Art of War 3.2
The Art of War (孫子兵法), Attack By Stratagem 謀攻篇
是故百戰百勝非善之善者也不戰而屈人之兵善之善者也
Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
Lionel Giles (1910), Sun Tzŭ on the Art of War (1910), with Giles' notes — public domain.
Lionel Giles's notes
Here again, no modern strategist but will approve the words of the old Chinese general. Moltke’s greatest triumph, the capitulation of the huge French army at Sedan, was won practically without bloodshed.
Character glossary
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 百bǎione hundred; numerous, many
- 戰zhànwar, fighting, battle
- 勝shèngvictory; to excel, to truimph
- 非fēinot, negative, non-; to oppose
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 也yěalso, too
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 屈qūto bend, to flex; bent, crooked, crouche
- 人rénman, person; people
- 兵bīngsoldier; troops, an army; warlike
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.