Few ancient writers enjoy the same level of recognition as Sun Tzu, the famous philosopher and general of ancient China. Quotes from his timeless treatise, the “Art of War,” appear in popular culture, and the entire book is frequently studied by military and business students around the world. Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” features thirteen chapters that describe how to take into account all the important variables when trying to win a conflict. The principles can be applied to military problems as well as market challenges or even personal struggles.
The precise dates of Sun Tzu’s birth and death are not known, but history has proven his existence around 500 BC. C. in China. Born to Sun Ping, a high-ranking military officer in the state of Qi, Sun Tzu grew up with an upbringing focused on military affairs. At the time, it was common for Chinese generals to write about their philosophies of war, but it has been the work of Sun Tzu that has survived the centuries. What made his “Art of War” so compelling that it is literally still in print 2,500 years after it was first tattooed on bamboo strips?
Part of the resilience of Sun Tzu’s ideas comes from his success as a general. Ancient China was a complex chessboard of highly civilized but warring states, and Sun Tzu enjoyed a respectable career within this challenging environment. Sun Tzu was in the service of He Lu, the ruler of the state of Wu, who appointed him general of the kingdom. In this role, Sun Tzu participated in numerous campaigns. His successes included the destruction of the state of Yue, the territorial expansion of Wu, and the occupation of the city of Ying.
His successful application of his strategic thinking surely checks the force of his literary work. His “Art of War” is not limited to narrow military concepts, such as positioning soldiers in the field. Sun Tzu took into account all the forces acting on a state. War is a tool of the state, and as Sun Tzu wrote, “War is a matter of vital importance to the state; a matter of life and death, the path to survival or ruin.” But this crucial element of state power could not operate independently of diplomacy, politics, economics, geography, and philosophy. Each chapter of “The Art of War” explores these and other factors in detail and teaches that the application of military force must be used with a multidisciplinary approach. Geography certainly gets a lot of emphasis because the actual land being fought over underpins military strategy, but it’s not the only consideration for a general.
Among the many pieces of wise advice one can draw from the “Art of War” is Sun Tzu’s insistence that war should not be launched hastily, with optimistic assumptions, or without good intelligence. The stakes in war are too high for the state to lose, so it should only employ its military tools when victory can be achieved. Sun Tzu repeatedly emphasizes the economics of war because of the high cost that maintaining an army in the field exacts from his society. War should not be the first tool used by a state to obtain the desired results because it is very expensive.
In the last chapter of his book, Sun Tzu begins with a statement that rings true today, as my own country, the United States, is financing a protracted war. From Chapter 13 “Use of Spies” Sun Tzu wrote:
“Now then, when an army of a hundred thousand is raised and sent on a distant campaign, the expenses borne by the people together with the outlays from the treasury will amount to a thousand gold pieces daily. Furthermore, there will be continuous commotion both at home and abroad.” abroad, people will be exhausted by the corvee of transport, and the agricultural work of seven hundred thousand families will be interrupted”.
Reading this, I am amazed at how little some things can change even after thousands of years. War is expensive and its cost radiates through the population that supports the army. This truth dramatically reveals the wisdom that Sun Tzu offered in his writings. From “The Art of War” the reader will gain a clear method for evaluating almost any given situation and then planning a route to success. In his discussion of war, Sun Tzu teaches his readers to think about where they are, what they are doing, if they can support what they are doing, if they know what they are up against, what is the easiest method to achieve their goals, etc. Sun Tzu continually reminds the reader (and during his lifetime, no doubt, himself) that the state should not think only of what it wants without taking external influences into account. For people, this holistic way of thinking helps them overcome the blinders that emotions often place on their actions. The obstacles to victory cannot be ignored. They must be treated with care.
The world of ancient China in which Sun Tzu lived might have been simpler in the sense of less technology, but the stakes of war were no less important than they are today, and the path to victory or success was not easier.
As a very short work, “The Art of War” can be read in an hour or two, but it will give readers something to think about for years to come. His advice hits you in the head. It may not be easy to follow, but Sun Tzu’s famous statement that “every battle is won or lost before it is fought” serves as the ultimate reminder that victory comes to those who plan.