General Sun Tzu Quotes

#1. The Chinese general Sun Tzu said that all war was based on deception. Oscar Wilde said the same thing of romance.

Marco Tempest

#2. The enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution.

Sun Tzu

#3. It is the business of a general to be serene and inscrutable, impartial and self-controlled.

Sun Tzu

#4. And therefore only the enlightened sovereign and the worthy general who are able to use the most intelligent people as agents are certain to achieve great things.

Sun Tzu

#5. Thus, what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge.

Sun Tzu

#6. 15. Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy. One cartload of the enemy's provisions is equivalent to twenty of one's own, and likewise a single picul of his provender is equivalent to twenty from one's own store.

Sun Tzu

#7. The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.

Sun Tzu

#8. If there is disturbance in the camp, the general's authority is weak.

Sun Tzu

#9. Without constant practice, the officers will be nervous and undecided when mustering for battle; without constant practice, the general will be wavering and irresolute when the crisis is at hand.]

Sun Tzu

#10. A clever general ... avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return. This is the art of studying moods. Disciplined and calm, he awaits the appearance of disorder and hubbub among the enemy. This is the art of retaining self-possession.

Sun Tzu

#11. These are six ways of courting defeat, which must be carefully noted by the general who has attained a responsible post.

Sun Tzu

#12. A wise general makes a point of foraging of the enemy.

Sun Tzu

#13. If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame. But, if orders are clear and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their oficers.

Sun Tzu

#14. The General who in advancing does not seek personal fame, and in withdrawing is not concerned with avoiding punishment, but whose only purpose is to protect the people and promote the best interests of his sovereign, is the precious jewel of the state.

Sun Tzu

#15. The business of a general is to kick away the ladder behind soldiers when they have climbed up a height.

Sun Tzu

#16. A general who advances without thought of personal glory, and retreats without a care for disgrace, who thinks only of protecting the people and benefiting his ruler - such a man is a treasure beyond price to his country.

Sun Tzu

#17. The general who does not advance to seek glory, or does not withdraw to avoid punishment, but cares for only the people's security and promotes the people's interests, is the nation's treasure.

Sun Tzu

#18. Too frequent rewards indicate that the general is at the end of his resources; too frequent punishments that he is in acute distress.

Sun Tzu

#19. Therefore, to estimate the enemy situation and to calculate distances and the degree of difficulty of the terrain so as to control victory are virtues of the superior general.

Sun Tzu

#20. Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

Sun Tzu

#21. Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources.

Sun Tzu

#22. Thus the skilful general conducts his army just as though he were leading a single man, willy-nilly, by the hand.

Sun Tzu

#23. Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary men is foreknowledge.

Sun Tzu

#24. Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise; for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.

Sun Tzu

#25. When a general, unable to estimate the enemy's strength, allows an inferior force to engage a larger one, or hurls a weak detachment against a powerful one, and neglects to place picked soldiers in the front rank, the result must be rout.

Sun Tzu

#26. The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat: - let such a one be dismissed!

Sun Tzu

#27. Now an army is exposed to six several calamities, not arising from natural causes, 1 but from faults for which the general is responsible. These are: (1) Flight; (2) insubordination; (3) collapse; (4) ruin; (5) disorganisation; (6) rout.

Sun Tzu

#28. A clever general, therefore, avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return.

Sun Tzu

#29. It is the business of a general to be quiet and thus ensure secrecy; upright and just, and thus maintain order.

Sun Tzu

#30. No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.

Sun Tzu

#31. The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations.

Sun Tzu

#32. If a general shows confidence in his men but always insists on his orders being obeyed, the gain will be mutual.

Sun Tzu

#33. The best general is the one who never fights.

Sun Tzu

#34. The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.

Sun Tzu

#35. The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain, while the town still remains untaken. Such are the disastrous effects of a siege.

Sun Tzu

#36. When the general is weak and without authority; when his orders are not clear and distinct; when there are no fixed duties assigned to officers and men, and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner, the result is utter disorganization.

Sun Tzu

#37. 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 they achieve great results.

Sun Tzu