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- Illustrated Edition with 20 Original Illustrations: Each chapter is brought to life with captivating artwork inspired by the themes of The Art of War.
- Comprehensive Summary: A clear and concise summary that encapsulates the essence of Sun Tzu's teachings.
- Detailed Character List: A unique list of important figures and concepts from the book, making it easier to understand key roles in Sun Tzu's strategic philosophy.
- Exclusive Author Biography: A deep dive into the life and legacy of Sun Tzu, exploring his impact on history and modern warfare.
This edition not only includes stunning artwork but also provides a detailed summary of the book’s key teachings, a character list to help you navigate Sun Tzu’s strategic world, and a comprehensive biography of the legendary author himself.
Whether you are a student of history, a leader looking for time-tested strategies, or simply someone interested in understanding human nature in the face of conflict, this illustrated edition of The Art of War will inspire and enlighten you. Perfect for new readers and longtime fans alike, it is a must-have for anyone who seeks to master the art of strategy and success.
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The Art Of War
by Sun Tzu
ABOUT TZU
Sun Tzu, born Sun Wu in the late Spring and Autumn period of ancient China (circa 544–496 BCE), is one of the most celebrated military strategists and philosophers in history. Best known for his timeless work, The Art of War, Sun Tzu's insights into warfare, leadership, and strategy continue to influence military commanders, business leaders, and scholars across the globe.
Little is known about Sun Tzu’s early life, but he hailed from the state of Qi, a powerful kingdom in northeastern China. His intellectual brilliance and tactical prowess eventually caught the attention of King Helü of Wu, a neighboring state, during a time when China was fractured into feuding kingdoms. King Helü appointed Sun Tzu as his chief military advisor, impressed by his strategic acumen and vision. Under Sun Tzu's guidance, the state of Wu rose to power, defeating their rivals and securing their place in history.
Sun Tzu’s The Art of War is more than just a military manual—it is a profound philosophical text that delves into the nature of conflict, psychology, and the use of deception. Its thirteen chapters cover a broad spectrum of subjects, ranging from the importance of flexibility in battle to the cultivation of wisdom and foresight in leadership. His famous aphorism, "All warfare is based on deception," encapsulates his belief in the power of cunning over brute force.
While The Art of War was crafted for military commanders, Sun Tzu's teachings have transcended time and application. His philosophy has been adapted into modern disciplines like business strategy, sports, and politics. Figures from Napoleon Bonaparte to modern CEOs have drawn upon his principles to gain a competitive edge.
Despite his status as a military legend, Sun Tzu remains an enigmatic figure. His exact life details, even his existence, have been the subject of debate among historians. Yet, the impact of his ideas is indisputable. Sun Tzu’s legacy endures through his profound understanding of human nature, conflict, and the dynamics of power. His work remains a testament to the belief that strategy, discipline, and careful planning will always triumph over sheer might.
SUMMARY
The Art of War by Sun Tzu is a timeless masterpiece that transcends its roots as a military treatise, offering profound insights into strategy, leadership, and human nature. Written over 2,500 years ago, this ancient Chinese text is a concise yet powerful guide on how to navigate conflict and achieve victory without unnecessary bloodshed.
Divided into thirteen chapters, The Art of War explores the intricacies of warfare, emphasizing the importance of intelligence, adaptability, and psychological warfare over brute force. Sun Tzu’s central tenet, "Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will win a hundred battles," reflects his belief that understanding and preparation are the keys to success.
Far from promoting aggression, the book advocates for strategic restraint, teaching that the best victories are won without fighting. It stresses the significance of flexibility, urging leaders to read changing circumstances and respond with calculated precision. Sun Tzu's wisdom is also rooted in deception, speed, and the ability to outthink rather than outfight an opponent.
The Art of War is more than just a manual for warriors—it’s a guide to mastering any challenge. Its principles have been embraced by military leaders, politicians, athletes, and business executives, all seeking to achieve success by outmaneuvering rivals with wisdom and strategy. Through its timeless lessons, Sun Tzu’s work continues to inspire those who aim to conquer challenges in all walks of life.
CHARACTERS LIST
Unlike many traditional works of literature, The Art of War by Sun Tzu is a philosophical and strategic treatise rather than a narrative-driven book with characters. As a result, it does not feature a conventional cast of characters. However, some important figures and concepts appear in the text or are historically related to its creation. Here’s a list of relevant names and elements often associated with The Art of War:
1. Sun Tzu (Sun Wu)
Role: The author and central figure behind The Art of War.
