Sun Tzu said: In the art of war, to conquer the enemy state entirely without destruction is the supreme strategy; to destroy and seize it is inferior.
To subdue an entire enemy brigade intact is best; to defeat it is second best.
The same rule applies to smaller units: a whole company and a whole squad.
Hence to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the highest excellence. The highest excellence is to subdue the enemy’s army without fighting a single battle.
Note
A great military strategist and thinker in ancient China, who lived in the late Spring and Autumn Period. He authored The Art of War, the world’s earliest and most influential military classic. His strategic thoughts have been widely applied in military, politics and management worldwide.
Complete victory
The core strategic idea here. It means defeating the enemy while preserving people, cities and resources, instead of total destruction.
Military units
Lv, Zu, Wu are basic military formations in ancient China, from large troops down to five-man squads.
Subdue the enemy without fighting
The most famous maxim of The Art of War. It relies on strategy, deterrence and diplomacy to gain victory.
Han Xin and the Conquest of Yan
The military career of Han Xin, one of the “Three Heroes of the Early Han,” provides a masterclass in applying Sun Tzu’s principle of “Complete Victory”. While Han Xin is famed for his battlefield genius (e.g., the Battle of Jingxing), his campaigns against the state of Yan demonstrate his ability to achieve strategic goals without bloodshed, perfectly aligning with the doctrine of “Subduing the enemy without fighting”.
The Context: Strategic Flanking
During the Chu-Han contention, Liu Bang (the Han king) was locked in a stalemate with Xiang Yu (the Chu overlord) at Xingyang. To break the deadlock, Liu Bang needed to secure his flanks and cut off Chu’s supply lines. He ordered Han Xin to lead an expedition north to conquer the states of Zhao, Yan, and Qi.
After defeating Zhao at the Battle of Jingxing (204 BC), Han Xin stood poised to invade the neighboring states. However, instead of immediately launching a costly invasion, Han Xin and his advisor Li Zuoche devised a strategy based on psychological warfare and the demonstration of overwhelming force.
The Execution: Deterrence and Diplomacy
Following the victory at Jingxing, Han Xin captured the Zhao chancellor, Li Zuoche. Instead of executing him, Han Xin treated him with great respect, asking for his strategic advice. Li Zuoche analyzed the situation and suggested that Han Xin should “sit and scare” the enemy.
Han Xin took this advice. He ordered his army to rest and fortify their positions along the border of Yan, making elaborate preparations for an invasion. He amassed ships and boats, creating an illusion of an imminent, overwhelming assault.
The King of Yan, witnessing the destruction of Zhao and seeing Han Xin’s massive, battle-hardened army preparing to strike, was terrified. Without Han Xin having to fire a single arrow, the King of Yan surrendered immediately to avoid annihilation.
The Aftermath: Preservation of Strength
By conquering Yan through the threat of force rather than prolonged sieges or battles, Han Xin achieved a “Complete Victory.”
- No Destruction: The cities, granaries, and infrastructure of Yan were preserved for the Han state.
- Resource Efficiency: Han Xin did not waste his elite troops in costly urban warfare.
- Strategic Isolation: By securing these flanks, Han Xin effectively isolated Xiang Yu, setting the stage for the final victory at Gaixia.
This campaign perfectly illustrates Sun Tzu’s maxim: Han Xin was not just a master of “winning a hundred battles,” but a master of making the enemy surrender before the battle was even joined.
孫子曰：凡用兵之法，全國為上，破國次之；全旅為上，破旅次之；全卒為上，破卒次之；全伍為上，破伍次之。是故百戰百勝，非善之善者也；不戰而屈人之兵，善之善者也。
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