The 3 Core Principles of The Art of War

“The Art of War” by Sun Tzu is an ancient military book, known as a model of war wisdom. In this classic, Sun Tzu proposed three core principles. These principles are not only applicable to war, but can also be extended to various fields, such as management, strategic planning, and interpersonal relationships. Below we will introduce these principles one by one and analyze their importance and application.

1.Know yourself and know the enemy

Even if we have not read “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, we have heard this sentence many times. The original text states that only by know yourself and know your enemy can you never in danger in a hundred battles, rather than win every battle. Because in ancient warfare, a single defeat could have fatal consequences. Even if you have won several times before, just one loss can turn the entire situation around in an instant.Thus, the key idea of Sun Tzu’s Art of War is to be undefeated, rather than to aim for a hundred victories. This idea of preservation can be likened to investing, in which protecting the principal is more important than simply pursuing high returns.

The importance of access to information and intelligence is further highlighted by the concept of knowing yourself and your enemy. The Art of War talks about using spies to obtain the opponent’s information in the “THE USE OF SPIES” chapter, using the (1) Local spies; (2) inward spies; (3) converted spies; (4) doomed spies; (5) surviving spies.Through different types of espionage activities, you can collect critical information about your enemies.

Obtaining intelligence is only the first step. The intelligence may be false. We need to filter out accurate and true information through our thinking and analysis. On this basis, different action plans will be formulated based on the strengths of both parties. But it doesn’t mean that once a plan is made it cannot be changed. Because the actual situation is not necessarily what we previously judged, the battlefield is changing rapidly, and we need to adjust the plan at any time based on the feedback we receive.

Overall, this principle emphasizes the importance of thoughtfulness and flexibility in strategic decision-making. In war and other competitive environments, knowing yourself and your opponent, and being able to flexibly adjust plans based on intelligence and actual circumstances, are keys to success. The ideas also have broad applicability in many areas, including business strategy and decision making.

2.Win first and then fight

“The victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won“.Why can we win first and then fight? The first chapter of Sun Tzu’s Art of War is Laying Plans. what it emphasizes not tactics, but fundamental analysis based on calculations.

The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one’s deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. These are:

(1) The Moral Law：It refers to politics and leadership, i.e. whether the monarch and the people are of one mind. Only in this case will the people be willing to live and die for their country, undaunted by danger.

(2) Heaven：It involves climate, timing. Understanding the heaven means understanding yin and yang, heat and cold, timing, etc., in order to determine the best time to fight.

(3) Earth：It includes geographical conditions, such as terrain, proximity, danger, width and narrowness.

(4) The Commander：The qualities of a general include leadership abilities such as wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness.. Only generals with these qualities can successfully lead an army.

(5) Method and discipline：Whether the system is reasonable, whether the laws and regulations are clear, and whether the management is appropriate.

Based on these five basic elements, seven key questions can be asked:

• Whose kings and people are more of one mind?
• Who has more talented generals?
• Who has a more favorable time and place?
• Whose decrees are easier to enforce?
• Whose army is stronger?
• Whose soldiers were better trained?
• Whose system of reward and punishment was clearer and more effective?

By comparing these issues, you can predict the outcome in advance. Only fight when you are sure of victory, otherwise do not act rashly. This principle highlights the importance of strategic decisions based on data and analytics.

3.Imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy’s will to be imposed on yourself

This quote emphasizes the importance of initiative in war. In war, whoever can seize the initiative will benefit. The key is to allow the enemy to come to the location of your choice without being forced to follow the opponent’s deployment. This means you have to set the pace on the battlefield and dominate the situation.

The key strategy for achieving initiative is through the clever use of fiction and reality. When you attack, you need to make it difficult for your opponent to discern your true target, make them guess where you will attack, and make it difficult for them to defend effectively. On the contrary, when defending, you want to make it difficult for your opponent to determine where your weak points are so that they have difficulty choosing appropriate targets to attack.

This strategy is not just an information strategy, but also involves concealment and disguise. By hiding your intentions, you can remain mysterious on the battlefield, distracting and confusing your enemies. This way, you can focus on your strategy, while your opponent may be forced to spread their forces and get into trouble.

In short, the principle highlights the importance of initiative and how to master it through true and false strategies and information so that one can gain an advantageous position in war. This is one of the very key strategic ideas in “The Art of War”.

Summary

The three principles of Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” are to first calculate the 5 basic elements of war and the 7 key issues to determine the chances of victory.Then through spies and other means of detection to know the enemy. In specific battles, the combination of reality and falsehood creates a localized advantage, so as to take the initiative in the war. If both sides are well-prepared, then make yourself invincible first, the rest is to wait for your opponent to make a mistake.