International Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Federation International Shorinji Ryu Jujitsu Federation 180 Yellow Jacket Drive Reliance, TN 37369 USA Tel. (423) 338-4972, Fax. (423) 338-5651 email alexyama@ mindspring.com

White Crane Snow Tiger News – May 2008

www.yamazato-videos.com       

www.worldbudokan.com       

Sun Tzu!

Summer Camp!

Yamazato New Releases

http://www.worldbudokan.com/video/ISKKFSummerCampMPEGPromo.ht

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb_IC0ur0-A

 

Greetings to All!  Been consumed with getting a new book done! Sun Tzu The Art of War for the Modern Executive. I know! I know! It’s all been done before. But I’ve been researching and working on Sun Tzu not only from the martial arts aspect but also from the point of view of business applications for about ten years. So I thought it was time to finish it up. The introduction is included below [at the very end]. You’ll find some of the information in the introduction very interesting from a martial arts perspective. 

 

The book will be released in about two weeks. The first 100 copies will be a limited edition and each copy will be numbered and signed. The cost is $39.95. It will be available on the website www.yamazato-videos.com or you can call Yamazato to order at 1-888-299-YAMA (9262). This version and interpretation of Sun Tzu is an unusual mix of East Asian and Chinese history, martial arts and business applications. I guarantee it isn’t like any other version you’ve looked at before. It examines and analyzes Sun Tzu’s wisdom from a number of different perspectives that are often if not mutually exclusive certainly vastly different perspectives. It looks at Sun Tzu from the eyes of a historian, a military man, a martial artist and a business executive. As you may know, we produced a martial arts DVD on Sun Tzu some years ago. This may be of interest as well.

 

 

Also, we are getting ready for Summer Camp. The camp will be held August 1, 2 & 3 in the mountains of Tennessee. Quite a few people have already signed up. So reserve your spot on the dojo floor now! This year is going to better than ever. People are finally figuring out what a great martial arts event this camp is. Train all day, party at night and then soak in your hot tub and gaze at the stars in a pristine wilderness. To see your accommodations go to www.whisperingridgecabins.com We will have Shihan Rudy Crosswell again this year as a guest instructor along with other senior masters. We will have classes in karate, jujitsu, sword, MMA and weapons. We also have a white water rafting trip as an option. Although it is a serious martial arts camp, we always have a light-hearted little tournament as part of the program—The Water Melon Kumite World Championships. This has proven to be quite a hit!  I hear there are people secretly practicing and strapping watermelons to themselves and smashing away at each other! Greg Beavers from Ohio was our winner last year. He will be at camp to defend his title this year. To register for camp go to: http://www.worldbudokan.com/2008SummerCamp.htm Register before June 1^st and get a $50.00discount!

 

New Yamazato DVD titles include: Makiwara Power and The Secrets of Chinese Kung Fu Volumes I, II & III. Makiwara Power shows you how to effectively and safely train on this ancient training device along with supplementary training methods that will make you hit hard & fast! Sifu Jerry Cook has some new DVDs out! The Secrets of Chinese Kung Fu. We can’t say enough good things about him. His execution and understanding of the Chinese martial arts is incredible. He’s a guy who has not gotten the recognition and exposure he deserves. Volume I is on Wu Dang Immortal Styles – Fist &  Sword, which is the sword style featured in the movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Volume II features Five Element Forms, Heaven & Earth Sword forms and more! Volume III includes Shaolin Tiger Tornado Broad Sword, 18 Buddha Palm Method, Wing Chun Wooden Man Form & Two-Man Fighting Staff Set!

 

Coming Soon! White Crane Speed & Evasion 7 (Suparinpei), Karate Power –Strength & Conditioning Hojo Undo

 

News Notes

·        Okinawa Trip! We have revised the departure for Okinawa until October 2008. Got a call from Nitta sensei in Okinawa a week ago. There is a bit of political unrest with regard to the military in Okinawa at this time. Everything will be fine by October though.

·        Yamazato Swords The Master Sword and the New Warrior Spirit! These are hand forged with high quality steel and not machine made. Call 1-888-299-9262 or check the website at www.yamazato-videos.com

·        White Crane Speed & Evasion Vol 7. This DVD Will have suparinpei kata, push hands, yakusoku kumite and more! Karate Power Strength & Conditioning. Yes! Size does matter! This DVD will have hojo undo or supplemental training exercises with weights and some great karate strength training methods on it. 

·        Martial Oceans will be promoting another great cruise this year. On July 17th^h 2008 the group will depart from San Diego and head for fun on the waves and enjoy Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. For more info Contact sensei Tony Calvino 1-877-773-2790. Register today!