Description: A legendary Chinese military strategist and philosopher. Sun Tzu's wisdom and insights on warfare, leadership, and strategy form the foundation of the book. He served as a general for King Helü of Wu and successfully led his armies with innovative tactics.
2. King Helü of Wu
Role: Sun Tzu’s patron.
Description: The king who appointed Sun Tzu as his military strategist. King Helü of the state of Wu was impressed by Sun Tzu’s strategic mind and gave him command over his armies, leading to several key victories.
3. The Commander (General)
Role: A symbolic figure in The Art of War.
Description: This term refers to the military leader or strategist whom Sun Tzu addresses throughout the text. The commander is responsible for executing strategy, maintaining discipline, and leading the army to victory. Sun Tzu emphasizes that a good commander must be wise, courageous, and adaptable.
4. The Sovereign (Ruler)
Role: A recurring character type in the text.
Description: Sun Tzu often refers to the sovereign or ruler as the head of the state who commissions and directs the military. The relationship between the ruler and the general is crucial for achieving harmony and success in warfare, according to Sun Tzu.
5. The Enemy
Role: The opposing force in the text.
Description: The enemy in The Art of War is an abstract concept that can represent any adversary, whether in battle or in life. Sun Tzu stresses the importance of knowing your enemy thoroughly in order to anticipate their moves and win battles without unnecessary confrontation.
6. The Army
Role: A collective force.
Description: Throughout The Art of War, Sun Tzu refers to the army as the tool of the state, emphasizing the importance of its organization, morale, and movement. The army represents more than just soldiers—it’s the embodiment of the ruler's will, the general's strategy, and the key to achieving victory.
7. The Terrain
Role: A metaphorical and strategic element.
Description: Although not a character in the traditional sense, terrain is one of the most crucial factors in The Art of War. Sun Tzu teaches that understanding the battlefield’s physical conditions—whether mountains, rivers, or open plains—can determine the outcome of a conflict.
8. The Five Factors
Role: Conceptual elements that guide military strategy.
Description: Sun Tzu outlines five critical factors—The Way (Dao), Heaven (Tian), Earth (Di), the Commander (Jiang), and Law (Fa)—which must be understood and considered in any strategic situation. These factors shape the decision-making process for both rulers and generals.
Though The Art of War lacks traditional narrative characters, its focus on these symbolic and conceptual roles forms the essence of its teachings on leadership, strategy, and warfare.
Contents
Preface by Lionel Giles
Sun Wu and His Book
The Text of Sun Tzǔ
The Commentators
Appreciations of Sun Tzǔ
Apologies for War
Bibliography
The Art of War
I. Laying Plans
II. Waging War
III. Attack by Stratagem
IV. Tactical Dispositions
V. Energy
VI. Weak Points and Strong
VII. Manoeuvring
VIII. Variation of Tactics
IX. The Army on the March
X. Terrain
XI. The Nine Situations
XII. The Attack by Fire
XIII. The Use of Spies
Preface by Lionel Giles
The seventh volume of Mémoires concernant l’histoire, les sciences, les arts, les mœurs, les usages, etc., des Chinois1 is devoted to the Art of War, and contains, amongst other treatises, Les Treize Articles de Sun-tse, translated from the Chinese by a Jesuit Father, Joseph Amiot. Père Amiot appears to have enjoyed no small reputation as a sinologue in his day, and the field of his labours was certainly extensive. But his so-called translation of the Sun Tzǔ, if placed side by side with the original, is seen at once to be little better than an imposture. It contains a great deal that Sun Tzǔ did not write, and very little indeed of what he did. Here is a fair specimen, taken from the opening sentences of chapter 5:
De l’habileté dans le gouvernement des Troupes. Sun-tse dit: Ayez les noms de tous les Officiers tant généraux que subalternes; inscrivez-les dans un catalogue à part, avec la note des talents & de la capacité de chacun d’eux, afin de pouvoir les employer avec avantage lorsque l’occasion en sera venue. Faites en sorte que tous ceux que vous devez commander soient persuadés que votre principale attention est de les préserver de tout dommage. Les troupes que vous ferez avancer contre l’ennemi doivent être comme des pierres que vous lanceriez contre des œufs. De vous à l’ennemi il ne doit y avoir d’autre différence que celle du fort au faible, du vide au plein. Attaquez à découvert, mais soyez vainqueur en secret. Voilà en peu de mots en quoi consiste l’habileté & toute la perfection même du gouvernement des troupes.
