They say the truth about the life of a person is not what he/she does, but it's in the legend which he/she creates around him/herself.
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Born in 544BC in Qi of ancient China, Sun Tzu was a military general, a strategist, and a philosopher who served under King Ho-Lu of Wu (515-496 BCE). He was also an author who wrote the famous book, "The Art of War," (Ping-fa). He died in the year 496 BC when King Ho-Lu also died.
Being a philosopher, he had so many quotes which inspired a very long generation and is still applied even in modern civilized society.
Just to mention a few, here are some of his prominent quotes.
"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win." - Sun Tzu
"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting." - Sun Tzu
"All warfare is based on deception." - Sun Tzu
"The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself." - Sun Tzu
"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
Being a person of great importance to history, it won't go without saying that Sun Tzu had a lot of influence in modern civilization. The Art of War guides a lot on strategies and tactics for generals and leaders. It is widely influential across many fields such as military, business, politics, sports, love affairs and management among many other fields.
Listed below are some of his notable influences in modern society.
When King Ho-Lu tested Sun Tzu's skills and commitment to his service by training a hundred and eighty concubines, he split the harem into two. Each had two of King's favorites as 'commanders'. He gave orders to face right but the women laughed. Sun Tzu repeated the command and they giggled. He then had the commanders executed and replaced. The women, thereafter, seriously obeyed his commands. The King was satisfied and had him as his general. Also, Sun Tzu's victory in Boju over the Chu forces is best illustrated by the discipline of his troops. The Chu had a large army compared to Tzu's men. In modern society, leaders give out orders expecting discipline and action from their subjects, failure to which leads to warnings and firing if the orders are constantly disobeyed. Discipline in modern world is instilled in every aspect of human involvement, be it work, sports or daily activities. It is evident that the winning group in society is a disciplined group.
Sun Tzu would always plan on how to attack his opponents. He could not lead his soldiers to where the terrain could not favor him or his soldiers. He believed in strategies alongside tactics in winning battles. Sun Tzu once said,
"One who sets the entire army in motion to chase an advantage will not attain it."
Planning at every aspect of life is important. In the military, generals who clearly organize their troops emerge victorious. In business, a company which plans its schedule well prospers. In personal daily routine, a person who has plans will succeed in life. Planning brings confidence when in battles because your focus and concentration will be on that subject alone. Planning also provides extra options as backup in case the first plan fails.
Sun Tzu is quoted saying,
"Opportunities multiply as they are seized."
Opportunities are rare to come by. But when they do, they are quickly seized by the ones who are readily prepared for it. This fact is applicable in modern society in cases such as in the military where soldiers attack when the enemy is least organized, and unprepared to retaliate. Also in job application where you need to have your Curriculum Vitae ready when opportunity knocks. Another example is in business where you can keep your store stocked so that when a gap arises, you fill in very fast, for example, when your competitor suddenly backtracks.
Sun Tzu is quoted saying,
"Blind them with deeds. Do not command with words."
Any ruler in any governing position must be an example. He/she should encourage his/her employees. Sun Tzu led his men in every battle he fought. Successful leaders in modern world are the ones who lead their employees with clear instructions and listens to their grievances. Leaders should act first then allow their employees to follow them. A good example is in the military where generals lead their soldiers in battle areas. The soldiers feel motivated and will have the energy to fight hard. Also, when parents lead their children in the way they want, the children will automatically practice the deeds their parents want. He states in Chapter 8 the faults of general such as cowardice which lead to capture as well as recklessness which lead to destruction.
Sun Tzu wrote,
" The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."
Sun Tzu believed that it was not necessary to be in the battle ground in order to defeat the enemy. He believed in success with resources and visions intact. He could use strategies and tactics to subdue the enemy without fighting. In modern world, the cunny, witty, innovative, and smart sail through faster with much less effort applied. On the contrary, those who can't think will find themselves using a lot of effort in finding a simple solution. He also writes,
"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 believed that instead of rigidly holding on to your point in a situation that affects your partner, it is good to fit yourself into his/her shoes and figure out possible solutions. With this, you will use very little time and resources in finding solutions.
Sun Tzu writes,
"Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories."
Before going to war, it is good to know your strengths and weaknesses as well as your enemy's strengths and weaknesses. If your troop is weaker than your enemy's, it's better to retaliate than to go and fight a losing battle. This is true because the end result of your actions will determine if you will win or lose battles. He also says,
"So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak."
In warfare, it is pretty much direct. But in other aspects of life, it means that if you have less chances of winning in any kind of competition, it's much better to leave it and look for a fair competition that best fits your qualifications.
Sun Tzu believed in cunning and treachery approach while facing the enemy. He quoted,
"All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near."
With this, your enemy will be confused not knowing how much force is needed to retaliate. The goal here is to make sure that the enemy does not read your moves in any way. This is very effective when you attack the weakest links of the enemy. In combat, for example, the enemy will use less power to retaliate thinking you are weak. That is the time when you can unleash your full potential and take down your foe without any warning.
Sun Tzu wrote,
"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 achieve great results."
Having a mole in enemy's territory will give you a plus when it comes to subduing your enemy. The spy will pass the enemy's secrets to you so that you can plan on how to counter their strategies.
Sun Tzu believed that there is no need in having soldiers in battle fields for long. Precious lives will be lost which could be useful in battles long after. Limited resources will also be lost considering cost of war equipment is very expensive. He quotes this,
"There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare."
This is true. Modern generals retaliate and seek for peace especially when they see no benefit in fighting unending war, or war ends in stalemates.
Whether the legend Sun Tzu existed is a matter not well known till date. But the book, "The Art of War," is without doubt, the best written material when it comes to matters intelligence, strategies and tactics. It is believed that the Chinese generals consulted the book when in need of guidance on how to plan and subdue their enemies. It is clear, even the modern generation apply these tactics in every aspect of human life. All credit to Sun Tzu.
Author: Pedro L.
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