• Randy Randolph, Renshi 5^th Dan ISKKF graduated Fire School with honors recently and received the Best-of-the-Best Award for Outstanding qualities of: Positive Leadership, Dedication, Teamwork, and Attitude. Congratulations Randy!
• Sensei Todd Anderson recently received his Renshi certificate & title from the ISKKF. Hard work pays off. Good work Renshi Anderson!  

   New Titles from Yamazato Productions:

$29.95 each FREE SHIPPING! Call 1-888-299-YAMA (9262) or www.yamazato-videos.com

 Order Any DVD now and Get a FREE Judo Throwing & Grappling Wall Chart.

 

Coming Soon!

 

 

All the best in martial arts! Anyone interested in membership in the Okinawa Hakutsuru Kenpo Association/Shorin Ryu Karate/Jujitsu/Sword or any of our other marital disciplines check out the new website and contact me. www.worldbudokan.com.

 

Sincerely,

 

George W. Alexander, 10^th Dan President 

Okinawa Hakutsuru Kenpo Association

International Shorin Ryu Karate Kobudo Federation

Shorinji Ryu Jujitsu Federation

World Budokan Kendo Federation
Yamazato International
180 Yellow Jacket Drive
Reliance, TN USA 37369
Tel. 423-338-4972
Toll Free 1-888-299-YAMA (9262)
Fax 423-338-5651
www.yamazato-videos.com

www.worldbudokan.com

alexyama@mindspring.com

 

 

 

Sun Tzu—The Art of War

for The Modern Executive

by

George W. Alexander, Ph.D.

Introduction

 

Sun Tzu’s, The Art of War, is a classic Chinese text on military strategy that has proven to be the preeminent work in Asian military science. In recent years it has established itself as an excellent guide for use in contemporary corporate strategy. For over two thousand years and throughout much of the course of Asian history, Chinese, Korean and Japanese strategists have revered The Art of War as the unsurpassed work in the field. It is in fact the seminal work on Eastern strategy. The book itself contains a corpus of material on the art of war and comprises a complete doctrine on warfare and Chinese military thought of the period. Its content has proven to be timeless. The key to its genius is its simplicity and pragmatic approach to strategy. After studying the text and the various translations it is the author’s conclusion that the thirteen chapters attributed to Sun Tzu are probably not the work of one man but rather a collective work of various authors. This is currently still a matter of scholarly debate. It is the author’s contention that even though it is a comprehensive and cohesive work it is most likely that additional material was simply added to the work over the centuries. The work in no way has been diminished by this and is perhaps even enhanced by its collective intelligence. The earliest known copy [version] of Sun Tzu’s text is known as the Yin Cheuh Shan and was discovered in Linyi, China. This version dates back to c.140-118 B.C. Since this time period was before the invention of paper the text was written on thin bamboo slips. The slips were lashed together thus creating a book or more accurately a bamboo scroll. Incredibly this version was not discovered until 1972. What is generally referred to as The Art of War authored by Sun Tzu is in fact a collection of writings handed down from the time of the Warring States period (403-221 B.C.) and then edited and codified during the Sung dynasty some twelve hundred years later. This edited version along with other military writings collectively known as the Seven Military Classics then became the basis of military theory in China and was used as the corpus of study material for the civil examination system used in China for those aspiring to military appointments.

 

The earliest reference to Sun Tzu is a biography contained in both the Shih Chi and Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yueh. The Shih Chi or Historical Records is one of China’s most famous documents and is considered the first true literary masterpiece of this ancient culture. Authored and compiled by Ssu-ma Ch’ien (135?-93? B.C.), the work describes Sun Tzu as being active in about 512 B.C[1][1][1]. The Shih Chi was not produced until about 100 B.C., nearly four hundred years after Sun Tzu’s supposed existence. Ssu-ma Ch’ien relied on oral traditions and archival documents to produce a work that spanned the historical records of China from its very beginnings up until his time. The Spring and Autumn Annals gives a biographical account of Sun Tzu as well and recounts his discourse with King Ho Lu and his infamous demonstration of military prowess using the king’s concubines. What most scholars take issue with is that these early references and biographies of Sun Tzu [as recounted by Ssu-ma Ch’ien] are before his time i.e., the Warring States period (403-221 B.C.) After analyzing the text it can be determined with reasonable certainty that it is a product of the Warring States period some one hundred and fifty years after Ssu-ma Ch’ien’s biography of Sun Tzu. One of many examples of this proof is the fact that Sun Tzu speaks about the size of armies being 100,000 men strong. During the Spring and Autumn armies were typically not this large and only numbered about three thousand. Further, Sun Tzu mentions in the Art of War that certain items with regard to government expenditures include chariots, horses, armor, crossbows, etc. The crossbow was a technological advance in weaponry that revolutionized Chinese warfare. Most scholars have dated its introduction to the year 400 B.C. Therefore, the date of the writing of Sun Tzu’s Art of War can be dated more accurately to the period c. 400-320 B.C.[2][2][2] Perhaps Ssu-ma Ch’ien simply erred with regard to the dates by misinterpreting the source material, namely the historical documents that he relied on. In any case, the historical records yield conflicting data about the dates of Sun Tzu’s existence and the authoring of the text. It seems there can be no resolution or reconciliation with regard to establishing exact and accurate dates.

