The Art of War

By Sun Tzu

The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise that was written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it has long been praised as the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time.

The Art of War is one of the oldest books on military strategy in the world. It is the first and one of the most successful works on strategy and has had a huge influence on Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, and beyond. Sun Tzu was the first to recognize the importance of positioning in strategy and that position is affected both by objective conditions in the physical environment and the subjective opinions of competitive actors in that environment. He taught that strategy was not planning in the sense of working through a to-do list, but rather that it requires quick and appropriate responses to changing conditions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Flip
• Release date: Jan 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9782291055389

Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu was a an ancient Chinese general during the latter part of the Spring and Autumn Period. Also referred to as Sunzi or Sun Wu, the great Chinese philosopher and military general was revered by many generations of Chinese leaders to come. His given military name, "Sun Tzu" translates as "master sun", and was thought to be an honorific title. It has been speculated Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War during the Warring States Period, when China was divided and war was imminent. His profound insight on military strategy and expert leadership inspired nearly all who read his work, earning him a spot in history as one of the greatest military generals of all time.

Book preview

Introduction

Sun Tzu Wu was a native of the Ch`i State. His Art of War brought him to the notice of Ho Lu, King of 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 Tzu 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 Tzu divided them into two companies, and placed one of the King's favourite 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 Tzu 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.

Again the girls assented. The words of command having been thus explained, he set up the halberds and battle-axes in order to begin the drill. Then, to the sound of drums, he gave the order Right turn. But the girls only burst out laughing. Sun Tzu said: If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame.

So he started drilling them again, and this time gave the order Left turn, whereupon the girls once more burst into fits of laughter. Sun Tzu: If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders are clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers.

So saying, he ordered the leaders of the two companies to be beheaded. Now the King of Wu was watching the scene from the top of a raised pavilion; and when he saw that his favourite concubines were about to be executed, he was greatly alarmed and hurriedly sent down the following message: We are now quite satisfied as to our general's ability to handle troops. If We are bereft of these two concubines, our meat and drink will lose their savour. It is our wish that they shall not be beheaded.

Sun Tzu replied: Having once received His Majesty's commission to be the general of his forces, there are certain commands of His Majesty which, acting in that capacity, I am unable to accept.

Accordingly, he had the two leaders beheaded, and straightway installed the pair next in order as leaders in their place. When this had been done, the drum was sounded for the drill once more; and the girls went through all the evolutions, turning to the right or to the left, marching ahead or wheeling back, kneeling or standing, with perfect accuracy and precision, not venturing to utter a sound. Then Sun Tzu sent a messenger to the King saying: Your soldiers, Sire, are now properly drilled and disciplined, and ready for your majesty's inspection. They can be put to any use that their sovereign may desire; bid them go through fire and water, and they will not disobey.

But the King replied: "Let our general cease drilling and return to camp. As for us, We have no

Reviews for The Art of War

[whbiii · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Vapid martial homilies.

[lydia1879 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

“Move not unless you see an advantage, use not your troops unless there is something to be gained, fight not unless the position is critical.”

I read The Art of War by Sun Tzu through an app called Serial Reader, which breaks up longer books, novellas and short stories into manageable pieces that a reader can read in 12 minutes a day. I love to use Serial Reader when I’m waiting for the bus, in the line at the post office, whenever I feel like I have a few moments, but not necessarily long enough to take out a book and find my place.

I also really like Serial Reader because I tend to read things I wouldn’t otherwise read, but so far I’ve really enjoyed all the stories and novels that I’ve read.

I found The Art of War to be surprisingly readable, considering it was written around the 5th century, BCE and has been translated countless times since then. It’s much more philosophical than I had anticipated, and in a way, deeply spiritual.

Of course it’s dry. It is. It is an ancient military self-help book, none of it is relevant to me. There are lots of lists about the different kinds of ground an army might fight on, different types of weather, how to traverse it all.

And yet I found it interesting.

I appreciated that this translator (and, I suppose, author) warned against fighting at all. If you want to occupy a town, best to get the enemy to surrender to you painlessly, so that the town is in tact and nothing is destroyed. Sun Tzu really speaks to the desperation of war, how the last thing anyone wants to do in a war is fight, but if you have to fight, this is what you need to do.

I’m glad I read this text. I often found myself reading it and wondering about all the people, leaders, warriors, stay-at-home mothers who’d read it before, who were reading it with me. What did they learn from it? How did they feel reading it? Was it more relevant to their lives than it was to mine?

That, in and of itself, is a fascinating thing to think about, don’t you think?

[goofyocean110 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is a manual and reads like one. Better to take in very small doses, digest and discuss rather than to read continuously.

[saltvand-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I decided to read The Art of War because of references to it in the best/only good general marketing book I read during my commerce education: Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning. I was curious to see why a modern marketing handbook would have references to a classic handbook in ancient warfare, and why The Art of War is such a famous book.

