The Way Term Analysis

The Way is intrinsic to Master Sun’s worldview, approach to warfare, and moral code. For Master Sun, all aspects of life and the cosmos have their own particular Way—that is, “path,” “road,” or, more loosely, “doctrine” or “principle,” from translations of the Chinese word “Tao.” For example, there is a Way to writing calligraphy, a Way to leading a nation, and a Way to waging war. This notion that perfection exists, and is even achievable, is based on the concept of an ordered world regulated by unbreakable laws. The Way is in a sense the order of the universe, which human beings must seek. The simplest examples include physics or math—there is a correct and provable answer to every problem. But the Way also encapsulates more subjective concepts, such as morale or morals. Sun draws on this perspective in much of his advice in The Art of War. If the enemy is prone to pride, for instance, Sun says to inflate his ego further to prompt him into making a rash or arrogant decision. If the men are likely to flee at the first sign of danger, the general should put them somewhere they cannot escape, and they will fight for their lives.