War Kings - Sun Tzu Art of War Chp 5 - Strategic Conditions 《兵势篇》

is a continuation of on the way of gaining victories. Sun Tzu believes that 〈奇、正〉are the best way of intensifying one’s strengths. ‘正‘(Straightforward) refers to unchanging principles governing war, while ‘奇‘(Surprise) is the stratagem discussed in . Under the changes arising from the coordination of ‘Straightforward’ and ‘Surprise’, one’s enemy will be unable to grasp the changing conditions which will thus, elevate one’s own chances of earning victories. It is this meaning that’s aptly brought up in the Chinese phrase “To strike one in surprise, secures a victory” (出奇制胜).

〈色不過五，五色之變，不可勝觀也〉

〈戰勢不過奇正，奇正之變，不可勝窮之也〉

Sun Tzu sees ‘Surprise’ and ‘Straightforward’ as liken to colours, where even under the most basic of coordination and changes, results in the most unexpected combinations of colours.

War Kings - Sun Tzu Art of War Chp 4 - Strategic Dispositions 军形篇

Strategic Dispositions - highlights the way to gain victories. Sun Tzu believes that 〈昔之善戰者，先為不可勝，以侍敵之可勝。〉Which mean that for a capable General to gain victory, one must be prepared for all situations so as to be able to counter failure and to spring on one’s enemy when they are at their weakest.

〈兵法：一曰度，二曰量，三曰數，四曰稱，五曰勝。〉

Sun Tzu believes that the way to maintain one’s victories is through: Calculations, Quantities, Logistics, Balance of Power and Victories.

〈地生度，度生量，量生數，數生稱，稱生勝〉

Calculations: The scale of the war so as to aid one’s decision making process

Quantities: Estimates on required quantities in order to plan one’s actions

Logistics: Estimates on the required manpower and quantities, so as to aid one’s planning

Balance of Power: To weigh one and one’s enemy conditions, so as to better grasp the chances of victories

Victories: To be victorious

War Kings - Sun Tzu Art of War Chp 3 - Strategizing the Attack 谋攻篇

'Strategizing the Attack' emphasize on the importance of strategizing one’s warfare before an attack. 〈是故百戰百勝，非善之善也﹔不戰而屈人之兵，善之善者也。〉To win every battle is not the highest excellence; the highest excellence is to subdue one’s enemy without fighting at all. This is in fact, what Sun Tzu believed was the best course of attack: To keep intact one’s own army. Not only will one minimizes all damages, but also the unnecessary recovery of the conquered land. Before strategizing every attack, one must know the enemy well. To not know the enemy and strike would only wreck one’s own army.

知己知彼，百戰不貽﹔不知彼而知己，一勝一負﹔不知彼不 知己，每戰必貽

Sun Tzu believes that by knowing oneself and one’s enemy, one will never be defeated. To know oneself and not know one’s enemy, one will only succeed halfway. To not know oneself and one’s enemy, in every battle looms defeat.

War Kings - Sun Tzu Art of War Chp 2 - On Waging War 作战篇

This chapter focuses on the situations to be wary of when out to war. For example, war is economically consuming, to be out to war for too long a time damages one’s home country’s economy. Sun Tzu believe that one must first know the damages of war before one could really decide if the war could indeed help better one’s country.

取用于國，因糧于敵，故軍食可足也 - Sun Tzu believes that scarcity problem could be solved by laying hands on the enemy’s。

車雜而乘之，卒善而養之，是謂勝敵而益強 - After each battle won, battle vehicles uncovered could be converted for one’s use. Furthermore, prisoners of war captured could be generously treated so as to coax them into submitting to the new sovereignty. This would ultimately weaken the overall abilities of one’s enemy while strengthening one’s own military strength.

War Kings - Sun Tzu Art of War Chp 1 - The Assessments 始计篇 (4/4)

Sun Tzu believes that when attacking one’s enemy, one must attack them when they are unprepared so as to be able secure victory.

〈攻其無備, 出其不意。此兵家之勝, 不可先傳 也。〉

War Kings - Sun Tzu Art of War Chp 1 - The Assessments 始计篇 (3/4)

As discussed by Sun Tzu, there are 5 elements to be cautious before war. 1. The way (道), 2. Weather (天), 3. Terrain (地), General(将), Discipline (法).

The 5 quality to look out for in a General (将) - Wisdom, Creditability, Kind, Courage, Strict.

War Kings - Sun Tzu Art of War Chp 1 - The Assessments 始计篇 (2/4)

(The Assessments) pivots upon the discussion of pre-battle preparations, details and strategies that the General needs to be attentive to. It is because of this that this is classified as the first of the thirteen chapters.

As discussed by Sun Tzu, there are 5 elements to be cautious before war. 1. The way (道), 2. Weather (天), 3. Terrain (地), General (将), Discipline (法).

道者， 令民与上同意，可与之死，可与之生，而不危也

道 - (The way) is bringing the thinking of civilians in line with the superiors, so that they will know what they are fighting for and thereby, render their full support.