The Art of War
Sun Tzu's slim military treatise that became MBA scripture — 'know yourself and your enemy.'
Origin
Attributed to the Chinese general Sun Tzu (Sun Wu), written around the 5th century BCE during the Warring States period. Thirteen short chapters on strategy, deception, terrain, and intelligence. Core teachings: 'All warfare is based on deception'; 'Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting'; 'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.' Read by the Mao-era Chinese army, the U.S. military, and (after a 1980s English-translation boom) every other business executive.
Modern usage
Now mostly cited outside the military — by VCs, sports coaches, lawyers, and chess streamers. 'Sun Tzu says…' is a stock executive opening line. The deception and indirect-attack lines turn up in every essay on negotiation, marketing, and strategy. The book is also a major reference in Chinese political signalling.
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