The Art of War (I)

2010.05.07
To Whom It May Concern:

There are many books on how to solve life’s problems. There are classes people take. There are seminars people attend. And there are websites people read. However, there is but one text that I have read several times and still find new information on how to solve, avoid, or battle these problems in life – The Art of War.

Written over two thousand years ago by a Chinese warrior-philosopher Sun Tzu, The Art of War is still one of the most prestigious and versatile texts in the modern world. It not only is studied by military strategists, but by professionals in politics and executives of business. The translator writes:

[…] The Art of War applies to competition and conflict in general, on every
level from the interpersonal to the international. Its aim is invincibility,
victory without battle, and unassailable strength through understanding of the
physics, politics, and psychology of conflict.
[…]
As a classic of Taoist
thought, The Art of War is thus a book not only of war but also of peace, above
all a tool for understanding the very roots of conflict and resolution.

Sun Tzu’s original masterwork Sun-tzu ping-fa was written sometime around 500B.C; somewhere in his thirteen-chapter work lays the secrets to success. Thomas Cleary translated Sun Tzu’s work into The Art of War. The book is structured into two sections: the Translator’s Preface and Introduction and the actual The Art of War.

In the Translator’s Preface and Introduction, Cleary relates The Art of War to the Chinese philosophies of Taoism. It compares The Art of War with additional Taoist classical literature, such as The Way and Its Power (Tao-te Ching) and The Book of Balance and Harmony (Chung-ho chi).

In Sun Tzu’s world, war is a matter of life and death. However, he stresses one of his main philosophies – “To win without fighting is best.” Unlike the European views of battle, Sun Tzu does not promote battle front warfare. Instead, another highly-stressed concept suggests “avoid what is strong. Attack what is weak.” Fighting costs lives and money. For centuries, armies fought head-to-head to determine which army is stronger and more courageous. However, Sun-Tzu does not care about the glory – he only wants to win. He commends those commanders who can outwit rather than outfight his enemy.