 

Additionally, authorship during the Spring and Autumn period was somewhat vague in that writing was more often left to scribes or an official historian, sometimes called “The Grand Historian” in Ssu-ma Ch’ien’s case. Oftentimes authorship was assigned to a personage from antiquity in order to make a document seem more authentic. Even today in modern traditional martial arts a lineage going back to a founder from the distant past somehow legitimizes that martial system and lends both a pedigree and credibility to a particular martial art system whose genealogy might otherwise be questionable. This practice is apparently ubiquitous throughout Asian culture and applies to not only martial arts documentation but also to historical records and no doubt dates back to ancient times. This is analogous to and no different than in contemporary times putting a “spin” on a story for publication in the news media. Some scholars have chosen this supposition as the basis for the theory that Sun Tzu never existed but was merely a name attached to the legendary thirteen chapters known as The Art of War.

 

Sun Pin, Sun Tzu’s descendent who lived about one hundred and fifty years after Sun Tzu; also produced a work entitled Military Methods. This was not discovered until the 1970s when a Han Dynasty tomb was excavated and the material written on bamboo slips was found. This work is now considered the eighth military classic.

 

Sun Pin no doubt emulated his famous predecessor—Sun Tzu. He is referred to in numerous traditional writings as a direct descendent of Sun Tzu.  His Military Methods is an outstanding work that describes strategies from the middle Warring States period. One well-known anecdote regarding Sun Pin describes an adversary named P’ang Chuan who served the King of Wei in a military capacity. P’ang Chuan was a contemporary of Sun Pin and felt he was inferior to Sun Pin and thus envied his accomplishments. As a way of eliminating Sun Pin, P’ang Chuan through legal maneuvering had Sun Pin convicted of a crime and sentenced to a horrendous punishment. As punishment Sun Pin’s face was branded and his feet were amputated. Once this was done he could not be seen by the king and therefore was no longer a threat to P’ang Chuan. Through astute political maneuvering Sun Pin gained an audience with a visiting military attaché from the State of Qi. Impressed with Sun Pin he brought him back to the state of Qi whereupon he was appointed as a strategist in Qi’s army. Eventually [many years later] the state of Qi was at war with Wei and the Qi army was sent into Wei. P’ang Chuan now a general pursued Qi’s army enticed by Sun Pin’s deceptions. As a stratagem Sun Pin said, “The Qi state and its army has a reputation of cowardice. They are therefore despised by the state of Wei. Let us turn this around and use it in our favor!” Sun Pin gave orders that on the first night of their encampment [in Wei territory] to show 100,000 fires, on the second night 50,000 fires and on the third night 20,000 fires. Finally, he gave orders to retreat or execute a retrograde movement. In this way P’ang Chuan was induced to pursue the Qi army. P’ang Chuan said to himself, “ I knew these men of Qi were cowards, their numbers have dwindled by more that half.” P’ang Chuan was then in hot pursuit of the Qi army and Sun Pin. During his retreat, Sun Pin determined the time of P’ang Chuan’s arrival at a certain locale that was perfect for an ambush. He determined that P’ang Chuan would arrive just after dark. Sun Pin then had his soldiers skin the bark away from a tree and write, “P’ang Chuan will die here tonight!” He further instructed ten thousand crossbowmen to fire all at once at this point when they saw a light appear. As Sun Pin had estimated P’ang Chuan arrived at the appointed hour and in the darkness held up a light to see what was written on the tree. As P’ang Chuan peered at the tree, ten thousand crossbowmen let loose with their arrows. Once P’ang Chuan was dispatched the army of Wei fell into chaos and the forces of Qi defeated them.[3][3][3] In this way Sun Pin gained a place in history next to his famous ancestor Sun Tzu.

