A Letter to Those Who Like Sun Tzu

Even Cao Cao had his bosom friends, and Guan Yu had his adversaries.

This letter arrived a bit earlier than expected. Due to unexpected reactions in the previous article, I had to transform my negative emotions into positive output. I still remember how bad-tempered I was before adulthood, especially towards my family.

The last time I lost my temper remains vivid in my mind: my parents might have just asked a simple question, but in a fit of anger, I threw all the books in my hands heavily onto the goods. Since my family ran a small business at the time, this act basically scared away the customers. After calming down, I couldn’t help but reflect on why my temper was so bad. Believing in the saying 'Books hold houses of gold,' I went to a bookstore and happened to see a book titled 'Life’s Happiness, Every Piece Like a Puzzle.' The book was filled with inspiring stories, but the conclusion of one particular story struck me deeply: 'Life is short, so why leave your temper for the ones you love and your kindness for strangers?'

In this world, everyone’s time and energy are limited. Combining the two is the power of focus. If you focus on negative people and thoughts, you’ll gain negative energy. Conversely, if you focus on those you love and who love you, you’ll gain encouragement. Since the rise of the internet, many mistakenly believe that freely expressing any opinion doesn’t require accountability.

There’s a Korean movie about a firefighter who tragically died in the line of duty and was judged in the afterlife. 'Verbal karma' is the most severe of the so-called ten types of evil karma. Ancient sages put it well: 'One word can build a nation; one word can destroy it.' If words have such power over a nation, how much more over an ordinary person?
I planned to respond to the harsh words one by one, but after some thought, I immediately dismissed the idea: those biased against you won’t resolve misunderstandings with a single sentence, and I’d only be focusing on the wrong people.

The Origin of 'The Last Descendant of Sun Tzu'

Many readers and viewers are particularly interested in this name of mine. Those whose native language is Mandarin are even more puzzled: why call myself 'Sun Tzu'? As a child, I only read translated books, mostly on Western philosophy and forensic science. Later, by chance, I came across 'The Art of War' and became enamored with the beauty of Chinese culture. I hope to share the philosophical thoughts of our ancestors through the principles and mindset of 'The Art of War,' showcasing the brilliance of Chinese culture. The term 'descendant' was inspired by a novel called 'The Last Descendant of Miyamoto Musashi.' 'Last' is a dark irony, hoping our next generation won’t abandon the classics of Chinese culture due to the language barrier of classical Chinese; they are the crystallization of wisdom.

Why Share?

Many believe that those who share are third-rate, lacking real talent. This notion essentially negates the logic and motivation behind famous figures writing books or renowned investors sharing on Twitter and $Meta Platforms(META.US). Recently, I became fascinated by a book called 'Hidden Potential,' which mentions that the most effective way to unleash strong learning potential is through 'teaching' and 'sharing.' We must integrate different knowledge and thoughts to effectively share and teach others.

I’m also deeply grateful for everyone’s support and encouragement, which has given me positive feedback and kept me sharing. Reading economic news extensively and understanding different business models has benefited me greatly. Every comment is an opportunity for self-learning, and answering questions is the fastest way to improve.

A Man Stands Firm at Thirty

Honestly, when I first started reviewing, I didn’t think much of it. It was simply because after turning thirty, I suddenly became unhappy. Thirty is a magical number related to age; the TV drama '29+1' explores this from a female perspective. At the time, I had a strange thought: since the world has such successful companies and great figures like $TENCENT(700.HK), $Barrick Mining(B.US)arrick Mining(B.US)ABA-W(9988.HK), $XIAOMI-W(1810.HK), $Tesla(TSLA.US), and $NVIDIA(NVDA.US), what is the meaning of life for everyone else? This question was like Pandora’s box—once opened, it spiraled out of control, eventually evolving into 'life and death.'

