This Podcast Is... Uncalled For - Thoughts on Sun Tzu and the Art of War

Episode Date: June 26, 2026

To avoid any confusion: Sun Tzu is not a style of Kung Fu, but the legendary author of the ancient Chinese classic The Art of War. This episode is also the finale for Season 10.

Check the mic, we'll go in live, stories told their eyes and dive, topics fresh with every spin, you won't guess what's coming in. Every week and new surprise, minds away, never lies, conversations bold and free, tuning now just waiting, just press play, we're on our way, voice a sharp opinion. All right, welcome to the podcast. Welcome to the finale of season 10 of Uncalled 4. I'm looking forward to just keep going with this. Obviously, we went over 200 episodes, and I'm really excited about that. I'm excited to take this as far as I can.

300, and we're already a good portion of the way there. What do I want to talk about today? Well, trying to boost some numbers for the podcasts by going back and trying to boost numbers for individual episodes. I came across Dan Hanley's

episode from Virtual Fringe. And specifically, because we were talking about martial arts, I thought, well, maybe a good a place to start would be Sun Su, which Dan immediately misinterpreted

as a form of Kung Fu, which it is not. This is, you go to Google, you search Sun Su style of kung fu. There isn't a single

Sun Su style of kung fu but his classic text of the art of war. That's why I was referring to the art of war heavily influences many martial arts by emphasizing strategy, deception, adaptability, and understanding your opponent, focusing on mind over brute force,

much like Taoist practices of waterlike flow, like in Tai Chi or Ba Guan Joan, and using indirect tactics, key over direct force chun key concepts include feints f-e-in-t-e-n-t-e-n-t-e-n-t-e controlling space

attacking weaknesses and making the opponent act on your false signals to win over minimum violence and that's what we'll be talking about today is the art of war and which is why I was referring to when I said Sun Su

Sun Su is a credited as the author of the art of war core principles sticking with this AI interpretation of it said this is Google AI search Sun Su style of Kung Fu and this with a issue so core principles of from the therefore applied to Kung Fu, deception and misdirection, using faint, fakes, and false appearances like appearing weak or timid to lure

opponents into traps. Strategic positioning, mastering distance, angles, and footwork to control the flow of the fight, and force opponents into unfavorable positions. Adaptability, formlessness,

being like water, changing attack tactics to suit the situation as described in the dragon style. Attacking weakness striking the enemy's vulnerabilities, not their strengths, similar to panther style.

Speed and efficiency, avoiding prolonged battles and aiming for decisive action as advocated in the Tiger style Strike like lightning Invisibility In defense

Making your defense So solid That's an invisible Invincibility Make your defense so solid That the opponents cannot find an opening

But using their offensive moves Against them Stiles that reflect This include the internal styles like Tai Chi Ba Kwa

Chong, which I'm going to have to look that up because I've never seen that word before today. And emphasizing yielding, redirecting force and using the mind, the Yi and the spirit shin,

overbrook force, aligning with Sun Tzu's focus on strategy. Wing Chung, which I believe Dan did bring this Wing Chung. known for efficiency, simultaneous blocking and striking and centerline control,

reflecting Sun Su's principles of economy and precision. And Jing Yi-Quan focuses on direct, explosive power, but also strategic movement and intent using intent to guide

action. In essence, Sun Tzu's style in quotes, style, isn't a specific set of moves, but a strategic mindset. Be like water. Use cunning attack when they're weak. And be unpredictable.

Making the fight a mental game before it is physical. All right. And they do give a they do have a video in the description to showing how boxing engine many Pachiao used Sun Tzu's principles in his boxing fights

so okay and just for a good measure I'm gonna look this up Bagua Zhang eight trigram palm so so Bagua that's the I Ching, the eight trigrams, which gives us 64 hexagrams. That's a sort of fortune-telling thing if you're not familiar with the I Ching. But I will look that up a little bit. Dynamic Chinese internal martial arts known for its circular footwork, constant spiraling and coiling movements and fluid palm strikes. practitioners to attack and defend while moving,

often described as the arts of change. As one of the three main internal styles along with Tai Chi and Jing Yi Kwan, now one I may have to look up, it develops health, coordination, and self-defense through unique exercises like circle walking, which builds leg strength and promotes key flow making a powerful system

both martial application and well-being. So both a bit of a wellness thing as well as martial arts. Now let's go to the let's go to the Wikipedia on Sun Tzu

and you know I'm going to look up the I'm going to look up the kanji that were used for his name. In Japanese his name would have been