 

Notwithstanding the deft military strategies such as the one noted above, the purpose of this writing is to use Sun Tzu’s classic book on strategy as a guide for modern business practices. Indeed this is not the first attempt at doing this. In the 1980s a book was published in China that addressed Sun Tzu’s work as applied to management science and instructed companies on its use for marketing and basic business practices. It ultimately surfaced in Hong Kong and was embraced in this bastion of capitalism in Asia. In Japan this subject has been thoroughly dealt with. Many Japanese companies have used Sun Tzu as a template for corporate strategy. The great swordsman Musashi in his work the Go Rin No Sho references Sun Tzu as a sourcebook for strategy. Moreover, the Japanese approach has focused primarily on management, corporate warfare and strategy. Even though General Griffith in his 1967 translation and exegesis of the text implicitly scoffed at the use of Sun Tzu as a template for business strategy, he used it successfully for his Ph.D. dissertation from Oxford. Sun Tzu and his theme The Art of War has become so ubiquitous that it has even crept into popular culture and has surfaced in movies and books. The actor Michael Douglas in the movie Wall Street quoted Sun Tzu several times. Over time and through various media the brilliance, thoroughness and subtleties of Asian strategy have been revealed to the West and absorbed into Western culture. 

 

Although Sun Tzu’s Art of War has been heralded as a premier work on strategy it is important not to forget that there are other great works in this area from various other sources as well. The three most important works on strategy include Sun Tzu’s Art of War, Miyamoto Musashi’s Go Rin No Sho or The Book of Five Rings and The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli. Machiavelli discusses the rules of engagement in his Il Principe or The Prince and says, “Don’t follow the rules because surely your opponent won’t follow the rules.” Therefore, if you follow the rules you will put yourself at a disadvantage to your opponent. Implicit in this is the concept of being totally ruthless. This is not unlike Musashi’s statement where he warns, “Take your opponent seriously and don’t trifle with him.” This implies that a seriousness of purpose in battle is most important. A cavalier attitude has no place in the professional warrior’s mindset. In other words, be totally ruthless. Morality in self-defense is a legal concept. It has no place in warfare. It is of no consequence who is right or who is wrong. It is of no consequence [other than to gain a tactical advantage] who has attacked first. It is the ultimate outcome that is important in war. This is most evident in twentieth century warfare when the Japanese in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905 and again in WW II attacked first without a declaration of war. Additionally, there are great lessons that can be learned from the literature of the Greeks, Romans and others. Certainly more modern authors such as Carl Von Clausewitz the great Prussian military mind has much to offer in his book On War as well as the writings of the English author B.H. Liddell Hart. Finally, there is the nineteenth century French writer Jomini. Not to appear too erudite but it should be noted that it was Jomini who in his Traité des grandes operations militaries came up with the concept of “La dace, La dace, toujours la dace.” This simply means to always be audacious and to drive forward. There are often [but not always] parallels between these great works and the lessons of Sun Tzu. But this work will concentrate on Sun Tzu’s classic work on strategy and will use its theory for business applications.  

 

Even though China had been geographically isolated from the rest of Asia and the West by mountains and deserts, its military history is a long one. It is a country with the longest uninterrupted cultural history in the world. The Chinese were unaware of the civilizations to the west so they called their country Chung-kuo. This literally means “Central Country” but it is most often translated as “Middle Kingdom.” China’s military history begins in ancient times when local peasants armed with only crude staffs where dissatisfied with their plight of being overworked and overtaxed. They were led to fight in a series of revolts against the current leadership with little more than staffs cut from the boughs of trees. With the defeat of the ruler, a new leader would then be installed and the inevitable process would begin again. The first readily identifiable government or state was known as the Shang dynasty. It can be traced back to 1766 B.C. At this point in time, China’s main problems were the protection of the central government of the various states from usurpation and defending against the incursions of nomadic horse armies in the north known as Hsiung Nu. China’s Great Wall was built to defend against these marauders and to prevent further incursions into “civilized China!”

 

Later, during the Chou (Zhou) dynasty (722-481 B.C.) also known as the Spring and Autumn, peasant armies were led against various factions by numerous warlords.[4][4][4] These aristocratic warlords would arrive at the battlefield in “war chariots” armed with expensive bronze swords and would command archers to fire arrows into the enemy. The chariot probably was initiated as a ceremonial vehicle but evolved into a weapons platform and mobile command post with a driver, an archer and a halberd-wielding shock trooper. Combat was conducted in a more or less ritualistic sense and was organized under strict rules of engagement with usually indecisive results. Even if conquered and subjugated, the vanquished and their aristocratic line would still not be eradicated. In battle, it was forbidden to strike an elderly man or finish off an enemy who was wounded. Sometimes an individual combat was held between two warriors in front of opposing armies to decide various issues of the battle.^[5][5][5] In fact, armies would often languish about, “Hurry up and wait!”, due to the fact that divinations using oracles and omens were used to guide the leader in the fortunes of war. These divinations, such as studying auguries, were used to make critical decisions on the battlefield about when to attack, etc. Also, warfare was conducted on a seasonal basis. Military engagements were suspended during the time of planting and harvesting and the winter months when it was considered to cold to fight or if a great leader had died and his passing was being mourned. 

