|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Sun Tzu: The Art of War
The Art of War is an ancient Chinese text on strategy and warfare written by a Sun Wu, a brilliant military general more than two thousand years ago. It is considered one of the oldest attempts at analyzing and documenting the specific components of strategic warfare, with wisdom that is as applicable today as it was thousands of years ago. Many Chinese and international scholars debated the exact dates that Sun Tzu waged war against his enemies and many question the legitimacy of such a historical figure actually existing. Rather than a sole general or military expert being the sole author, they interpreted the manuscripts as a collection of works pieced together by Chinese Philosophers. In 1972 a set of engraved, bamboo texts were discovered in a grave near a city called Linyi Shandong. This discovery supported the existence of Sun Tzu's. The texts were dated between 134-118 B.C and not only confirmed Sun Tzu's historical existence, but also added new sections of strategic text. To support a timeline, clues can be found within his 13 Chapters of strategy, and especially in chapter two. Some scholars feel that the descriptions of war chariots that were used by the ancient Chinese were only used for a brief period ending in the 4th Century BC. The actual text is 13 chapters covering all aspects of strategy from the use of psychological warfare, to his use of strategic deception, and the value he placed on the armies of secret agents and double agents. As an example of text in which he uses an exercise in deception, he advised that if your enemy was near, to make him think you are far, if your enemy is far, make him think you are near. In an area that you are weak, make him think you are strong, in an area that you are strong, make him think that you are weak. While he could be a ruthless military tactician, he also recognized that it requires more skill to take a city intact, than it was to destroy it. He also said that many successful battles is not the result of skill, but to rather to subduing the enemy without fighting is the test of true skill. There are many free online version of Sun Tzu with links posted at the bottom. As you begin your study in the ancient, but applicable art of war, you will find varying translations due to "disagreements" of exact translations of the Chinese text. Even with the small variations, the message will resonate with accuracy, and relevancy. The below excerpt is from an ancient biography on Sun Tzu and provides some insight into Sun Tzu's rise to power. It outlines the story of Sun Tzu and the concubines. It is made possible with permission from Project Guttenberg with the complete text found at: www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/taoism/sunntro.htm Ssu-ma Ch`ien gives the following biography of Sun Tzu Sun Tzu Wu was a native of the Chi State. His ART OF WAR brought him to the notice of Ho Lu, King of Wu. Ho Lu said to him: "I have carefully perused your 13 chapters. May I submit your theory of managing soldiers to a slight test?"Sun Tzu replied: "You may."Ho Lu asked: "May the test be applied to women?" The answer was again in the affirmative, so arrangements were made to bring 180 ladies out of the Palace. Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, and placed one of the King's favorite concubines at the head of each. He then bade them all take spears in their hands, and addressed them thus: "I presume you know the difference between front and back, right hand and left hand?"The girls replied: Yes. Sun Tzu went on: "When I say "Eyes front," you must look straight ahead. When I say "Left turn," you must face towards your left hand. When I say "Right turn," you must face towards your right hand. When I say "About turn," you must face right round towards your back." Again the girls assented. The words of command having been thus explained, he set up the halberds and battle-axes in order to begin the drill. Then, to the sound of drums, he gave the order "Right turn." But the girls only burst out laughing. Sun Tzu said: "If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame." So he started drilling them again, and this time gave the order "Left turn," whereupon the girls once more burst into fits of laughter. Sun Tzu: "If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders ARE clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers." So saying, he ordered the leaders of the two companies to be beheaded. Now the king of Wu was watching the scene from the top of a raised pavilion; and when he saw that his favorite concubines were about to be executed, he was greatly alarmed and hurriedly sent down the following message: "We are now quite satisfied as to our general's ability to handle troops. If we are bereft of these two concubines, our meat and drink will lose their savor. It is our wish that they shall not be beheaded." Sun Tzu replied: "Having once received His Majesty's commission