Magoko. Magoco. Mago or son would be would translate his grandchild. And Ko, this would just be child.

the Ts part. So, so, grandchild child, that's an interesting name there. But Sun Su was a Chinese

military general, strategist, philosopher, and writer who lived during the Eastern Zhou period from 771 to 256 BC. So this dude lived before Christ. is traditionally credited as the author of the art of war,

the Chinese, this classical Chinese text on military strategy from the warring states period. Through the earliest parts of the work probably date at least a century after him. So kind of like a Bible-time deal there. He said traditionally to have been born in 544, in either ki or wu and died

traditionally 896 BC so it was 4748 and and yeah so he's referred

in Chinese and East Asian culture as a legendary historical and military figure however his historical

existence is uncertain the Han Dynasty Historian Sima Kian Another traditional Chinese historians placed him as a minister of King

He Lu of Wu and dates him It is a lifetime from 544 to 496 BC The name Sun Tzu By which he is more

popularly known is an honorific which means master's son while I just went over the epitomology of how the Japanese interpret his name grandchild child his birth name was said to be son Wu and he is posthumously known by his courtesy name Chongqing or sound so I and I do believe there's a city called Chongqing in China. I will look that up as well. While I'm doing that,

you got Chongqing district and Chongqing Jinan in the capital of Changdong province in east.

Traditional accounts state that the general's descendant son Ben wrote a Treaties on Military Texas

also titled The Art of War Since both Sun Wu and Sun Bean were referred to as Sun Su Some historians thought them

identical prior to the discovery of Sun Bean's treaties in 1972 two. Zhang King. And now I'm going to switch over

to the Wikipedia for the art of war. So, the art of war. Ancient Chinese military treaties dating from the late spring and autumn period of roughly 5 century BC. The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist, Sun Su,

is composed of 13 chapters. Each chapter is devoted to a different skills or arts related to warfare, finance, and how they apply to military strategy and tactics for almost 1,500 years. It was the lead

text in an anthology that was formalized as the seven military classics by Emperor Xinjiang Jensom. a song in 1018 1080 the arvoir remains one of the most influential works on strategy of all time and has shaped both

east Asian and western military theory and thinking and I'm going to skip to the chapters portion because why not so the arv war is divided into 13 chapters or peon and I apologize I'm getting the tones wrong but I don't speak Chinese

the collection is referred to as being one shuan or whole right all right chapter one we'll go with the

Giles and we'll go with the Lionel Giles in because that's likely public domain at this point. They include a set of tiles from Michael Nylen, who is currently alive, published 2020. So we'll go with the most for this bag.

So laying plans. But as translated by Lionel Chiles, So, chapter one explores the five fundamental factors. The way, seasons, terrain, leadership, and management, and seven elements, which of the two sovereigns is imbued in the way or moral law, which sides general is more capable, which side has superior in right time and right place, which sides laws and regulations,

can be enforced more strictly, which side has more resources, better equipment, and stronger army, which side's officers and men are more well-trained and more capable of fighting, which side's rewards and punishments are more fair and clear,

that's determine the outcomes of military engagements by thinking, assessing and comparing these points, a commander can calculate his chances of victory. A habitual deviation from these calculations will ensure failure

via improper action. The text stresses that war is a very grave matter for the state and must not be commenced without due consideration. Yeah.

Chapter 2, Waging War explains how to understand the economy of warfare and house success requires winning decisive engagements quickly. This section advises that successful military campaigns require limiting the cost of competition and conflict. Chapter 3, attacked by stratagem, defines the source of strength as unity, not some, and discusses the five factors that are needed to succeed in any war.

In order of importance, these critical factors are attack, strategy, alliances, army, and cities. I wonder what dipshit is ignoring that. Number four, tactical dispositions explains the importance of defending existing positions until a commander is capable of advancing from these positions in safety. It teaches commanders the importance of recognizing strategic opportunities and teaches not to create opportunities for the enemy. Number five, the use of energy explains the use of creativity and timing and building an army's momentum. Chapter 6. Weak points in strong. Explains how armies' opportunities come from the openings in the environments caused by the relative weakness of the enemy

and how to respond to changes in the fluid battlefield over a given area. Number seven, maneuver in an army, explains the dangers of direct conflict and how to win these confrontations when they are forced upon the commander. A lot of game theory that could go into this too. Maneuver in an army, that's kind of key to playing chess. and a lot of other strategic games like Twilight and Imperium. Number eight, variation of tactics. Focuses on the need for flexibility in an army's response.