Throughout the nineteenth century, which saw a wonderful development in the study of Chinese literature, no translator ventured to tackle Sun Tzǔ, although his work was known to be highly valued in China as by far the oldest and best compendium of military science. It was not until the year 1905 that the first English translation, by Capt. E. F. Calthrop, R.F.A., appeared at Tokyo under the title Sonshi (the Japanese form of Sun Tzǔ).2 Unfortunately, it was evident that the translator’s knowledge of Chinese was far too scanty to fit him to grapple with the manifold difficulties of Sun Tzǔ. He himself plainly acknowledges that without the aid of two Japanese gentlemen “the accompanying translation would have been impossible.” We can only wonder, then, that with their help it should have been so excessively bad. It is not merely a question of downright blunders, from which none can hope to be wholly exempt. Omissions were frequent; hard passages were wilfully distorted or slurred over. Such offences are less pardonable. They would not be tolerated in any edition of a Greek or Latin classic, and a similar standard of honesty ought to be insisted upon in translations from Chinese.
From blemishes of this nature, at least, I believe that the present translation is free. It was not undertaken out of any inflated estimate of my own powers; but I could not help feeling that Sun Tzǔ deserved a better fate than had befallen him, and I knew that, at any rate, I could hardly fail to improve on the work of my predecessors. Towards the end of 1908, a new and revised edition of Capt. Calthrop’s translation was published in London, this time, however, without any allusion to his Japanese collaborators. My first three chapters were then already in the printer’s hands, so that the criticisms of Capt. Calthrop therein contained must be understood as referring to his earlier edition. This is on the whole an improvement on the other, though there still remains much that cannot pass muster. Some of the grosser blunders have been rectified and lacunae filled up, but on the other hand a certain number of new mistakes appear. The very first sentence of the introduction is startlingly inaccurate; and later on, while mention is made of “an army of Japanese commentators” on Sun Tzǔ (who are these, by the way?), not a word is vouchsafed about the Chinese commentators, who nevertheless, I venture to assert, form a much more numerous and infinitely more important “army.”
A few special features of the present volume may now be noticed. In the first place, the text has been cut up into paragraphs, both in order to facilitate cross-reference and for the convenience of students generally. The division follows broadly that of Sun Hsing-yen’s edition; but I have sometimes found it desirable to join two or more of his paragraphs into one. In quoting from other works, Chinese writers seldom give more than the bare title by way of reference, and the task of research is apt to be seriously hampered in consequence. From the mass of native commentary my aim has been to extract the cream only, adding the Chinese text here and there when it seemed to present points of literary interest. Though constituting in itself an important branch of Chinese literature, very little commentary of this kind has hitherto been made directly accessible by translation.3
I may say in conclusion that, owing to the printing off of my sheets as they were completed, the work has not had the benefit of a final revision. On a review of the whole, without modifying the substance of my criticisms, I might have been inclined in a few instances to temper their asperity. Having chosen to wield a bludgeon, however, I shall not cry out if in return I am visited with more than a rap over the knuckles. Indeed, I have been at some pains to put a sword into the hands of future opponents by scrupulously giving either text or reference for every passage translated. A scathing review, even from the pen of the Shanghai critic who despises “mere translations,” would not, I must confess, be altogether unwelcome. For, after all, the worst fate I shall have to dread is that which befell the ingenious paradoxes of George in The Vicar of Wakefield.
Sun Wu and His Book
Ssǔ-ma Chʽien gives the following biography of Sun Tzǔ:4
孫子武 Sun Tzǔ Wu was a native of the Chʽi State. His Art of War brought him to the notice of 闔盧 Ho Lu,5 King of 吳 Wu. Ho Lu said to him:
“I have carefully perused your 13 chapters. May I submit your theory of managing soldiers to a slight test?”
Sun Tzǔ replied: “You may.”
Ho Lu asked: “May the test be applied to women?”
The answer was again in the affirmative, so arrangements were made to bring 180 ladies out of the Palace. Sun Tzǔ divided them into two companies, and placed one of the King’s favorite concubines at the head of each. He then bade them all take spears in their hands, and addressed them thus: “I presume you know the difference between front and back, right hand and left hand?”
The girls replied: “Yes.”
Sun Tzǔ went on: “When I say ‘Eyes front,’ you must look straight ahead. When I say ‘Left turn,’ you must face towards your left hand. When I say ‘Right turn,’ you must face towards your right hand. When I say ‘About turn,’ you must face right round towards your back.”