 

During the end of the Chou (Zhou) dynasty, one warlord would defeat another, which eventually led to the disintegration of this dynasty. A new hegemony was then established. During this period an old leader would be deposed and the process would begin again. The Chinese refer to this phase of their history as a series of dynastic cycles. Typically, this pattern of cycles repeated themselves throughout Chinese history. This cycle would begin with a heroic founding sometimes by a great and charismatic leader followed by a period of great power and then an eventual long period of decline. This same cycle would then repeat itself again with the establishment of the next dynasty. The armies during this period were inefficient in battle and poorly led. These peasant armies were not trained as professional warriors and were poorly equipped. Superior weapons and armor were not introduced to the battlefield until later. Additionally, these armies were not well supplied and logistic support was always a problem. Oftentimes, not unlike warfare in the early centuries in Europe, the troops did not have enough to eat even with pillaging the countryside and would die of starvation, disease or simply were too weak to fight effectively.

 

During the early Spring and Autumn period, more than 130 smaller states fought against each other vying for power. Ultimately five large states emerged as the most powerful. These were the Qi, Jin, Qin, Chu and Song. They continually fought for control of their respective regions and intimidated the surrounding smaller states often invading neighboring kingdoms. These political, economic and military struggles numbered over four hundred campaigns in the preceding two centuries before Sun Tzu’s time. Often a more powerful state would impose its political will on a smaller or weaker state. Economic struggles related to one state deciding to control the commerce of another state or the outright seizure of another state’s wealth. Diplomatic confrontations were usually in the form of securing alliances and therefore fostered counter alliances. These often shifting alliances were created to extend a state’s power by establishing a greater sphere of control over a larger geographic area. A larger more powerful kingdom entering into an agreement with a smaller state in order to act as a protector consummated these alliances. The smaller state or protectorate would benefit by having its sovereignty secured and the larger state would benefit by extending its influence through the protectorate state.

 

By 579 B.C. an anti-war movement was established by members of a weaker state to secure a lasting peace between the smaller states and the larger ones. During this period several smaller states were geographically located between the larger states of Jin and Chu. The larger states would often invade and/or harass the smaller ones. As a countermeasure the smaller states would stockpile various goods such as jade, silk and even slaves at their borders. These goods would then be used as bribes or gifts and given as a deterrent to whoever arrived at their borders to invade. In an even more horrific event, the Sung kingdom was besieged by the Chu and in order to stop the continued attack of the Chu had to trade their children to be eaten as food! Thereafter, Sung persuaded all of the surrounding states including Jin and Chu to ratify a treaty proclaiming Jin and Chu as the leaders of the alliance. Its provisions allowed for the smaller states to pay tribute to both Jin and Chu and also stated that Jin and Chu would not attack each other or any of the smaller states. Obviously it was better for the smaller states to pay a tribute rather than suffer the devastating effects of war on their country. In this way powerful enemies were subdued by diplomacy rather than war.  These events were the prelude to Sun Tzu creating his illuminating Art of War.     

 

By the 4^th century B.C., known as the Warring States period (403-221 B.C.) in Chinese history, the scale of warfare in China had become much larger and more decisive than in previous centuries. This is due to the fact that armies were more organized, better trained and led by an elite corps of professional warriors. Iron weapons were used and the crossbow was introduced. Troop movements and tactical elements were coordinated in battle by the use of gongs, drums and flags. The coordinated combat elements of these armies were capable of sophisticated maneuvers. Thus, the science of battlefield tactics came into being in Asia.

 

During this period in China large cities began to trade with one another and a period of prosperity ensued. However, the concept of “sharing the wealth” was not within the world-view of the ambitious warlords of the times. Ironically, this period of prosperity led to the many conflicts that typified the Warring States period. King Wu Hsu, the king of the Chou (Zhou) clan defeated the Qin ruler in 453 B.C. After the defeat, “King Wu Hsu was handed the severed head of the Qin ruler whereupon he used it as a drinking cup.” This type of barbarous behavior was not an uncommon occurrence in Chinese military history.

 

The growth of large states and political entities during this period at the expense of lesser states was part of China’s historical development. The age of Warring States produced numerous military experts and strategists who offered their services to rulers of various states. If their advice was good and resulted in success for the ruler they would be rewarded handsomely. Conversely, if the advice given and strategies suggested turned out badly for the king and the army the so-called expert would not fair so well.  They would often be boiled to death, sawn in half, torn apart by chariots or even worse--pickled! Apparently, service in a military capacity was lucrative enough to entice many talented strategists and military theorists to lend their services to a sovereign despite the possible unfavorable outcome.

