Other conditions being equal, if one force is hurled against another ten times its size, the result will be the flight of the former.

Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.

All battles are won before they start.

Do not press an enemy at bay. Prince Fu Ch'ai said: "Wild beasts, when at bay, fight desperately. How much more is this true of men! If they know there is no alternative, they will fight to the death.

He must be able to mystify his officers and men by false reports and appearances, and thus keep them in total ignorance.

There are only five notes in the musical scale, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be heard. There are only five basic colors, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be seen. There are only five basic flavors, but their variations are so many that they cannot all be tasted. There are only two kinds of charge in battle, the unorthodox surprise attack and the orthodox direct attack, but variations of the unorthodox and the orthodox are endless. The unorthodox and the orthodox give rise to each other, like a beginningless circle-who could exhaust them?