to be the general of his forces, there are certain commands of His Majesty which, acting in that capacity, I am unable to accept." Accordingly, he had the two leaders beheaded, and straightway installed the pair next in order as leaders in their place. When this had been done, the drum was sounded for the drill once more; and the girls went through all the evolutions, turning to the right or to the left, marching ahead or wheeling back, kneeling or standing, with perfect accuracy and precision, not venturing to utter a sound. Then Sun Tzu sent a messenger to the King saying: "Your soldiers, Sire, are now properly drilled and disciplined, and ready for your majesty's inspection. They can be put to any use that their sovereign may desire; bid them go through fire and water, and they will not disobey." But the King replied: "Let our general cease drilling and return to camp. As for us, we have no wish to come down and inspect the troops."Thereupon Sun Tzu said: "The King is only fond of words, and cannot translate them into deeds." After that, Ho Lu saw that Sun Tzu was one who knew how to handle an army, and finally appointed him general. In the west, he defeated the Ch`u State and forced his way into Ying, the capital; to the north he put fear into the States of Ch`i and Chin, and spread his fame abroad amongst the feudal princes. And Sun Tzu shared in the might of the King. Leadership Development and Leadership Training are the focus of Aubie Pouncey's career. He works as a contributing writer for http://www.righttolead.com and has put together many leadership training modules that can be found at: http://www.trainercorner.com
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
History of the Royal Barges - a Timeless Tradition The history of the royal barges dates back to the Sukhothai era in the 13th century when the first royal barges were reportedly seen. The barges were originally troop carriers at a time when it was more expedient to transport troops into battle along rivers. Precious Stones - The Big Five: Part 2, The Ruby What fairy tales of enchanted princesses and legendary lore of the Arabian Nights does not the mere mention of the ruby conjure up to our imagination! No stone has been more intimately connected with poetry and romance, and few gems can compare either in beauty or value with a perfect ruby. When Solomon exclaimed that "a virtuous woman was more valuable than rubies," and Job, that "the price of wisdom is above rubies," they both mentioned what to them was the most valuable thing in existence. And its value and rarity have not decreased since their time. Today a perfect ruby of five carats will fetch at least five times the value of a diamond of the same size and quality, while rubies without flaw or blemish, and of the true pigeon-blood variety, weighing as much as ten carats, are so rare and valuable that ten times the value of a perfect diamond would be considered a very low price to pay for so perfect a gem. Gymnastics History ? A Brief Overview Gymnastics, as an activity, has been around for more thantwo thousand years in one form or another, from the ancientGreek Olympics, to Roman ceremony, to today's modern meets. Learn Chinese Language Tips and Techniques There's no doubt learning any foreign language requires effort, time and commitment. This holds true even more, especially when there's a big difference between one's native tongue and learning a new language. Marilyn Monroe and Mary Jo Kopechne I doubt Marilyn Monroe was anything but a confused star-struck drug-using individual with some gifts and talents that the Kennedy boys enjoyed. But she may have been so obsessed with them that she would have threatened to tell some of what she knew and she did have the attention of the people and media. There was a general lack of knowledge about the nature of JFK's drug use and sexual shenanigans even after his death. It would not surprise me if this was managed and agreed to, or asked for by the Kennedy clan. They still value their image even though Old Joe has been exposed on Arts & Entertainment. Maybe Maria Shriver and Arnold will make a run for the Presidency. It is important to note that Mary Jo Kopechne figures into the issue in a big way however. Maybe she intended to leak a lot more about the Kennedy clan. True Story; Why Can?t We all Just Get Along? A little girl came up to her mom in the store and she asked, Mom do we celebrate Hanukah? The little girl had obviously seen a sign in the store that said Celebrate Hanukah next to some merchandise. The mom said no we do not celebrate hanakah, but pointed to a lady sitting in the bookstore in the middle of the café and said that lady over there does. The girl asked her mom, what does Hanukah do? The mom said; ask the lady with the gold circle necklace over there. Chinese Zodiac Signs Each Chinese New Year begins on the day of first new moon. In the western year 2005, the new moon began on February 9. It was the Chinese year 4702. In actuality, most Chinese