on waging war originally called Bing Fa (Soldier’s Skill), known to us today as The Art of War.
During this time, the King of Wu was looking for a commander in chief to head an attack on a neighboring state. Sun Tzu applied for the job, sharing his writings on organization and strategy with the king in an attempt to convince him that he was qualified. He agreed to submit to a test of his tactics by organizing more than 300 royal concubines and maids into a well-drilled unit. The women maintained that they understood Sun Wu’s directions, but laughed when he gave his commands. Obedience to a clearly given order being the responsibility of officers, Sun Tzu ordered the beheading of two of the troop leaders and appointed two others in their place. The new unit took his orders more seriously thereafter.
Sun Tzu’s military successes are legendary. In a famous battle against the kingdom of Zhou, he defeated an army of 200,000 soldiers with a force one-tenth the size. According to the second-century-BCE biographer Sima Qian, Sun Tzu enjoyed a successful military career and may have later updated The Art of War based on his personal experience.
Sun Tzu was about winning efficiently, with minimal cost and waste. If this brilliant tactician were alive today and living in the West, what advice might he offer women in their attempts to level the playing field for opportunities and recognition? Allow us to speculate that he’d have advised women—people—of all ages to familiarize themselves with The Art of War and to adapt it to their particular circumstances and needs.
This is what we humbly offer in Sun Tzu’s Art of War for Women.
Sun Tzu’s The Art of War
“Warfare is the greatest affair of state.”
The following version of The Art of War is based on the English-language translation by Lionel Giles (1875–1958), which we have respectfully and thoroughly edited. Our intent is not to create a more literal translation but rather one that may be more accessible to our Western audience: an audience primarily of women, to be sure, and perhaps the men who care enough about them to recognize the problems women may face in navigating the modern moment. We hope we’ve made Sun Tzu’s Art of War for Women interesting and informative, and we thank you for giving it a little of your time.
Footnote
1 Also Dao De Jing, a 6th-century-BCE classic on Taoism attributed to Lao Tzu.
The Art of War
1: Planning
Sun Tzu wrote:
The art of war is vitally important to the interests and existence of the State. In fact, it is the very basis of life and death and the way to survival or extinction. For these reasons, is necessary to comprehensively analyze and consider it.
Key Factors
To this end, the art of war should be evaluated and structured in terms of the following five factors:
1. Legal and moral standards (according to the Tao)
The ruler’s subjects should follow his authority, by which they willingly live and die for him without fear.
2. Nature (weather and related conditions)
Heaven and Earth contain yin and yang such as night and day, hot and cold, and seasonal variations.
3. Earth (terrain)
Terrain refers to near and far, hard and easy, and various shades of safe and unsafe.
4. Leadership
A good general (leader) possesses the qualities of wisdom, credibility, consideration, courage and discipline.
5. Organization and discipline
Organization and discipline are essential elements in leading people and managing logistics.
Every general (leader) should be familiar with these basic elements. Those who are will be successful; those who aren’t are destined to fail.
Comparisons
When seeking to determine military conditions, use the following issues as your basis of comparison:
1. Which of the two rulers (ours or theirs) best complies with legal and moral standards?
2. Which leader appears to be more capable?
3. Which group holds the greatest advantages in natural conditions and terrain?
4. Which side is better disciplined?
5. Whose resources are stronger?
6. Which side is better trained?
7. Which side is more consistent and fair in giving out rewards and punishment?
This evaluation will enable me to predict victory or defeat. The general who follows and acts upon this advice will win and should be kept in charge. The one who neither pays attention to my counsel nor acts upon it will lose, for which reason you should replace him.
Taking all of this into consideration, seek any additional advantages that may be available. Mold your tactics to the existing external factors and follow a flexible strategy that compensates for any tactical imbalances.
Deception
Sun Tzu tells us here (and continuously throughout The Art of War) that warfare is based upon deception. Thus he advises us to appear (to the enemy) weak when we are strongest and:
1. Pretend to be resting while you advance;
2. When you are far away, create the appearance of being near, and when you’re close, feign being far;
3. Use bait (e.g., the illusion of a weakness) to tempt the opposition;
4. Confuse the enemy with false signs and information;
5. Prepare for a substantial enemy but avoid them if they are very strong;
6. If they appear flustered or anger, try to irritate them;
7. If they’re resting, force them to use their energy;
8. If they are cohesive, introduce conflict into their midst;
9. Attach where they are least prepared;
10. Move forward when they don’t expect it.
These are the strategies that lead to success. They should not be divulged in advance even to your own side, and must be designed as opportunities present themselves.
The general who wins a battle will have meticulously calculated his plans beforehand. Thorough preparations promote victory, whereas indifferent calculations increase the likelihood of defeat.
