孙子兵法

Art of War

Military Strategy · text

An ancient Chinese military treatise attributed to Sun Tzu (孙子 / Sunzi), composed of 13 chapters: Laying Plans, Waging War, Attack by Stratagem, Tactical Dispositions, Energy, Weakness and Strengths, Military Maneuvers, Variation in Tactics, The Army on the March, Terrain, The Nine Situations, The Attack by Fire, and The Use of Spies. The most influential work on strategy ever written, applied across warfare, business, politics, and daily competition. Its 13 chapters cover strategic assessment, terrain analysis, and the use of spies. Studied for over two millennia by military leaders, business strategists, and political thinkers.

As Sun Tzu, the legendary military strategist, wrote in The Art of War, the foundational text of strategic thought, Art of War represents a key concept that continues to inform philosophical thought and practice today.

36 wisdom cards explore this concept
4 related philosophical concepts
0 in-depth guides
12 search questions answered

What Are the Key Facts About Art of War?

  • Tradition: Military Strategy
  • Chinese: 孙子兵法
  • Category: Text
  • Definition: An ancient Chinese military treatise attributed to Sun Tzu (孙子 / Sunzi), composed of 13 chapters: Laying Plans, Waging War, Attack by Stratagem, Tactical Dispositions, Energy, Weakness and Strengths, Military Maneuvers, Variation in Tactics, The Army on the March, Terrain, The Nine Situations, The Attack by Fire, and The Use of Spies.

What Cards Are Related to Art of War?

Know Yourself and Your Adversary

The foundation of all strategy

All Warfare Is Deception

Appear weak when you are strong

Swift Victory

Protracted war benefits no one

Know the Enemy General

Character determines strategy

Subdue Without Fighting

The highest form of victory

The Five Fundamentals

Measure before you move

Feed on the Enemy

Use what is already there

Win Without Fighting

The supreme art of war

Never Besiege a City

The cost of direct assault

Know When to Fight

Five essentials for engagement

Make Yourself Invincible

First secure against defeat

The Rush of Water

Timing is everything

The Normal and the Extraordinary

Endless combinations

Attack Where They Are Not

The art of emptiness and fullness

Be Shapeless as Water

Adapt to the terrain

Know When to Break the Rules

There are roads not to follow

Weigh the Advantages

Consider both sides of every move

Six Kinds of Terrain

Know the ground you stand on

Nine Kinds of Ground

Each situation demands its own response

On Death Ground, Fight

Desperation is a strategy

Foreknowledge Is Everything

What you cannot learn from spirits

The Five Kinds of Spies

Every source has its use

Read the Signs

What the environment tells you

The Sound of Silence

When there are no signs

Turn the Enemy's Spies

The converted spy is priceless

The Five Dangerous Faults

What destroys a general

The General Must Be Calm

Inscrutable and controlled

Reward and Punishment

When to use each

Unite Them with Purpose

The moral law

Treat Soldiers as Children

Lead with care, command with discipline

When Words Are Not Enough

Beyond orders and drums

Know When to Stop

Victory has its limits

Attack by Fire

The most destructive weapon

Do Not Act from Anger

The sovereign must not mobilize in rage

Avoid What Is Strong

Strike what is weak

War Is a Matter of Life and Death

The first words of the text

Further Reading and Sources

For authoritative academic perspectives on Art of War, consult these external sources:

Further Reading