1. Sun Tzu said: "War is a matter of vital importance to the State; a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin.
Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected." — *The Art of War* 2. Therefore, in war, victory is valued more than prolonged conflict. Thus, a general who understands warfare is the arbiter of the people's fate and the master of the state's security. — *The Art of War*3. Therefore, the best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans; next is to disrupt their alliances; next is to attack their army; and the worst is to besiege their cities. — *The Art of War*
4. Therefore, the skillful commander subdues the enemy's army without fighting, captures their cities without attacking, and destroys their state without prolonged conflict. He strives to win the entire world, thus ensuring that his army is not worn down and his gains are complete. This is the method of attacking by strategy. — *The Art of War*
5. Therefore, it is said: "Know the enemy and know yourself, and you will not be defeated in a hundred battles; know yourself but not the enemy, and you will win one and lose one; know neither the enemy nor yourself, and you will be defeated in every battle." — *The Art of War*
6. Therefore, a victorious army first secures victory and then seeks battle; a defeated army first engages in battle and then seeks victory. Those skilled in warfare cultivate the Way and uphold the law, thus they can govern victory and defeat. — *The Art of War*
7. Attack where the enemy does not go, attack where they do not expect. — *The Art of War*
8. Therefore, those skilled in warfare subdue the enemy, not the other way around. — *The Art of War*
9. Therefore, their speed is like the wind, their stillness like the forest, their aggression like fire, their immovability like a mountain, their unknowability like the shadows, and their movement like thunder. — *The Art of War*
10. Therefore, the morale of the three armies can be seized, and the heart of the general can be captured. Thus, the morale is high in the morning, low in the afternoon, and returns to normal in the evening. Therefore, those skilled in warfare avoid the enemy's high morale and strike when they are low and returning to normal; this is the art of managing morale. Use order to await chaos, use stillness to await clamor; this is the art of managing the mind. Use what is near to await what is far, use what is at ease to await what is weary, use what is full to await what is hungry; this is the art of managing strength. Do not attack a perfectly aligned banner, do not strike a perfectly formed formation; this is the art of managing change. —"The Art of War"
11. There are roads one should not take, armies one should not attack, cities one should not besiege, territories one should not contend for, and the ruler's orders one should not obey. —"The Nine Variations"
12. Throw them into a place of certain death, and they will survive; trap them in a place of certain death, and they will live.
—"The Nine Grounds" 13. The form of an army is like water. Water avoids high places and flows downhill; the form of an army avoids strength and attacks weakness. Water follows the terrain to control its flow; an army follows the enemy to achieve victory. Therefore, there are no constant formations in warfare, just as there are no constant shapes in water. One who can adapt to the enemy's changes and achieve victory is called a master. Therefore, the five elements have no constant victor, the four seasons have no constant position, the days have varying lengths, and the moon has its waxing and waning. —"The Art of War"
14. In all battles, one engages with the orthodox and wins with the unorthodox. Therefore, those skilled in using the unorthodox are as boundless as heaven and earth, and as inexhaustible as rivers. —"The Art of War"
15. Attack where they are unprepared, appear where they do not expect. This is the key to victory in warfare, and it cannot be revealed beforehand. —"The Initial Planning"
Chapter 16: Do not act unless there is profit, do not use force unless there is gain, do not fight unless there is danger. A ruler should not raise an army in anger, nor should a general use force in resentment; use force when it is advantageous, and stop when it is not. —"The Fire Attack" Chapter
17: Those skilled in warfare in the past first made themselves invincible, and then waited for the enemy to become vulnerable. Invincibility lies in oneself, vulnerability lies in the enemy. Therefore, those skilled in warfare can make themselves invincible, but cannot make the enemy vulnerable. Hence it is said: Victory can be known, but cannot be forced. —"The Military Formations" Chapter
18: Therefore, the matter of warfare lies in understanding the enemy's intentions, converging on the enemy in one direction, and killing the general from a thousand miles away; this is called skillful success. —"The Nine Grounds" Chapter
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