About The Author

Sun Wu (simplified Chinese: 孙武; traditional Chinese: 孫武; pinyin: Sūn Wǔ), style name
Changqing (長卿), better known as Sun Tzu or Sunzi (simplified Chinese: 孙子; traditional
Chinese: 孫子; pinyin: Sūnzǐ; pronounced [swə́n tsɨ̀]), was an ancient Chinese military general,
strategist and philosopher who is traditionally believed and most likely to have authored The Art
of War, an influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy. Sun Tzu has had a significant
impact on Chinese and Asian history and culture, both as an author of The Art of War and
through legend. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Sun Tzu's The Art of War grew in popularity
and saw practical use in Western society, and his work has continued to influence both Asian and
Western culture and politics.

According to traditional sources, such as the 2nd century BC biography written by Sima Qian,
Sun Tzu was born in Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period of China (722–481 BCE) and
became a heroic general for the king of Wu, King Helü. His victories then inspired him to write
The Art of War. The period was a time of constant war among seven nations (Zhao, Qi, Qin,
Chu, Han, Wei and Yan) seeking to control a vast expanse of fertile territory in Eastern China.

One legend of Sun Tzu's life goes as follows: The king of Wu tested Sun Tzu's skills by
commanding him to train a harem of 180 concubines into soldiers. Sun Tzu divided them into
two companies, appointing the two concubines most favored by the king as the company
commanders. When Sun Tzu first ordered the concubines to face right, they giggled. In response,
Sun Tzu said that the general, in this case himself, was responsible for ensuring that soldiers
understood the commands given to them. Then, he reiterated the command, and again the
concubines giggled. Sun Tzu then ordered the execution of the king's two favored concubines, to
the king's protests. He explained that if the general's soldiers understood their commands but did
not obey, it was the fault of the officers. Sun Tzu also said that once a general was appointed, it
was their duty to carry out their mission, even if the king protested. After both concubines were
killed, new officers were chosen to replace them. Afterwards, both companies performed their
maneuvers flawlessly.

Sima's biography claims that Sun Tzu later proved on the battlefield that his theories were
effective, that he had a successful military career, and that he wrote The Art of War based on his
tested expertise. His descendant, Sun Bin, also became a famous scholar of the military arts.

The Art of War is attributed to Sun Tzu, and it was originally called 孫子兵法 (pinyin: Sunzi
Bingfa), or simply 孫子 Sun Tzu. It presents a philosophy of war for managing conflicts and
winning battles. Contrary to popular belief, it contains not only the writings of the original
author, but also commentary and clarifications from later military philosophers, such as Li Quan
and Du Mu. It is accepted as a masterpiece on strategy and frequently cited and referred to by
generals and theorists since its publication, translation and distribution the world over.

Of the texts written before the unification of China in the 2nd century BC, six major works
survived, including The Art of War. During the Song Dynasty in the early 1st millennium AD,
the six works were combined with a Tang Dynasty text into a collection called the Seven
Military Classics. As a central part of that compilation, The Art of War formed the foundations of
orthodox military theory in China. Illustrating this point, the book was required reading to pass
the tests needed for imperial appointment to military positions.

In the book, Sun Tzu uses language that may be unusual in a text on warfare and strategy. For
example, the 11th chapter states that a leader must be "serene and inscrutable" and capable of
comprehending "unfathomable plans". The meanings of such statements are clearer when
interpreted in the context of Taoist thought and practice. Sun Tzu viewed the ideal general as an
enlightened Taoist master, which has led to The Art of War being considered a prime example of
Taoist strategy. The Art of War is distinguished from similar Western works, such as Prussian
general Carl von Clausewitz's On War, by this spiritual dimension. Awareness of the Taoist
viewpoint in The Art of War is essential to understanding its intended meaning.

The book is not only popular among military theorists, but it has also become increasingly
popular among political leaders and those in business management. Despite its title, The Art of
War addresses strategy in a broad fashion, touching upon public administration and planning.
The text outlines theories of battle but also advocates diplomacy and cultivating relationships
with other nations as essential to the health of a state. In fact, it is still in use to this very day by
the army as a basis of strategies.

In the early 1970s, scholars uncovered a collection of ancient texts written on unusually well-
preserved bamboo slips. Among them were The Art of War and Sun Bin's Military Methods.
Although Han Dynasty bibliographies noted the latter publication as extant and written by a
descendant of Sun, it had since been lost. The finding of Sun Bin's work was therefore
considered to be extremely important, because of Sun Bin's relationship to Sun Tzu, and the
work's illustration of military thought in late Chinese antiquity. The discovery as a whole
expanded the total known Chinese military works by hundreds. However, Sun Bin's treatise is
the only known additional text surviving from the ancient period or bearing a close association
with Sun Tzu.

