Sun Tzu (544–496)
Author of The Art of War
About the Author
Works by Sun Tzu
The Art of War: The Essential Translation of the Classic Book of Life (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) (2003) 636 copies, 2 reviews
The Book of War: Sun-Tzu's "The Art of War" & Karl von Clausewitz's "On War" (2000) 118 copies, 1 review
The Art of War: (Miniature book) 98 copies
The Way of the Warrior: Deluxe 3-Volume Box Set Edition (Arcturus Collector's Classics, 12) (2021) 26 copies
The Art of War from SmarterComics: How to be Successful in Any Competition (2011) 21 copies, 1 review
The Art of War Collection: Deluxe 7-Volume Box Set Edition (Arcturus Collector's Classics, 10) (2020) 20 copies
World Classics Library: Eastern Philosophy: The Art of War, Tao Te Ching, The Analects of Confucius, The Way of the Samurai, The Works of Mencius (Arcturus World Classics Library,… (2020) 17 copies, 1 review
Strategy Six Pack: The Art of War, The Gallic Wars, Life of Charlemagne, The Prince, On War and Battle Studies (2015) 15 copies
The Art of War (Deluxe Edition) (Compilation also including The Prince, On War, and Instructions to by Sun Tzu (2010-05-04) (2007) 15 copies
The Complete Strategy Collection: The Art of War, The Prince, The Book of Five Rings, On War and Arthashastra (2021) 7 copies
Fernöstliche Klassiker: 6 Bände im Schuber: Die Kunst des Krieges, Fünf Ringe, Hagakure, Bushido, Gespräche, Tao te king (2018) 7 copies
Thirty-Six Stratagems: Bilingual Edition, English and Chinese: The Art of War Companion, Chinese Strategy Classic, Includes Pinyin (2016) 6 copies
The Path of the Warrior Ornate Box Set: The Art of War, The Way of the Samurai, The Book of Five Rings (Arcturus Ornate Classics) (2022) 5 copies
Die Kunst des Krieges - Psychologie der Massen - Wege zu sich selbst - Der Fürst: Sunzi aus dem Chinesischen übersetzt (2014) 5 copies
ARTI I LUFTËS 4 copies
فن الحرب (Arabic Edition) 3 copies
The Art of War Landmark Edition: The Classic of Strategy with Historical Notes and Introduction by PEN Award-Winning Author Mitch Horowitz (2021) 3 copies
Sun Tzu - Über die Kunst des Krieges - Mit psychologischen Kommentaren (RaBaKa-Pockets 1) (German Edition) (2011) 2 copies
El arte de la guerra aplicado a la empresa : táctica y estrategia para hacer buenos negocios (2017) 2 copies
The Spirit of the Warrior: 3-Book Paperback Boxed Set (Arcturus Classic Collections, 10) (2022) 2 copies
El arte de la guerra y la estrategia 2 copies
001 2 copies
The Art of War with Four Other Classics in the Ancient Warrior Tradition (Bushido, The Sword and the (2008) 2 copies
A Arte e os Princípios da Guerra 2 copies
Искуссртво жийны 1 copy
Sun Tzu: seni berperang 1 copy
L'arte della guerra i 6-5 1 copy
The Art of War [Annotated] 1 copy
The art of war. Translation and commentary by Lionel Giles. Introduction by Jan Willem Honig... 1 copy
$1!:[!:M!3)!G*(B 1 copy
A arte da guerra - Planejamento estrategia e lideranca em 13 licoes (Em Portugues do Brasil) (2019) 1 copy
යුද කලාව 1 copy
אמנות המלחמה 1 copy
Hernaðarlistin 1 copy
Martial Arts Wisdom: the Ancient Bing-fa - Sun Tzu's The Art of War for Martial Artists (2012) 1 copy
SUN TZU EL ARTE DE LA GUERRA 1 copy
The ART Of War 1 copy
El arte de la guerra + cartas (Oráculo): Un oráculo de estrategias para el éxito en la vida (Spanish Edition) (2023) 1 copy
Seni Perang 1 copy
Binh Pháp Tôn Tử 1 copy
On the Art of War / On Guerilla Warfare — Author — 1 copy
孫子・呉子 1 copy
Associated Works
Sun Tzu's Art of War: The Manga Edition: The Full Story Behind Sun Tzu's Masterpiece! (2025) — Author, some editions — 4 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Sun Tzu
- Legal name
- Sun Wu
孫武 - Other names
- Sun Zi
Souen Tseu
Changqing (courtesy name)
Sun Tzu
孫子
長卿 (show all 7)
Ch'ang-ch'ing (style name) - Birthdate
- 544 BCE (circa)
- Date of death
- 496 BCE (circa)
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- soldier
military strategist - Relationships
- Sun Pin (grandson)
- Short biography
- Sun Tzu (also rendered as Sun Zi) was a Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher who lived in the Spring and Autumn Period of ancient China. The name he is best known by is actually an honorific which means "Master Sun": His birth name was Sun Wu and he was known outside of his family by his courtesy name Changqing. He is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, an extremely influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy. Sun Tzu has had a significant impact on Chinese and Asian history and culture, both as the author of The Art of War and as a legendary historical figure.