Live in the Present

Adopting this little one gradually improved my mood; one’s mindset absolutely affects their vision and 心胸. Life is a journey, and the scenery and experiences along the way are more important than the destination. Living in the present is the best remedy for any emotional issue; behavioral therapy is about focusing on the present. The present moment of savoring food, reuniting with friends, reading, gathering, or painting. When we truly focus on the present, we rediscover the beauty in life. Nothing can be taken with us: we come with nothing and leave with nothing. Even the most successful and powerful figures become insignificant under the wheel of time. Compared to the universe, everyone is just a speck of dust.

The Market Is the Universe

The market is a microcosm of the universe. Even $Barrick Mining(B.US)arrick Mining(B.US)erkshire-A (BRK.A.US)$ and $Barrick Mining(B.US)arrick Mining(B.US)erkshire-B (BRK.B.US)$, with their trillion-dollar assets under Warren Buffett’s control, can’t dominate the entire market. Faced with the behemoth of the market, every successful investor in history is essentially following trends. Many think Buffett is a value investor, engaging in bottom-fishing; this is a huge misconception. Buffett is the epitome of trend investing, adhering to the long-term upward trend of the U.S. economy. If the U.S. economy continues to strengthen, investing in industry leaders at reasonable prices, their stocks will rise over time due to moats and economies of scale. Buffett’s approach is just one example; most retail investors aren’t suited for it. But what we need to learn is 'reverence for the market.'

Reverence for the Market Is the Beginning of Wisdom | Recognizing Trends Is Intelligence

For life and the market, we all have a subjective script to some extent. Do you think your past self from five years ago could have predicted your current life? Since we can’t even predict our own life’s course, how can we claim to predict the market successfully?

I previously mentioned a script where the U.S. economy might face a recession and gray rhino events in the second half of the year. But given the strong rebound in the three major U.S. indices recently, the market is likely to remain high for now. One is a long-term possible script; the other is a short-term observation. Experienced traders understand the distinction, but to some, it becomes evidence of contradiction.

The market is the director, traders are the actors, and trading actions are the lines. Actors follow the director’s cues, exchanging lines with others; the script can change anytime based on the director’s and actors’ demands.

Victory in war depends on the enemy; water flows according to the terrain.

In investing and trading, prediction isn’t important; recognizing trends and seizing opportunities is. Regardless of our imagined scripts, we must live in the present and consider whether the market is in a short-, medium-, or long-term trend.

On the Future Market

Since the current U.S. market director doesn’t align with my script, I’m temporarily 'on strike,'观望. I’ll wait until the director’s cues align with my script before re-entering. Given many objective data points suggesting a potential U.S. economic recession in the second half (e.g., inverted yield curves 12-36 months ago, the largest consumer debt since 2008, record-high office vacancies, persistent inflation, tariff issues), I’m waiting for the market to truly weaken again. When $Proshares UltraPro Short QQQ ETF(SQQQ.US), $Direxion Semicon Bear 3X(SOXS.US), $XI2CSOPTSLA(7366.HK), and $XI2CSOPNVDA(7388.HK). But until the director’s cues align with my script, I won’t act rashly. I must remind myself I’m just an extra, with very few lines.

Conclusion

If you’ve read this far, you’re either destined or deeply committed. I’m grateful for your unwavering support. If you’re a hater who made it here, thank you for your attention. I don’t expect to suddenly change anyone’s preconceptions or biases. I’ll continue living in the present, expressing myself. The story of the father, son, and donkey teaches us that no matter what we do, there will always be critics—most of whom offer no constructive feedback.

I remember being criticized even for sharing photos of my dog, but I focused more on the 战友 who 留言， finding his photos the greatest encouragement.

Finally, the most 精华 part of my daily 复盘 articles lies in reflection. 'I examine myself three times a day' is how I strive for excellence. I hope sharing my reflections can inspire others. I believe positive exchanges will lead to mutual 进步. One of my dreams is to one day stand on the TED stage, sharing how to use Chinese cultural classics to become a successful trader and achieve a fulfilling life.

Being needed is the greatest source of happiness in life; fulfilling needs is the greatest law in the universe.