Syllabus

• Week 1

  The Five Factors and the Way of Deception

  • Introduction to Sun Tzu's Art of War

    Welcome to this course, where we will explore the timeless wisdom of Sun Tzu's Art of War and learn how to apply its strategic principles to leadership, decision-making, and personal growth.

  • 01 The Strategic Essence of The Art of War

    “The Art of War” is the classic text on military strategy.

  • 02 Assess the Five Factors Before Battle

    Completing a stratagem by observing carefully the political morality, timing, place, general’s talent and military rules and making a comparison of all the potentials of the two parties.

  • 03 The Importance of the Five Things

    The five things: way, timing, place, general and law.

  • 04 Victory Depends on Deception and Adaptation

    On the battlefield, according to the rapidly changing situation, he who can make correct commands quickly is a capable general.

• Week 2

  To Win, Weigh Sacrifice and Strengthen the State

  • 05 A General Must Possess Five Virtues in Balance

    A general has to be qualified with benevolence, wisdom, fidelity, courage, and law.

  • 06 Balance Planning with Flexibility in Battle

    We need both to have large-scale planning and to be flexible.

  • 07 A Protracted War Drains a Nation

    Waging a war costs a lot of money.

  • 08 Victory Means Strengthening the Nation

    The purpose of fighting is not fighting for its own sake. Our goal is our own prosperity and strength.

• Week 3

  Win by Strategy, Not by Bloodshed

  • 09 Take Grain from the Enemy to Sustain Your Forces

    Master the art of “taking grain from the enemy”.

  • 10 Subdue the Enemy Without Fighting

    The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting, achieved by a hierarchy of strategies—defeating his plans, then his alliances, then his army—with besieging cities as the last resort.

  • 11 Win Complete Victory Without Attacking Cities

    The highest requirement is winning the world with a complete victory.

  • 12 Victory Depends on the Opponent

    Ensure invincibility first, then wait for the enemy's weakness.

• Week 4

  Mastering the Elements of Victory

  • 13 Create Overwhelming Advantage Before Battle

    You should try every means to turn yourself into a stone, but not an egg.

  • 14 Qi and Zheng: Interdependent and Endless in Combination

    “Qi” and “zheng” complement each other just like the mutual relationship of yin and yang.

  • 15 Cultivate Shi Like a Stone Rolling Down a Mountain

    An excellent commander can both rely on the soldiers (bravery) and create a beneficial potential.

  • 16 Strike Xu, Avoid Shi, and Control the Enemy

    All military arts can be summed up in the two Chinese words “xu” and “shi”.

• Week 5

  Strategic Mastery Through Adaptation and Deception

  • 17 Be Elusive and Intangible Like a Formless Force

    Sun Tzu inherits Laozi’s view of wonder.

  • 18 Cut Off One Finger Rather Than Injure Nine

    In Sun Tzu's view, it is better to cut off one finger than to injure nine.

  • 19 Adapt to Shifting Conditions Like Water

    “No one can always be in a dominant position in the five elements which restrict one another; no one can always stay in the four seasons which circulate and replace one another.”

  • 20 Turn Disadvantages Into Advantages by Taking Detours

    “Achieving the strategical aim by a detour route and turning disadvantages into advantages.”

• Week 6

  The Art of War: Balance and Adaptation

  • 21 Weigh Gains and Losses, Adapt to Circumstances

    Weighing gains and losses, waiting for an opportune moment to act, and always keeping calm and acting randomly.

  • 22 Three Levels of Command: Morale, Mind, and Force

    The three levels of military command and administration: the morale, the mind and the force.

  • 23 Weigh Both Benefits and Harms in Decision-Making

    One must consider both benefits and harms, seeing the full picture to ensure sound strategy and self-preservation.

  • 24 Weigh Advantages and Disadvantages

    The wise must consider both advantages and disadvantages, understanding that a full picture of gains and risks is the foundation of sound strategy.

• Week 7

  March, Camp, Observe, and Command

  • 25 March Through Valleys, Camp on High Ground

    When positioning troops: march through valleys, camp on high ground with wide visibility. After crossing rivers, keep distance; strike enemies while half-crossing.

  • 26 Choose High, Dry, Sunny Terrain for Camping

    Camp on high, dry, sunny ground near water and grass for health and supply. Avoid marshes and narrow valleys—choose terrain that favors you, not the enemy.

  • 27 Observe Enemy Actions to Reveal True Intentions

    Observe enemy actions then advance when advantageous, retreat when sensing traps, and base decisions on objective judgment rather than reputation or fear.

  • 28 Balance Leniency with Discipline in Command

    You must use both leniency and discipline in the management of troops.

• Week 8

  Terrain, Judgment, and the Decisive Moment

  • 29 Terrain Dictates Victory or Defeat

    The environment has a huge dominance over human activities.

  • 30 Advance and Retreat for the Nation, Not for Fame

    Advancing without seeking reputation, retreating without fear of blame.

  • 31 Know Your Troops and the Enemy, and Fear No Battle

    Those who know the art of war will not be confused in action and their countermeasures are inexhaustible.

  • 32 Death Ground Makes Soldiers Fight to Live

    Putting the soldiers in a dangerous place so that they will fight to death.

• Week 9

  The Art of Unity, Surprise, and Deception

  • 33 Preserve Internal Unity, Dismantle Enemy Cohesion

    The secret of making stratagems is to be united in front and back.

  • 34 Management of the Army

    A skilled general ensures unity by placing troops in perilous situations, using terrain and psychological pressure to force them to fight as one without retreat, while remaining calm and strict in command.

  • 35 Wariness of the Lone-Wolf Strategy

    The lone-wolf strategy relies solely on military might and avoids alliances, allowing for quick strikes but leaving a state isolated and vulnerable to coordinated counterattacks—ultimately leading to downfall.

  • 36 Be Quiet as a Virgin, and Quick as a Hare

    This strategy lulls the enemy into complacency by appearing harmless as a “virgin,” then strikes with the explosive speed of a “fleeing hare” to attack critical points before they can react.

• Week 10

  Fire, Foresight, and the Art of Intelligence

  • 37 Fire: The Decisive Weapon of Mass Destruction

    Fire was the ancient equivalent of today's atomic bomb.

  • 38 Wage War Only for Clear Gain, Never from Anger

    Since ancient times, those who know war are not warlike.

  • 39 Avoid Gaining Intelligence Through Speculation

    Do not gain (information) by means of analogy; neither by speculating horoscope and the like.

  • 40 Only the Sage and the Wise Can Use Spies

    Espionage requires sage-like wisdom and moral character.

  • Epilogue: Applying the Art of War to Your Life

    Your participation is appreciated, and you are encouraged to apply Sun Tzu's principles of planning, self-awareness, adaptability, and wisdom over force to your own decisions and actions.

Who will you learn with?