# Not glorifying victory: summary

Treats weapons as ill-omened and war as a last resort, approaching victory with mourning rather than celebration.

https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/laozi/chapter-31-not-glorifying-victory

## Source and summary

[Laozi · Dao De Jing · Not glorifying victory](https://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E9%81%93%E5%BE%B7%E7%B6%93%20%28%E7%8E%8B%E5%BC%BC%E6%9C%AC%29&oldid=2354026#%E4%B8%89%E5%8D%81%E4%B8%80%E7%AB%A0)

> 夫佳兵者，不祥之器，物或惡之，故有道者不處。君子居則貴左，用兵則貴右。兵者不祥之器，非君子之器，不得已而用之，恬淡為上。勝而不美，而美之者，是樂殺人。夫樂殺人者，則不可以得志於天下…

Treats weapons as ill-omened and war as a last resort, approaching victory with mourning rather than celebration.

## Editorial interpretation

The example below adapts this chapter’s questions to modern work. Evaluate it against the actual purpose and conditions; ancient politics, warfare or ethics do not establish business results.

## Business application

After securing terms, examine the other party’s remaining burden and the relationship rather than judging only winners and losers.

1. Choose one relevant case and record its objective, available resources, verified facts and unknowns.
2. Compare options using this chapter’s perspective; choose a limited trial, owner, deadline and a measure to assess the result.

Deliverable: A comparison using not glorifying victory, with conditions for acting or declining.

## Limits

The summary selects main points rather than translating every sentence. The example is not a demonstrated business method; check it against stakeholders’ conditions and actual evidence.

## Validation question

How does this chapter’s perspective change the selected option or priority, and what further evidence could change the decision?

[Laozi: a guide to the Dao De Jing](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/laozi)

[This material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/laozi/chapter-31-not-glorifying-victory.en.md)

Updated: 2026-10-13 · v1.0.0