Grain spills from a burlap sack beside a small shield on a dark teal surface.

Original artwork, not a still

The Art of War

Sun Tzu

There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

According to this line, no country has ever gained from a long war. It states a broad claim from the source's own perspective: dragging out conflict drains a nation more than it rewards it, so the wiser path avoids extended fighting.

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