began using the western, or solar, calendar in the early twentieth century, except on important holidays. Many of the calendars in China show both the solar dates of the western calendar and the lunar dates of the Chinese calendar. Chinese astrology is based on the twelve cycles of the moon.The Chinese zodiac consists of twelve animals, rather than the solar signs used in the west. In the Chinese calendar each period lasts for a full cycle of the moon, from new to full. There are twelve complete lunar cycles in a Chinese zodiac year, but one animal symbolizes the entire year. According to their calendar, the Chinese complete a cycle every twelve years. So if you were born in the year of the rat, you would celebrate your zodiac birthday every twelve years, and your Chinese zodiac sign would be the rat. In the west your astrological sign appears once each year.The calendar and its animals were created from an ancient legend. It tells us that the animals were all fighting about who was going to be in the prime (first) position on the Chinese calendar. The gods devised a test in which the animals would compete for their position by swimming across a river. Another version says that the Buddha requested visits by the animals before he left earth. He named the moon cycles after the animals in order of appearance. So the Chinese zodiac symbol is a circle divided into twelve equal sections; think of it as if you were marking off slices of a pie. There is a picture of the animal representing that Chinese zodiac sign in each section. The calendar's use dates clear back to 2600 BC.The animals used in Chinese astrology are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep (goat), monkey, rooster, dog, and boar (pig). Persons born during their cycle are said to take on their animal traits:Rat- Perfectionist, charming, aggressive, secretive, party-loving, quick-witted, stubborn, good at politics and business, can be meanOx- Quiet, quick to anger, excellent memories, hard-working, family loyalty, creative, skilful hands, responsible, self-confidentTiger- Leaders, courageous, territorial, possessive, fighters, generous and selfish, magnetic, passionate, works solo, dynamicRabbit- Sweet-natured, conservative, artistic, tasteful, sentimental, emotional, shy, faithful to partners, romantic, avoid fightingDragon- Regal, leader, centre of attention, powerful, lucky, aggressive, dynamic, big ego, snobbish, tyrannicalSnake- Charming, popular, lies easily, possessive, hates rejection, deep thinker, well-mannered, lazy, romantic, insecureHorse- Crowd lover, rebellious, energetic, selfish, self-centered, good with money, cunning, lacks self-confidenceSheep or goat- Artistic, creative, lazy, disorganized, charming, well-mannered, dreamy, pessimistic, romantic, worrier, not good in businessMonkey- Charming, witty, clever, emotional, unscrupulous, love food but not gluttons, deceptive, funny, luckyRooster- Straight-forward, honest, flashy dresser, loyal, honest, dreamer, psychic, busy, loves a bargain, observersDog- Traditional, loyal, sincere, intelligent, private, judgmental, serious, anxious, likes solitude, champions causesPig or boar- Loving, caring, chivalrous, sincere, honourable, easy to take advantage of, belief in goodness, love food, romantic, jealous How Many Chinese Characters Are There? Let's trace the number of Chinese characters from Han Dynasty 汉朝 (206 B.C. to 220 A.D.) The Man Who Loved Jail Around my twentieth birthday life became a series of incredible events. Perhaps in retrospect it has never ended. I was living on my own with other guys in houses where partying was the rule and bars were meant to be closed. I had started reading Eastern mysticism and was heavy into music after years of boredom in school. It seemed like the world was much more interesting in every aspect of life's potentials. I wasn't making much money as an apprentice accountant but I was getting lots of parking tickets. I had just met a woman seven years my senior by the name of Myrna, when I went to the Don Jail for my second visit that year. The policeman asked me if I'd like him to take me in Friday late, so they would have to let me out the same night. Sir Francis Drake FRANCIS DRAKE: - It is my perspective that history has had secrets which Royal Families like the Stuart Bees needed to keep close to their vest; and that these secrets are still kept by our supposed 'experts' in history, to this day. The English claim to ownership in the Americas has been made on the basis of John Cabot who may never have reached the area of Canada and that Venetian half witted mariner was laughing-stock among his contemporaries. If our history allows that other nations would have given credit and rights based on his story - then almost any kind of secret agreement can be imagined. It must have involved the Holy Alliance which continued in such later acts as The Treaty of Verona between the Romano-Bruttii of Rome and England in 1822. Propaganda and American Journalism, Born Joined at