I can see now why the book is famous: it is because its warfare principles are generally applicable to competitive situations - including marketing and politics (maybe office politics too?)

I expected a heavy brick of an analytic strategy book, but it is the opposite: a thin, minimalist poetry book.

It is a piece of art. The pattern of words is aesthetically pleasing and produces vivid imagery of ancient armies moving and camping in harsh terrains; yet the strange scenery and poetic style conveys core strategic principles for competition with great accuracy.

Essentially, The Art of War encourages careful consideration of the dynamics of all situational variables (listing them), and discourages impulsive and dumb warfare, which is any warfare driven by an irrational motive, or which can not be won quickly with minimal loss.

[aleph123_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have other versions of Sun Tzu's Art of War, and the first one I purchased in Italian was actually a new translation published by the Army publisher, as a Chinese officer part of an exchange programme saw that all the Italian versions at the time were actually... translations of translationsI have also read the Sawyer edition, among others, but I picked up this one in a library as it was the only one I saw so far that, beside the translation, included also a rewriting in ChineseInteresting series of books, as they republished classics from Chinese history following the same approach- so, I was curious to see the differences (on the English side- my abilities in Chinese will be enough to read in Chinese... in few years- in modern Chinese)

[shahnareads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Defiantly some good tips in here. I can see why other countries armies are so well disciplined if they still use these tactics. Some of them could also work for dealing with people as well. Some handy things in here.

It's easy to read, but he repeats things a lot, and some of the sentence are worded strangely. And then, some lines are written like poetry.

It was a something different, and I'm glad I picked it up.

[bfertig_2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is a manual and reads like one. Better to take in very small doses, digest and discuss rather than to read continuously.

[pdexperiment626 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a beautiful and scholarly presentation of a truly elegant piece of ancient literature. Griffith puts forth his interpretation of "The Art of War" based on a revision of his Ph.D. thesis presented some years ago. Commentaries from several sources are included along side of Griffith's own translation. Footnotes are ubiquitous in the text explaining various discrepancies in interpretations, translations and historical contexts. There is a nicely-done introduction discussing various scholarly debates surrounding "The Art of War" including, original authorship, and date of creation. Beyond the content, the presentation of the book is beautiful. The cover is silk fabric with silk-screened golden Chinese characters on the cover. There is also an attached black ribbon bookmark. The pages are thick construction done with a glossy-print and includes many beautiful color plates placed throughout the text.Really, I believe this to be an exquisite presentation of this piece of literature. Not only is the presentation exceptional, the scholarly content is both attainable and interesting. This is an excellent piece to have in any library.

[darwin.8u · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great translation. That was meant to be funny since I don't read Chinese and can't possibly really know how good his translation is. However, this is a great book and belongs right next to your other war strategy greats.

[lorelorn_2007 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When you go to buy The Art of War, you will have several editions to choose from. If not, you're in the wrong shop; go and find another. I recommend going through each edition and pick the one whose translation you find easiest to read.It's difficult to review this book. The Art of War is not the kind of book you read. It's the kind of book you reflect on. For best results, reflect and then bring your reflections to a group who have also read the book. Everyone will find a passage or two that really struck a note for them, and for different reasons. Prepare to talk long into the night.

[dvf1976 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This audio book had Joe Montenga narrating the text.It was pretty cool to have the Simpsons's Fat Tony quoting a 500 BC Chinese War Scholar.(The analysis of the text was a real snooze-fest!)

[jvioland_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very fundamental axioms of strategies put forward by an ancient Chinese general. Influential even today not only in military matters but in the business world as well.

[benuathanasia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating. My particular copy (an audiobook) included modern comparisons between each chapter which was horribly annoying. The observations in the book maintain their usefulness to the present.

[tyroeternal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Art of War is a wonderful, short, and classic read that looks good on any bookshelf. While it reads in the form of a short choppy manual it is well worth anyone's time. This book has, for good reason, found it's way into the hands of thousands... maybe millions of people since its original writing.

[misoman_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Art of War is a treasure trove of information...if you study war, ancient China, Strategy, or military history...it is useless when applied to business, I think. I love this text, but I study ancient Asian texts. Giles' translation is the one which all others are measured and it has the text with commentary and without, and in the original Chinese. As a study text this is superb, as a manual for business, it a weak application.Miso

[markdeo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I give it a 5 because it's a classic that you can read in under an hour. One of the best books I have read. Simple, basic, and a great strategy foundation. I refer to it all the time. Great book from a historical standpoint, but certainly is a great asset in business.

[peterabun · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A little book full off great thoughts and advice for life. I read it every year.

