Terrain features must always be taken into account. You don't need to set up a camp in the middle of the off-road, you don't need to stand for a long time where there is no water, forest and natural shelters. In those places where many paths join, alliances must be made with neighbors in order to prevent an unexpected attack on any of the paths.

The five dangers of a general are:

• The desire to die at all costs - the commander can be killed
• The desire to survive at all costs - the commander can be captured
• - the commander can begin to despise
• Over-sensitivity - the commander can be offended by too many things
• Excessive philanthropy - the commander can quickly be left without strength

These dangers are not just shortcomings of the commander, but also a disaster for the entire army.

Instead of a conclusion

Of course, we have mentioned only a few ideas, which he talks about in his treatise “The Art of War. The laws of war of the venerable teacher Sun" by Sun Tzu. But this has its own advantage - the desire to study this unique work becomes even stronger, and this is far from accidental.

Two and a half thousand years is a huge period for any book. And the book that various people use as a textbook throughout this time is truly a unique case, unless, of course, we consider various scriptures. But even with them, The Art of War can compete in popularity - each paragraph of this book hides the invaluable experience of an outstanding philosopher and commander, which can be useful not only in war, but also in ordinary civilian life.