Birth Passion was the main stuff of journalism long before the Civil War, the birthplace of modern American journalism. The Press of the American Revolution during the War and before it, was borne of it. Newspapers then were not as we know them today. Weekly advertising mediums they were, but they were primarily opinion pieces designed to protect interests or to provoke the readership. They were propaganda organs in the truest sense. They were virtual flagpoles of ideology from which the editor could wave his political flag. As tools of political activism they often published articles of principles treating of various freedoms or governmental responsibilities, as the editors saw them to be, mostly by pseudonymous authors sometimes using names taken from the Greek or Roman classics like Cato or Ovid. Mythology and Parables in Modern Communication - Part 1 Today there is a growing need to examine all our systems of thought and communication. We are witness to an information explosion. Never before has there been such a plethora of relevant and not so relevant information available on every subject imaginable. Most of us cannot even begin to fathom the depths of this apparent inexhaustible supply. Murder Solved From The Grave I am very interested in reading about ghostly stories and spirits etc. A couple of years ago I heard about a story which is apparently true, about a murder which was solved from the grave. How I lost A million Dollars In A Bank Robbery The Million dollars was my life-savings earmarked for prime the pump money for my biotech start-up. I am the Gerald Armstrong the owner of Gen Cells Cures?Gen Cells Cures is focused on private medical research for the individual. Searching for cures for incurable diseases and aging. Of course, with the best scientific technologies on the planet! With President Bush trying to ride the middle of the road on stem cell research and his rejection of therapeutic cloning. I packed my bags and went offshore. A great place to go, but leave your money at home. I transferred the money to a carribean island and the local banker stole every last penny. Welcome to the Mind Revolution: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Living Between the Points What does it mean to live "between the points?" What are the points? Are they science and religion? Are they conservative and liberal? Are they men and women? Are they childhood and old age? Are they intellectual and physical? Are they quantum physics and cosmology? Are they Freud and Jung? Are they the sacred and the profane? Are they nature and nurture? Are they light beer and stout? The Red Violin - Film Review The film portrays the creation, fate, and redemption of a father's legacy to his unborn child: a violin. Nicola Bussoti, a master violin craftsman, has created the "most perfect acoustic machine," in hope of his unborn son to be a great musician. Anna, Bussoti's wife, seeks knowledge about her future through an old woman, and her ability to foresee her fate with Tarot cards. The old woman makes five predictions about Anna's future: she will travel, there will be mountains and forests; there will be sickness everywhere she goes; she will meet with a man: the devil itself; and finally the rebirth: she will be desired amongst people, where her journey will come to an end. Bussoti's wife dies, taking with her their unborn child. This event will move Nicola Bussoti to finish his creation, varnishing the violin with her wife's blood. Chinese Tattoos - Meaning of Chinese Dragon Tattoos Chinese Tattoos have always been hugely popular. At one stage they were the realm of criminals and the mafia. Now it seems even Hollywood celebrities seem to have caught on to the mystery and allure of the Far East. While it is undeniable that classic Chinese tattoos have an attraction which can easily be appreciated regardless of whether one can understand the often subtle meanings or not. Synchronized Swimming, Dolphin Cognition and Visualization As humans become more technologically advanced and are able to see our environments from the outside looking in, we gather insight to our 3D space that we normally would not be able to do, these leaps in understanding which leads to increased technological advances appears to be increased due to such abilities. We have been able to increase our understanding of our total world and space through sea exploration, aircraft observation and space flight. Mexican Living: Doctors, Doctors, Doctors I am sick. I don't know what's wrong nor if what I have has an official name. Maybe they call it, "Ah-ha-now-you-can't-breathe-well-and-feel-like-you-are-going-to-die virus. I don't know. I will probably go to the doctor tomorrow if I am not feeling better. Civil War Uniform Shirts ? When to Use a One and Two Piece Body! So, you want to make your own Civil War shirt.You have so many decisions to make - one or two-piece body, type of front, buttons, material, colors, collars! Wow.
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |