The Art of War: A New Translation

The Art of War, the ancient military classic that defined Chinese warfare for thousands of years, is reborn in a translation for the 21st century.

This all-new edition includes excerpts from Sun Zi's many critics and students, and tales from the battlefields of China, showing those occasions over the centuries where the Art of War was put into lethal practice. From the Warring States period, through the enduring Han empire and the melting-pot Tang dynasty, the desperate days of the Southern Song and the conquests of the Mongols and Manchus, the Art of War has been the prime textbook for Chinese generals.

It remains part of the curriculum for modern military officers all over the world. Combining a history of Chinese warfare with the complete text of the book that informed uncountable battles and strategies, this book offers an unprecedented window into the battles, struggles and diplomacies that shaped an empire.

Jonathan Clements is the author of Confucius: A Biography and many other books on figures in Asian history, including the military leaders Mao Zedong, Coxinga and Khubilai Khan. His books have been translated into over a dozen languages, including French, German, and Spanish - in a rare distinction, his biography of the First Emperor of China was itself translated into Chinese.