- Nationality
- State of Qi
State of Wu - Places of residence
- China
- Map Location
- China
Members
Discussions
Three Chinese classics in Philosophy and Theory (January 18)
Reviews
Sun Tzu was legitimately a brilliant tactician but a bunch of his insight is shit like "if you think you might lose, avoid doing that", "being outnumbered is bad generally", and "consider lying."
In context, this was guide written by someone with experience for the heads of military who had never seen battle but were given command by right of birth-- basically a nepo baby's guide to not messing up the war for us.
Definitely part of my "so you want to rule the world" curriculum. I love it
In context, this was guide written by someone with experience for the heads of military who had never seen battle but were given command by right of birth-- basically a nepo baby's guide to not messing up the war for us.
Definitely part of my "so you want to rule the world" curriculum. I love it
Keep in mind this book was written with Taoist ideals, so even though it is about “how to do war,” its guiding principle is that conflict, while sometimes unavoidable, is really the last resort. The author regards and often stresses that both the soldiers and the population in general are legitimate entities in their own right with lives and livelihoods, not simply a resource to be used as a means to an end. This is strange seeing as many politicians and business people have supposedly show more studied this book for nearly two thousand years yet most of them seem to have totally missed that point.
It’s not only relevant for literal war, either. It’s vague/adaptable enough to be applied to all sorts of situations, so it’s not ONLY useful to read if you’re trying to invade a neighboring country (though it couldn’t hurt your chances). Basically it encourages critical thinking, self-reflection, and objectivity, which, as great as they are, aren’t exactly trending lately. On the other hand, if the book was called “The Art of Stopping and Thinking for a Minute Before You End Up Doing Something Really Stupid,” it probably wouldn’t have been as popular. Seems Master Sun knew a bit about marketing as well. show less
It’s not only relevant for literal war, either. It’s vague/adaptable enough to be applied to all sorts of situations, so it’s not ONLY useful to read if you’re trying to invade a neighboring country (though it couldn’t hurt your chances). Basically it encourages critical thinking, self-reflection, and objectivity, which, as great as they are, aren’t exactly trending lately. On the other hand, if the book was called “The Art of Stopping and Thinking for a Minute Before You End Up Doing Something Really Stupid,” it probably wouldn’t have been as popular. Seems Master Sun knew a bit about marketing as well. show less
I read the 1910 translation by Lionel Giles, available for free on the internet. This edition was complemented with notes offering commentary by a wide range of Chinese near-contemporaries who offered their examples, corollaries, etc. The translator added further illumination throughout which added considerably to what I gleaned. What Sun Tzu seems to offer is the codifying of common sense, but that's easy for me to say. He covers all of his bases thoroughly in his opening chapter, outlining show more categories of consideration and then throwing in a paragraph noting that other considerations may also come into play, every battle is different, etc. Cynically, I feel this makes it easier to take a stand as the ultimate authority: "The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it will conquer."
Sun Tzu is silent on the topic of avoiding war altogether (notwithstanding his advice to conquer without combat), as if the first diplomacy he prefers to resort to is raising an army. He also hasn't much to say about keeping an army supplied, only its necessity. His advice is entirely practical, unconcerned with any concept resembling honour, eschewing pride as weakness. The only advice that puzzled me was his recommendation to face the sun; I thought you want the sun to shine in your enemy's eyes? Everything points to his having been a man of experience, one who knew cost and consequence. I was more impressed as I read further, finding short precise sentences used to convey enormous meaning, and sometimes in multiple ways. show less
Sun Tzu is silent on the topic of avoiding war altogether (notwithstanding his advice to conquer without combat), as if the first diplomacy he prefers to resort to is raising an army. He also hasn't much to say about keeping an army supplied, only its necessity. His advice is entirely practical, unconcerned with any concept resembling honour, eschewing pride as weakness. The only advice that puzzled me was his recommendation to face the sun; I thought you want the sun to shine in your enemy's eyes? Everything points to his having been a man of experience, one who knew cost and consequence. I was more impressed as I read further, finding short precise sentences used to convey enormous meaning, and sometimes in multiple ways. show less
Thirteen chapters, twenty‑five centuries, zero wasted words.