Sun Tzu's The Art of War has influenced many notable figures. Traditional histories recount that
the first emperor of a unified China, Qin Shi Huang, considered the book invaluable in ending
the Age of Warring States. The Art of War was introduced in Japan c. AD 760, and the book
quickly became popular among Japanese generals. The work also significantly influenced the
unification of Japan. Mastery of its teachings was honored among the samurai, and its teachings
were both exhorted and exemplified by influential daimyo and shogun such as Oda Nobunaga,
Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Historians popularly recount how French emperor Napoleon studied Sun's military writings and
used them to successfully wage war against the rest of Europe. The emperor's disregard for
central principles such as attentiveness to temporal conditions is largely credited for his eventual
defeat in Russia. Admiral of the Fleet Tōgō Heihachirō, who led Japan's forces to victory against
Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, was an avid reader of The Art of War.
Communist Chinese leader Mao Zedong partially credited his victory over Chiang Kai-shek and
the Kuomintang in 1949 to The Art of War. The work strongly influenced Mao's writings about
guerrilla warfare, which further influenced communist insurgencies around the world.

General Vo Nguyen Giap, the military mastermind behind victories over French and the
American forces in Vietnam, was an avid student and practitioner of Sun Tzu's ideas. America's
defeat here, more than any other event, brought Sun Tzu to the attention of American military
thought leaders. Ho Chi Minh translated the work for his Vietnamese officers to study.

The Department of the Army in the United States, through its Command and General Staff
College, has directed all units to maintain libraries within their respective headquarters for the
continuing education of personnel in the art of war. The Art of War is mentioned as an example
of works to be maintained at each individual unit, and staff duty officers are obliged to prepare
short papers for presentation to other officers on their readings.

Sun Tzu's The Art of War is listed on the Marine Corps Professional Reading Program (formerly
known as the Commandant's Reading List).

During the Persian Gulf War in the 1990s, both General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. and General
Colin Powell practiced Sun Tzu's principles of deception, speed, and attacking the enemy's
weakness.

Mark McNeilly writes in Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare that a modern interpretation of
Sun and his importance throughout Chinese history is critical in understanding China's push to
becoming a superpower in the 21st century. Modern Chinese scholars explicitly rely on historical
strategic lessons and The Art of War in developing their theories, seeing a direct relationship
between their modern struggles and those of China in Sun Tzu's time. There is a great perceived
value in Sun Tzu's teachings and other traditional Chinese writers, which are used regularly in
developing the strategies of the Chinese state and its leaders.
Edited & With a Foreword by James Clavell
Sun Tzu wrote this extraordinary book in China two and a half years ago. I truly believe that
if our military and political leaders in recent times had studied this work of genius, Vietnam
could not have happened as it happened; we would not have lost the war in Korea; the Bay of
Pigs could not have occurred; the hostage fiasco in Iran would not have come to pass; the British
Empire would not have been dismembered; and, in all probability, World Wars I and II would
have been avoided. Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without
fighting.

I find it astounding that Sun Tzu wrote so many truths twenty-five centuries ago that are still
applicable today, especially in his chapter on the use of spies, which I find extraordinary. I think
this little book shows clearly what is still being done wrong, and why our present opponents are
so successful in some areas (Sun Tzu is obligatory reading in the Soviet political-military
hierarchy and has been available in Russian for centuries; it is also, almost word for word, the
source of all Mao Tse-Tung’s Little Red Book of strategic and tactical doctrine). Even more
importantly, I believe The Art of War shows quite clearly how to take the initiative and combat
the enemy, any enemy.

I sincerely hope you enjoy reading this book. Sun Tzu deserves to be read. I would like to
make The Art of War obligatory study for all our serving officers and men, as well as for all
people in government and all high schools and universities in the free world. If I were a
commander in chief or president or prime minister I would go further: I would have written into
law that all officers, particularly all generals, take a yearly oral and written examination on these
thirteen chapters, the passing mark being 95 percent, any general failing to achieve a pass to be
automatically and summarily dismissed without appeal, and all other officers to have
automatically demotion.

I believe, very much, that Sun Tzu’s knowledge is vital to our survival. It can give us the
protection we need to watch our children grow in peace and thrive.

Always remember, since ancient times, it has been known that….”the true object of war is
peace”.

JAMES CLAVELL
Review of the Book