 

The Warring States period was a time of turbulence typified by shifting alliances between the numerous states vying for power and an era of much political intrigue. War became commonplace between the various polities of the period and was simply a fact of life. The well-documented career of the professional warrior Wu Ch’i, who in many ways was similar to Sun Tzu, is an indicator of the nature of the times. He was born in the state of Wei and was later employed by the ruler of Lu. Wu Ch’i had taken a wife from the state of Qi. Later the state of Qi attacked Lu. The king of Lu wished to make Wu Ch’i a general in his army because of his talents. But the king feared Wu Ch’i would not be loyal to him. Wishing to obtain the appointment, Wu Ch’i killed his wife to prove his loyalty to the king and that he had no allegiance to the state of Qi. The king then put him in charge of the army and Wu Ch’i destroyed all of Qi’s invading forces. Sometime later because of Wu Ch’i’s strict methods of administration jealous officials brought false charges against him. Wu Ch’i had these officials killed along with their families. The death toll was seventy. Wu Ch’i then left to find employment with another ruler. 

 

The Warring States period produced numerous specialists in warfare who could train armies, devise strategies and lead them into battle. Sun Tzu became the most famous of these military strategists (c. 544 B.C.)[6][6][6]. His definitive guide to strategy, The Art of War, was the world’s first military classic. It is still considered unparalleled in the annals of military strategy by many experts. Numerous documents and manuals on warfare have survived to tell us what military thinking and strategy was like during this period. The most famous of these military texts was Sun Tzu Ping Fa, or Sun Tzu’s Art of War. It contains thirteen chapters that deal with various elements of combat and military engagement.[7][7][7]

 

Sun Tzu describes the first element of contemplating war as that of a set of mathematical calculations with respect to the strengths and weaknesses of the combatants. In this calculation is also considered the abilities and talents of the commanders involved. Sun Tzu tells us that it is important to know yourself and your enemy. He emphasizes the use of reconnaissance in order to know the terrain and that a commander must know how to use the terrain to his best advantage. He further suggests that if war is inevitable or is embarked on that it should be carried out in the enemy’s territory. This is advisable because of a number of factors. One factor is that the troops could live off of the land of the enemy and not reduce the resources of their own kingdom. Additionally, there was less of a chance of desertion because in a foreign territory a soldier’s best chance of survival was with his own army. He explains in warfare how to use enraged troops and to use fire to disrupt the enemy. He mentions maneuvering and the concept of primacy of attack. Sun Tzu tells us further that pitched battles and siege warfare were to be avoided if at all possible and that deceit or deception was a higher strategy. If a kingdom could be conquered by the use of subversion with the use of spies without engaging in warfare and taken intact this was the highest form of strategy. He even suggests giving the opposing commander lavish gifts and to furnish him with women to confuse his mind so that his personal weaknesses might be exploited.

 

Despite Sun Tzu’s calculating and brutal approach to warfare he has been considered by some as a humanist. Odd you might think! But the rationale behind this thinking is that his advocacy of speed in war and accomplishing a quick victory was less harsh on the land. This is a reflection of the prevailing Taoist philosophy of the times in terms of seeking maximum efficiency, accomplishing more by doing less and adhering to a philosophy of complete objectivity. He said taking a city [or kingdom] intact was better than laying siege to it and destroying it. His ideas also amounted to killing less people as opposed to waging a protracted war. Von Clausewitz, the German military strategist, on the other hand said, “War is simply a matter of attrition.” In essence saying, use brute force and kill as many as you can in large-scale battles. This concept has formed the basis of much of Western strategy.[8][8][8] Sun Tzu’s concept of warfare was completely the opposite. He said the government should use diplomatic coercion to affect the advancement of the state and the primary objective should be to subjugate and thereby annex rival states without engaging in warfare. This is accomplished by attacking the enemy’s strategy first and then disrupting his diplomatic policies in order to subjugate the state so that its troops don’t have to be engaged. The state should only resort to warfare if the subject polity or state is actually threatened. Finally, even when military action becomes necessary the battle plan must focus on maximizing its effectiveness while minimizing its risk factors and creating as little destruction to the opposing state as possible, in essence taking it intact. Sun Tzu further states that emotion should not be a part of decision making and that the military should not be hastily or rashly deployed into battle. He suggests the enemy should be manipulated and maneuvered into a position where an easy victory can be realized. His philosophy of the art of war has stood the test of time which undoubtedly bears out its validity. However, The Art of War should not be considered a modern manual on warfare and strategy. Rather its value is in its approach to reducing the complexities of strategic thinking to their most simplistic and pragmatic forms.

