The Art of War: Resolving Conflicts with Peace

Sun Tzu, a Chinese Military General wrote a war manual, The Art of War in 515 CE. 

When you think about a war manual, usually one starts to visualize the scenes of war, bloodshed, raging fires, cities turned to ashes. This is where The Art of War stands out from the ordinary teachings bestowed during the times of war. 

The name might give out a mistaken impression, but the instructions of this 1000-year cherished document emphasize on achieving victory without resorting to conflict. 

WHAT THE HELL, right? Bear with us on this one.

Who is Sun Tzu?

Sun Tzu
(544BC-496BC)

Sun Tzu, meaning 'Master Sun' was born during a disorderly time in China. When an all out war between the more than 150 states of China broke out. Of which only 13, relatively powerful came out on top. This came to be known as The Warring States Period. Born in a noble family, he became an expert strategist at an early age. He formed strategies that helped his relatively small kingdom achieve victory over vastly superior states. In spite of being a military general, Sun Tzu was no warmonger. The Art of War, one of his best known works, is a testimony of it.

The Art of War

Application:

U.S. withdraws from Vietnam

This manual, a 1000-year old record is a part of syllabus for several military examinations. It's teachings followed by Ho Chi Minh, the revolutionary of Vietnam, a small state that gave USA a run for their money. Used as an instruction material in US military academies, the application of it's text doesn't just limit to intelligence, rather several spheres, be it Corporate, Music, Film & TV, Sports, Courtrooms & even Interpersonal Relationships. 

In my personal opinion, this one is a great read without a doubt. One of those that provide a plethora of insight & wisdom in a concise length.

The Teachings:

As we brought up earlier, The Art of War isn't just a regular record, even the Giants of their respective fields praise it as one of the greatest spiritual teachers. It doesn't teach on how to fire a coordinated volley of arrows or swing a sword, although how cool it might seem, The Art of War states that true excellence lies in resolving conflicts before it hits the fan, and that too peacefully.

In order to win any conflict, one must assess 5 factors;- 

• Way:- Way is a goal greater than self interest. In order to win a battle, one must assemble an army. The greater the goal, the tighter the unity of that army.
• Heaven & Ground:- Heaven is the environment, Ground is the factors that follow the environment. Analyzing them thoroughly will help form better strategies.
• General:- General is the qualities of what a leader must possess. These are Courage, Benevolence, Credibility, Wisdom & Discipline.
• Law:- Law is logistics. Managing one's strength. One should be aware of using his/her energy & resources optimally.

One must be honest & impartial while assessing him/herself. Before approaching conflict one must contemplate about it's cost, which increases even further when realization of the opportunities lost for growth & development settles in. That's why going to conflict must be the choice when there is none other left. Sun Tzu also emphasizes on treating your adversary with compassion, not hate. Your adversary of the present can be a potential ally of the future.

If conflict is the only choice, then one must take out the emotional element out of it. Emotion often leads to Arrogance which leads to you acting out of pride rather than purpose. This will cost you energy & resources which could've been put to better use. In Relationships, find common grounds & continue making steady progress.

However, excellence doesn't lie in winning conflicts, it lies in winning them without even fighting. In order to do that, you should put yourself in a position of invincibility. This position will make the adversary, who seeks you harm, avoid the conflict altogether.

Sun Tzu suggests that you must manage your strengths. Strength without management is waste. While attacking, be mindful of timing & momentum. Timing will ensure that your adversary doesn't have much time to prepare & gets surprised by your unpredictable attack, Momentum will ensure that your adversary stays down. But do be aware of not confusing purpose with rage. Use the resources of your enemy to replenish, i.e. by showing him/her compassion, you can turn your adversary into your ally & use his/her resources to further prepare for the next conflict, if there were to be one.

Conclusion:

To conclude, The Art of War should be referred to as a Spiritual Manual. This ancient work opens up a new perspective at resolving conflicts. However, the reader should not be confused between avoiding unnecessary conflicts with avoiding conflicts altogether. Resolving conflicts that are out in open will inspire others & make people admire you. But to Sun Tzu, this is a failure. One who is skilled wins the loyalty of your adversary & the conflict before it's out there. This also teaches the reader that he/she should be comfortable in their own skin & how others perceive you are the concerns of Ministers, not The King/Queen. 

I'll be linking the book down below if you would like to have a read, which I strongly suggest you do. And please do tell us that whether we should write articles like this more often.

Amazon: The Art of War

Flipkart: The Art of War

eBay: The Art of War

-Bhavesh Arora