- Every battle is won before it is fought. The Art of War
- If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. The Art of War
- The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. The Art of War
- All warfare is based on deception. The Art of War
- Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. The Art of War
- The victorious warrior wins first and then goes to war, while the defeated warrior goes to war first and then seeks to win. The Art of War
- In war, the way to win is to avoid prolonged engagements. The Art of War
- Winning every battle is not the highest skill; the highest skill is to subdue the enemy without fighting. The Art of War