● "The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected."

● "Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

——By Sun Tzu

In today's society, there is a concerning trend where many individuals solely concentrate on the tactics outlined in Sun Tzu: The Art of War. This not only oversimplifies the essence of the book but also misplaces its priority. In reality, Sun Tzu: The Art of War stresses the importance of ethics and a humanistic spirit.

In the book I Ching (The Book of Change), it is said that "a person of great virtue can shoulder great responsibilities." This perspective holds immense significance and calls for thorough contemplation. Entrepreneurs and politicians who lack morality and fail to embrace a sense of responsibility towards their nation, government, and society are bound to deviate from the right path.

About 2,500 years ago, Sun Tzu had already recognized that war was not an isolated phenomenon, but the most significant matter for a country. Therefore, he said that the issue of war must be treated with great caution, as it has tremendous destructive power and is extremely cruel. Once failed, it often comes with a heavy price. Sun Tzu warned rulers to handle war with utmost care because "a state which has perished cannot be restored, nor can the dead be brought back to life."

According to Sun Tzu, the best policy in war is to thwart the enemy's warlike behavior. The second best is to disrupt his alliances through diplomatic means. The third best is to attack his army in the field. Attacking the city was a last resort, a way that was out of the question. From his perspective, observing soldiers bravely scaling the walls of the city like swarming ants, with casualties reaching one-third, and yet failing to achieve victory, is deemed to be a catastrophic failure. Sun Tzu: The Art of War contains profound care and respect for life.

Sun Tzu's ideology does not exist in isolation. During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), Confucianism and Mohism,the most influential schools of thought at that time, opposed war. The Mohists, expressing their strong aversion to war, composed a notable work titled Denouncing Unjust Wars. Confucianist Mencius criticized war for wasting farming time, damaging production, harming the innocent, and enslaving the people. According to Laozi, founder of Taoism, "A war maniac will not own the world,""Weapons are ominous tools, detested by all, hence not used by Tao/Dao followers." Laozi opposed wars, which goes without saying.

Numerous historical records attest to interactions between the Central Plains of China and its neighboring ethnic groups, which fostered a strong bond of friendship. Despite its undeniable superiority in culture, economy, and military power over other regions, the Central Plains refrained from engaging in acts of aggression, plunder, or attempting to impose its hegemony.

A renowned American film titled Dances with Wolves delves into the historical narrative of European settlers who migrated to the American continent to expand their territorial claims, ultimately leading to the mass killing of native American peoples. Unlike the European settlers in the American continent, for thousands of years, the Central Plains of China and the surrounding ethnic groups have been in a continuous integration process. The expansion of Chinese territory is not reliant on warfare and force, but rather on cultural identity and shared belonging.

In the book I Ching, there is a saying, "Among the three talents of Heaven, Earth, and Man, the human being is the most valuable." Another famous Confucianist, Xunzi, said that humans are the noblest beings in the world because they possess vital breath, life, and awareness which add to them a sense of morality and justice. Sun Tzu: The Art of War was produced in a cultural context that highly respected "humanity."

Sun Tzu always approached discussions on warfare from a perspective deeply rooted in human ethics and morality. The book does not advocate solving problems through warfare; instead, it emphasizes using strategies to resolve conflicts. Even though it promotes strategic thinking, it continually underscores the role of ethics. The final chapter of Sun Tzu: The Art of War, "Using Spies," discusses the role of spies or "intermediaries" in warfare. Unfortunately, many have disregarded Sun Tzu's prerequisites for using spies: "He who lacks wisdom cannot use agents; he who is not humane and generous cannot direct agents." Solving wars through strategy is an issue threaded with ethical and humanistic concerns.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of DeepChina.

The author is Wang Shouchang, renowned scholar, professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Peking University.