It explains how to respond to shifting circumstances successfully. Number nine, the Army on the march describes the different situations in which, Army finds itself as it moves through new enemy territories and has to respond to the situations much of this section focuses on evaluating the intentions of others. Can we throw football in this too? Because that's what's... Number 10, classification of terrain. Looks at the three general areas of resistance, distance, dangers, and barriers.

And the six types of ground positions that arise from them, each of these six field positions offers certain advantages and disadvantages. Chapter 11, the nine situations, describes the nine common situations or stages to a campaign from scattering to deadly. And the specific focus that commander would need to, in order to successfully navigate. them. Number 12, attack by fire, explains the general use of weapons and the specific use of the environment as a weapon. Now we're getting the martial arts shit. This

section examines the five targets for attack, the five types of environmental attack, and the appropriates responses for such attacks. And number 13, use of spies, focuses on the importance developing good information sources and specifies the five types of intelligence sources and how to best manage each of them.

Cultural importance and Wu across East Asia, the Arv War was part of a syllabus for potential candidates of military service examinations during the Sengoku period,

1467 of 1568 The Japanese Daimyo Takeda Schingen who lived 1521 to 1573 is said to

become almost invincible in all battles without relying on guns because he studied the art of war the book even gave him the inspiration for his famous battle standard

Huron Kazan wind forest fire mountain meaning fast as the wind silence as a forest ferocious as fire

and immovable as a mountain the translator Samuel B. Griffith offers a chapter of Sonsu and Mount Seidong where the R4 is cited as influencing Mao's on guerrilla warfare on the protracted war

and strategic problems of China's revolutionary war includes Mao's quote, We must not battle this saying in the book of Sun Wutsu, the great military expert of ancient China. Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a thousand battles without disaster. during the Vietnam War some Viet Cong officers

extensively studied the Art of War and reportedly could recite entire passages from memory General Vot Nguyen Giapp Apologies of my most pronouncing successfully

implemented tactics described in the art of war during the Baudien Bien Fu, ending major French involvement in Indochina and leading to the Accords that partitioned Vietnam in the north and south. General Ghiap, later the main

PVA military commander in the Vietnam War, was an avid student and practitioner of Sun Su's ideas. Outside of East Asia, the U.S. defeat in Vietnam more than any other events brought Sun Su to the attention of leaders of U.S. military theory, the Department of the Army, through its command in General Staff College, lists the art of war as one example of a book that must be kept at a military units library. So if you are in the United States military, yeah, I would highly be recommending this book, period. The ARVOR is

listed in the U.S. Marine Corps Professional Reading Program formerly known as the commonance reading list. It is recommended for reading for

all U.S. military intelligence personnel and the ARV war is also used as instructional material at West Point. So yeah, those guys are lineup for the Army Black Knights in football or basketball basketball. Yeah, they're studying this shit.

And the course name is Military Strategy, which is 470. It's also a recommended reading for officer cadets at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst. I'm guessing that's England. Yeah, one of the several military academies of the United Kingdom is the British. Army's initial officer training center. Some noble military leaders have stated the following about Sun Su and the R of War. Douglas MacArthur, he got fired by Truman Infamy. I always kept a copy of the R of War on my desk.

And fairly recently, he was a way more current than MacArthur, but Colin Powell, long-time Secretary of State, I have read The Art of War by Sun Tzu. He continues to influence both soldiers and politicians. And according to some authors, this strategy of deception from the Art of War was studied and widely used by the KGB.

I will force the enemy to take our strength for weakness and our weakness for strength and thus will turn his strength into weakness. Kind of sounds like what's happening with Ukraine right now. Applications outside the military.

Some of the books and buyers claim that it has a variety of applications in a myriad of competitive non-militarian deffers across the modern world including espionage, culture, politics, business, and sports.

I could tell you about the Sports parts. Just watch football. All right. See, it's in action. And I mean American football. Some business books have claims to see metaphorical parallels from the hour of war to office politics and corporate business strategy. Some Japanese companies make the book required reading for their key executives.