[pedropilar-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sun Tzu, foi um profundo conhecedor das manobras militares e escreveu A ARTE DA GUERRA, ensinando estratégias de combate e táticas de guerra. Súdito do rei da província de Wu, viveu em turbulenta época dos Estados guerreiros na China, há 2.500 anos e era um filósofo-estrategista que comandou e venceu muitas batalhas. Com inteligência e argumentos muito racionais, o autor expôs a importância da obediência, disciplina, planejamento e motivação das tropas. É uma obra original e valiosa porque é considerado o mais antigo tratado de guerra e hoje parece destinada a secundar a guerra das empresas no mundo dos negócios. A lição que se tira da obra é que a primeira batalha que devemos travar é contra nós mesmos. Para atingir uma meta, o autor ensina, que é necessário agir em conjunto, conhecer o ambiente de ação, o obstáculo a ser vencido e, é claro, conhecer seus próprios pontos fortes e pontos fracos. A grande sabedoria é obter do adversário tudo o que desejar, transformando seus atos em benefícios. Em relação aos comandados, é preciso manter uma disciplina rígida, ser respeitado, ter prestígio, ser temido. Para isso é preciso agir rápido à medida que as infrações ocorram. A superioridade numérica isolada não confere vantagem, mas a determinação de um líder sim. A energia deste, será fundamental para a vitória, mas não se trata uma energia cósmica ou religiosa, e sim da vontade de agir e conseguir conquistar objetivos. Seus princípios podem ser aplicados, por indivíduos no confronto com seus oponentes, exércitos contra exércitos e empresas contra suas concorrentes. Embora não se saiba ao certo se Sun Tzu existiu ou é uma figura lendária, os escritos são de Se-Ma Ts´ien, do século I a.C. e a tradução do padre Amiot é a primeira versão que se conhece no Ocidente.

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm so glad I finally read this historic book. I found it very interesting and understand why it has been adapted to suit other fields -- notably management. And the version of the book I bought is beautiful in itself. Bound in traditional Chinese style, with each page folded in half and only printed on the outside. Hard to rate -- it is what it is as they say -- but I'm rating it highly because it has stood the test of time.

[takeitorleaveit_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

you kind of have to read this, yah. so privately canonized.

[afderrick · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

An interesting book, written with just short quips of information but it still seemed to flow rather seamlessly. A decent book with some good info, some of it could be still used today some of it would obviously not apply anymore to today's wars. A good read, enjoyable, and really quick.

[rozmarins · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hmm, this book can really be used in company`s management, because some war strategies are quite similar to organization management. For example, need for clear and not doubtful commands, advice to put best soldiers (workers) on first line, importance of understanding ones own weaknesses and strengths etc.Overall, it`s boring literature if one don`t think how to use those advices in life.[more: rozmarins.blogspot.com]

[chellinsky · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A subtle and fascinating philosophy on how to wage war. Knowledge of assured victory is key for Sun Tzu. At once it is esoteric and simple giving the reader the opportunity to find new angles and places to learn with each repeated reading. Intense and interesting. (Shambhala translation)

[9days_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A classic that is as valuable for war strategies as it is for work and everyday relations.My edition is from Shambhala, and translated by Thomas Cleary (famed for his translations of Miyamoto Musashi's work, as well as his biography).In this edition, each of the passages is interpreted by 11 different people (from Li Quan to Zhang Yu), for scope and perspective. While it's not necessary to include so many interpreters, I find that the different perspectives (and wording) sometimes made Master Sun's wisdoms clearer.

[justagirl_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

All the guff about it being the greatest management text in history is of course utter nonsense, but it's an interesting read. I preferred and would recommend the Hagakure if you're after samurai warrior philosophy.

[adawnt · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I heard a lot of people talking about "The Art of War." In business, during news commentary...everywhere. I find it funny, when reading it, to see something very simple. Descriptions of the appropriate duties of the army and generals are basic, and the "secrets" of successful conquering is good common sense. I suppose the reason it seems so enlightening is the lack of common sense in the huge majority of people. Saying that, this was a great opporunity to see some of the basis for business practices overseas and at home. There are many people who think about business as warefare. These tactics will be used, and should be understood. Because common sense is no longer common, and probably wasn't in ancient China, this is a great guide to dealing with conflict...if you want to win.

[mbmackay · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Another translation (Ralph Sawyer) and lots of background history & hints of textual analysis - but fails to grab.Read July 2006

[soylentgreen23 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

How ironic that the copy I found in my apartment should have a foreword by James Clavell, author of "Shogun;" my Mum is forever mixing up China and Japan herself, and often remarks about the former when in fact I lived in the latter.The book, meanwhile, is an interesting couple of hours' read, but without a more thorough guide I don't see how I could use Sun Tzu's ideas to conquer Wall Street, as some have proposed.

[ablueidol · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love the notion that the greatest leader is one that defeats the challege before it is known that the challenge exists. Here we are obsessed with the hero leader who battles with the mighty demons and after much struggle wins. I see this in schools where the head turns around a failing school and is seen as a great leader. But all too often they miss the greater leadership of the head who intervenes with a timely word here, a school event there keeps the school on track, Much better to read the straight translations rather then the art of war for the board room which often miss the point

[redthing · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I had to read this for an English class. I'm still trying to figure out why.Maybe I'll be better at strategy games?