Notwithstanding the Warring States period (403-221 B.C.) in Chinese history, a society made up of scholars and peasants seemed to have waged war almost reluctantly. They were naturally a peace-loving people and not warlike. Indeed, unlike Japan and the samurai class, the warrior class in China was at the bottom of the social order. They only engaged in warfare because of the dictates or pressures from ambitious warlords upon their territories.[9][9][9] The following quotation dated from 2,000 B.C. from a Taoist monk by the name of Deng-Ming Dao bears this out.

Thought on War

            If you hold a real weapon in your hand, you will feel its character

            strongly. It begs to be used. It is fearsome. Its only purpose is death,

            and its power is not just in the material from which it is made, but

            also from the intention of its maker.

 

            It is regrettable that weapons must be used, but occasionally, survival

            demands it. The wise go forth with weapons only as a last resort.

            They never rejoice in the skill of weapons, nor do they glorify war.

            

 

            When death, pain and destruction are visited upon what you hold

            to be most sacred, the spiritual price is devastating. What hurts

            more than one’s own suffering is bearing witness to the suffering

            of others. The regret of seeing human beings at their worst and the

            sheer pain of not being able to help the victims can never be

            redeemed.     

 

 

            If you go personally to war, you cross the line yourself. You

            sacrifice ideals for survival and fury of killing. That alters you forever.               

 

            That is why no one rushes to be a soldier. Think before you want to

            change so unalterably. The stakes are not merely one’s own life,

            but one’s very humanity.

 

It is obvious from Deng-Ming Dao’s poem that war was certainly not glorified in China’s society but simply a fact of life that was tolerated and in no way put to the forefront of society either in class distinction of the warrior or the ideology of war. In fact, a Chinese aphorism states, “Would you use good steel to make nails? Why then would you use good men to make soldiers?”

 

One of China’s greatest philosophers, Confucius lived just before the advent of the Warring States period. His humanist views and pacifist teachings were not well received at this time because China was sinking into an era of continual warfare and bloodshed. One anecdote contained in the Analects recounts how Confucius once tried to council Lord Ling of the state of Wei. He asked Confucius about military matters and battle formations. Whereupon Confucius replied, “ I have studied the disposition of ritual vessels and the like but I have not studied military matters.” He left the Lord’s palace the next day![10][10][10]

 

Sun Tzu in his Art of War never directly discusses the morality of war.

Although understandably as a general he wouldn’t be concerned with this as it is more often left to the political arena and the sphere of the sovereign. He did recognize the influence of politics on war and that in order to get the support necessary a war must be justified in the minds of the people. A just war might be the mitigation of genocide or as in the case of the peasant revolts of the early Spring and Autumn period the overthrow of a tyrant. 

 

 Sun Tzu’s book, The Art of War, became the classic work on strategy in China. He wrote this book so that he could pass on his experience derived from the many battles that he had fought. Indeed this book is studied by military leaders and generals in China today. His book, which details a complete guide to strategy and outlines a philosophy on how to defeat one's opponent in war, has given guidance to generals and military strategists for millennia. His book has had far reaching effects in both the orient and the occident. Indeed the warrior culture of Japan was greatly influenced by Sun Tzu’s text from the earliest times in Japan’s history. In the twelfth century the Taira and Minamoto clans are known to have included Sun Tzu’s teachings in the education of their samurai warriors. Later in the sixteenth century, warlords such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomo Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Takeda Shingen who shaped Japan’s destiny were all students of Sun Tzu’s writing. Further, Miyamoto Musashi billed as Japan’s greatest swordsman and the author the Gorin No Sho, The Book of Five Rings, refers to the “Chinese book” [Sun Tzu] in his text. Additionally, it is apparent that Sun Tzu’s work, The Art of War, was at least one sourcebook for Mao Zedong’s Little Red Book on strategic and tactical doctrine so embraced by the masses during China’s so-called Cultural Revolution. 

 

Sun Tzu Ping Fa was first translated into French in 1772 by a Jessuit missionary named Father J. J. M. Amoit. As Alexander the Great is known to have read Homer’s Iliad so Napoleon is said to have studied Sun Tzu’s book The Art of War. In 1905 the first English translation appeared in Tokyo under the title Sonshi, which is the Japanese pronunciation of Sun Tzu. This book was translated by Captain E.F. Calthrop. In 1910 Lionel Giles, an English sinologist published his version of the work and it was simply entitled The Art of War. Later the work was translated into other European languages. In The Art of War, military leaders have found a complete guide to strategy that is succinct and comprehensive yet truly deep in its understanding of the subject. It is truly a masterpiece on strategy.

