The Art of War

The Art of War (Chinese: 孫子兵法; pinyin: Sūnzĭ bīngfǎ) is an ancient Chinese military text that was written by Sun Tzu, a high-ranking military general, strategist, and Taoist philosopher over 2,500 years ago.^[1] The text contains 13 chapters, each of which covers an aspect of warfare.

It is one of the earliest books on Chinese warfare. It remains one of the best known and most influential books ever written.^[1] The book was widely copied in the ancient world. At first, it was written on bamboo slats that were sewn together. It was read by politicians, scholars and military leaders.^[2]

Translations of the book were first read in Japan and Korea. The oldest copy from Japan dates to the 8th century.^[2] It was translated into French in 1772 by a Jesuit named Jean Joseph Marie Amiot. The first translation into English was published by Lionel Giles in 1910.^[3] The Art of War was first translated into Russian in 1950.^[4] The Russians' knowledge of French culture makes it probable that they had copies in French much earlier.^[4]

The book is used today by business schools and militaries worldwide.^[5]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Sun Tzu and The Art of War". AncientMilitary.com. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "The Art of War". History.com/A&E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
3. ↑ Giles, Lionel The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition. Special Edition Books. 2007. p. 62.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Alessandro Corneli, 'Sun Tzu and the Indirect Strategy', Rivista di Studi Politici Internazionali, Vol. 54, No. 3 (215) (Luglio-Settembre 1987), pp. 420–421
5. ↑ Eric Barker (2 June 2014). "Sun Tzu's Art of War: How Ancient Strategy Can Lead to Modern Success". Time. Retrieved 5 July 2015.