To have a thorough understanding of both yourself and your opponent or situation, in order to ensure success and avoid failure; know yourself and your enemy.
Era:
Ancient
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During the Spring and Autumn period, military strategist Sun Wu authored 'The Art of War'. He argued that the highest military skill was to subdue the enemy without fighting, compelling their complete surrender rather than destroying their nation through direct warfare.
He stressed the importance of employing clever strategies to achieve victory without bloodshed, emphasizing the principle of 'knowing yourself and knowing your enemy' (知彼知己) to ensure invincibility in every encounter.
Sun Wu asserted that winning every battle was not the ultimate achievement; true mastery lay in making the enemy yield without having to engage in combat at all.