 

Sun Tzu also understood the economic effects of war. He was perhaps the first to comment on it by saying that inflated prices are the result of long military campaigns. He also mentions two other things that are relevant with regard to warfare and that seem to transcend time. “There has never been a country that has benefited from a protracted war.” Additionally, “Those adept at waging war do not require a second levy of conscripts nor more than one provisioning.” Perhaps this text should have been consulted by President Lyndon Johnson and Secretary of Defense Robert MacNamara during the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s! Even today Sun Tzu’s wisdom could have been of benefit to military planners. Currently the war in Iraq, which as of this writing has become a protracted war has lasted five years with no end in sight. It has cost the American people billions of dollars and the lives of many servicemen. The populous are asking, “What is the benefit? To fight terrorism? To provide stability for the region and protect oil? To bring democracy to the Middle East? To free the world of an evil dictator?” Oil prices have not come down and no one seems to have a definitive answer or a plan as to what direction we are going in with regard to this conflict. There doesn’t seem to be a clear exit strategy from Iraq or a way to extricate ourselves from this conflict. This work is not a forum for contemporary political commentary but a point has been made that is relevant to Sun Tzu’s strategies. Our current policies just seem so imprudent, ill conceived and therefore contrary to Sun Tzu’s theories and wisdom. No doubt history will be the ultimate arbiter and will judge whether the right course of action was chosen in this case. 

 

Certainly times have changed and Sun Tzu’s theories are not always relevant in modern warfare, especially with regard to siege warfare. Sun Pin reversed Sun Tzu’s theories on siege warfare 150 years later. But there is a certain timeless wisdom inherent in quotations put forth by Sun Tzu, in yet another translation of his work, “When employing the army in battle, a victory that is long in coming will blunt their weapons and dampen their ardor… If you expose the army to a prolonged campaign, the state’s resources will be inadequate.” Somehow one innately knows that this is wisdom and is good council and advise. 

 

 

It is important to note that in Sun Tzu’s time a state was relatively small and had limited resources. Therefore, his work emphasizes efficiency in warfare and tells us not to squander resources by engaging in long campaigns. A detrimental effect of this is that a state can become weakened by engaging in a long campaign and a neighboring state may take advantage of this and attack. According to General Tao’s work on The Art of War, Sun Tzu says, “When the army engages in protracted campaigns, the resources of the state will not suffice. When your army is exhausted and its morale sinks and your treasure is spent, rulers of other states will take advantage of your distress and act.” This is why Sun Tzu advocates primacy of attack to gain a quick victory. 

 

Sun Tzu also discusses the use of spies or secret agents. He acknowledges that spies are useful to the military commander in order to ascertain the enemy situation, which is vital in planning military operations.^[11][11][11] He also states that spies are useful in spreading misinformation to confuse the enemy.^[12][12][12] Finally, Sun Tzu describes the use of other fundamentals of military strategy and tactics such as the use of terrain, maneuvering, marching, etc.    

 

In today’s world Sun Tzu's classic text has found a new audience in the business arena. Its appeal has extended beyond the teachings of military strategists into the world of business. Someone once said, “Business is war!” Because businesses do in fact engage in competition, Sun Tzu's principles are ideally suited to competitive business situations and practices. Indeed, business including battles in the boardroom like warfare is a contest of wills between commanders and organizations. It is often dynamic and fast-paced. Both business and warfare are based on having high morale of the troops and the use of logistics, personnel, equipment and various other resources. Not unlike an effective economic strategy, warfare deals with the effective and efficient use of scarce resources. Many business people today have found value in Sun Tzu's teachings as a guide to strategy and leadership. It has become a management tool used by the astute executive and C.E.O.s of large corporations.

Asian writings and ancient texts are often couched in poetic language and esoteric jargon that is difficult for the layman to understand and interpret. There is also a [deliberate] high degree of ambiguity in these writings. This is simply a matter of writing style indicative of the Chinese classics. Any attempt at transliteration can be difficult at best for the most practiced scholar. In fact, this is why there are so many versions or interpretations of Sun Tzu’s text as well other Chinese classics. Also, consider the fact that classical Chinese of the period is quite different than the Chinese even the earliest commentators on the work understood. There is also a thread of Taoist philosophy inherent in the text. This is exemplified by the use of paradoxes such as the concept on winning without actually fighting. Additionally, trying to glean a business practice out of military tactics and strategies can lead to a complete misinterpretation without a thorough knowledge of all the disciplines involved. Indeed in many respects the military mind and the mindset of the businessman and the related disciplines can be vastly different, at least philosophically. Therefore, I have drawn on my own experience as a military man, historian and businessman and used this knowledge and skills developed in these various disciplines to not only interpret Sun Tzu’s strategic philosophies, but also have adapted them to real world examples and business models. Additionally, I have put them into a contemporary and up-to-date business context and emphasized a street savvy and practical approach to the implementation of many of these strategies. I hope you’ll find my interpretation of Sun Tzu The Art of War for the Modern Executive both practical and refreshing.

 

George W. Alexander, Ph.D.

Reliance, Tennessee April 2008