So if someone were a good job at Nintendo, are they reading this? And by which I mean a high office job at Nintendo. Entrepreneurs and corporate executives have turned to it for inspiration and advice on how to succeed in competitive business situations. The book has also been adapted to the field of education. The Hour of War has been the subject of legal books and legal articles. on the trial process including negotiation tactics and trial strategy. The book, The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Green has many quotations from the Arvore.

Arvore has also inspired, as also been applied to sports, and here comes the football part. NFL coach Bill Belichick. This is Bill Bealec, he cheated. He made the third president of ruse. Record roll from most Super Bowl wins in history. has stated on multiple occasions his admiration for the art of war. Brazilian association football soccer coach,

Luis Felipe Scolari, actively used the art of war for Brazil's successful 2002 World Cup campaign. During the tournament Scolari put passages of the art of war underneath his players' doors at night. So I'm going to look this guy up. And so yeah, Luis Felipe Scolari, also known as Big Phil

Philippe Piao. He's a Brazilian football manager and a former player who currently serves as the technical director of Grameo. And his you got long

majorial lists. including but not only to several several club teams but

unforgivably his resume includes fucking Chelsky so all right we got moving on

playing to win by David Sirlin analyzes applications of the ideas from the art of war in modern

e-sports. The R-F-War was released in 2014 as an e-book companion alongside the R-F-WR-D-L-C for

Europa, Universalis I'm thinking that's four. A PC strategy game by Paradox Development Studios with a four-word by Thomas Johansson.

the R of War Now we're going into TV and film The Ravre and Sonsu have been referenced and quoted in many movies and TV shows including the 1987 movie Wall Street in which Gordon Gekko played by Michael Douglas

frequently references it and commends his protege Bud Fox to be able to quote a relevant passage for memory Ah

No, this is a movie I've actually not seen So I will So Bud Fox played by Charlie Sheen winning Moving on

The 20th James Bond film Die Another Day Rose in 2002 Also references the art of war As the spiritual guide shared by Colonel Moon and his

father who plays Colonel Moon in this movie I'm doing a lot of checking so Colonel Moon where'd that F am I and this is

Pierce Bronson as so you have all right Will Yun Li. I'm not quite familiar with him. I look like that as Colonel Tonson Mung. A rogue North Korean Army colonel

and the original persona of graves. Uki-Duki. All right. In the Spanos, season three, episode 8, he is risen. Dr. Malfi suggests Tony soprano that he reads the book. In the Star Trek Next Generation first season episode, The Last Outpost,

First Officer, William Reiker quotes The Outer of War. Fear is the true enemy, the only enemy. And Captain Picard express pleasure that Sun Tzu is still taught at Starflea Academy. And later in that same episode,

a survivor from a long dead, non-human empire noted common aspects between his own people's wisdom and the art of war with regards to knowing when and when

not to fight I believe this is the episode that introduces the Ferengi now I think that's they forced their females to wear clothes

just kidding the Art of War is a 2000 action spy film directed by Christian Duqueh and stars Wesley Snipes

Michael Bean Anne Archer and Donald Sutheran. I want to look that up to at some point and I would suggest everyone I'm going to try to read

The Art of War myself it's a long-ass book but it is public domain and if I want to we probably could do a reading here on the podcast in the future

I would envision it's similar to the Twilight Empire Set. You could do it all in one sitting and break the shit out of it. And that is going to do it for this episode and it's going to do it for season 10

of this podcast is called for. So I want to thank everyone for continuing to listen, continuing to support the podcast. And we will go forward with season 11. I'm going to try to get this,

keep this going as long as I possibly can. Because I'll be honest, I'm having too much fun with it. I want to thank everyone who's been on the podcast for their contributions. and hope to add more discussion for a while to come. So thank you and have a great day.

And it's at this point I tell you that this podcast is Uncalled for. Is host to produce and edited by myself, Mike Chernevsky. And our opening music is this podcast Uncalled for Theme, which is CreatedSuno.com. That's S-U-N-O-com. And our outro for this episode also came from sumo.com. It is called Paper Lantern Goodbye. And we'll see you in season 11.

Please support the podcast and purchase our exclusive uncalled for merchandise, T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, stickers, and so much more. Go to www.com.cafeepress.com slash uncalled for pod. Thank you so much for listening. We will see you next time.