Part 5/9:
"The Art of War" is structured into thirteen chapters, each beginning with "Master Sun says." The treatise emphasizes the importance of preparation, adaptability, and the strategic use of deception in warfare. It opens with a statement highlighting war as a significant concern of the state and outlines five critical factors for securing victory: Dao (the way), climate, terrain, command, and regulation.
Sun Tzu advocates for limiting conflict when possible, preferring to undermine the enemy's strategy through clever diplomacy and intelligence. His famous assertion that the supreme accomplishment is to defeat the enemy without fighting encapsulates his strategic philosophy.