THE ART OF WAR: AN OVERVIEW
by Zee Sing

On the surface, Sun Tzu's The Art of War is a classic treatise on military strategy. Underlying that is a work that gives us insight into Chinese culture and philosophy; a work that can give us a deeper understanding of our world and how to deal with the problems that confront us.

There is a sense in which life itself can be seen as a battlefield. For this reason, The Art of War can be adapted to help us form strategies in dealing with work, relationships and the challenges of daily life.

Understanding who we are -- our strengths and weaknesses -- can help us on the battlefield of life. Understanding where we are can help us overcome challenges. Understanding what our objective is can help us move forward.

In the first chapter of the Art of War, Sun Tzu tell us that it is important to understand the climate. This can be thought of as the environment we find ourself in; for example, work or home. Is the climate aggressive and competitive or friendly and cooperative? Who can we form allies with?

The starting point for everything is our basic philosophy; how we approach problem solving. For example, with personal relationships, how does our view compare to that of the other person?

Like all Chinese philosophy, Sun Tzu views the universe as cyclical; day and night, hot and cold, hard and soft. This mean that the timing of our actions must be appropriate for the cycle or season.

Balance is important too. In a competitive business climate, for example, we should focus on the weaknesses of our competitor.

The notions of balance and cycles and be summarized like this:

1. When we are strong, we should appear weak.
2. When we are active, we should appear passive.
3. When we are close, we should appear far.
4. When others are confused, we should be decisive.
5. When others are angry, remain calm.

Relative to competition we can say that:

1. When the opposition is angry, frustrate them
2. When they are weak, entice them to be arrogant.
3. When they are relaxed, force them to work.
4. When they are allied, separate them.
5. Be aggressive when they are not prepared.
6. Depart when they do not expect it.

The Art of War is a classic Chinese text and important for anyone who is serious about comprehending the Chinese psyche and philosophy. Its simple and straightfoward advice can be applied to real life situations and help us on the road not to war, but to peace of mind.

Chapter: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 , 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

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Copyright 2005 by Zee Sing. Permission required to reprint.