是故

是故

1. (literary) because of this; thus; consequently

   • 曰：「夫子何哂由也？」曰：「為國以禮，其言不讓，是故哂之。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     曰：「夫子何哂由也？」曰：「为国以礼，其言不让，是故哂之。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Yuē: “Fūzǐ hé shěn Yóu yě?” Yuē: “Wéi guó yǐ lǐ, qí yán bù ràng, shìgù shěn zhī.”

     Xi pursued, "Master, why did you smile at You?" He was answered, "The management of a state demands the rules of propriety. His words were not humble; therefore I smiled at him."

   • 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。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     孙子曰：凡用兵之法，全国为上，破国次之；全旅为上，破旅次之；全卒为上，破卒次之；全伍为上，破伍次之。是故百战百胜，非善之善者也；不战而屈人之兵，善之善者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Art of War, circa 5^th century BCE, translated based on Lionel Giles's version

     Sūnzǐ yuē: fán yòngbīng zhī fǎ, quán guó wèi shàng, pò guó cì zhī; quán lǚ wèi shàng, pò lǚ cì zhī; quán zú wèi shàng, pò zú cì zhī; quán wǔ wèi shàng, pò wǔ cì zhī. Shìgù bǎizhànbǎishèng, fēi shàn zhī shàn zhě yě; bùzhàn'érqūrénzhībīng, shàn zhī shàn zhě yě.

     Sunzi said: In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them. Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.