I picked up this book expecting ancient military wisdom that would feel hopelessly dated. Spears, chariots, fire arrows- what could a 5th‑century Chinese general teach me about anything relevant? I was wrong. Not completely wrong. The specific tactics (how to position troops on a hill, when to set fire to an enemy camp) are museum pieces. But the principles are not. They are bones. And bones, once picked clean of their original show more flesh, fit any body of conflict.
What it is:
A slim treatise of thirteen chapters, each dedicated to a single aspect of warfare: planning, offensive strategy, maneuvering, terrain, the use of spies, the importance of deception. Sun Tzu (or the historical figure(s) behind the name) wrote it as a manual for feudal Chinese commanders. It is aphoristic, almost oracular. You can read it in an afternoon. You can spend a lifetime trying to apply it.
The most famous line comes early: "All warfare is based on deception." But the book is not about lying. It is about economy. The best victory, Sun Tzu argues, is not a bloody battle; it is winning without fighting. The second‑best is a siege; starving the enemy out. The worst is a prolonged, head‑on assault. "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence," he writes. "Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."
Why it has survived for 2,500 years:
1. The principles are transferable. Business executives read The Art of War for competitive strategy. Coaches read it for game theory. Politicians read it for negotiation tactics. Lawyers read it for courtroom positioning. Even writers read it, knowing when to attack, when to retreat, when to feint, when to commit. The book works because Sun Tzu understood that conflict, in any arena, follows certain irreducible laws: know yourself, know your enemy, choose your ground, preserve your resources, strike where the opponent is weakest.
2. It is ruthlessly economical. No digressions. No anecdotes. No philosophy for its own sake. Each sentence is a tool. You can open the book at random and find a line that lands like a hammer: "If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near." "The wise general avoids the strong and strikes the weak." "There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare." Reading it feels like sitting at the feet of a master who refuses to waste a single word.
3. The concept of "winning without fighting" is revolutionary. Western military tradition (until recently) glorified the decisive battle: Waterloo, Gettysburg, the Somme. Sun Tzu calls that foolishness. War is expensive. Men die. Supplies burn. A Pyrrhic victory is still a loss. The truly skilled commander, he argues, breaks the enemy's will before the first arrow flies: through deception, positioning, alliances, spies, psychological pressure. This is not pacifism. It is efficiency. And it applies just as well to a corporate takeover or a courtroom cross‑examination.
4. The emphasis on knowledge. Sun Tzu devotes an entire chapter to spies; not as a footnote, but as a pillar of strategy. He distinguishes five types of spies: local, inward, converted, doomed, and surviving. The point is simple: you cannot win if you do not know the enemy. And you cannot know the enemy without eyes. In an age of intelligence agencies and data analytics, this feels prescient. But it is just common sense, dressed in ancient robes.
5. The humility. For a book called The Art of War, it is remarkably cautious. Sun Tzu constantly warns against pride, overconfidence, and the temptation to fight on the enemy's terms. He advises retreat when the situation is unfavorable. He counsels against pressing a defeated enemy too hard. Give them a way out, or they will fight to the death. This is not the wisdom of a glory‑hungry general. It is the wisdom of a survivor.
Where it might disappoint a modern reader:
1. It is not a step‑by‑step manual. Do not expect diagrams, case studies, or tactical breakdowns. The chapters are short, abstract, and sometimes contradictory. (When should you attack? When should you wait? The answer: it depends.) You have to interpret Sun Tzu. That is part of the fun. But if you want clear instructions, look elsewhere.
2. The translations vary wildly. Some translators render Sun Tzu in stiff, academic English. Others (like Thomas Cleary) aim for aphoristic punch. The most popular version is Lionel Giles's 1910 translation, which is public domain and readable, but its Victorian cadences can feel distant. I recommend the translation by John Minford (Penguin Classics). It balances accuracy with elegance and includes helpful commentary.
3. The cultural context is missing. Sun Tzu wrote for a world of feudal Chinese states, where generals were also aristocrats, where war was seasonal, and where the ruler often meddled disastrously in military affairs. Some advice ("When the ruler's orders are clearly impossible, do not obey") would have been treasonous in other times and places. A good edition includes historical notes. Do not skip them.
Who should read this:
Anyone in a competitive field: business, law, sports, politics, even creative writing.
Students of military history who want to understand the foundations of Eastern strategy.
People who appreciate concise, aphoristic wisdom (Marcus Aurelius, Machiavelli, La Rochefoucauld).
Those who want to think more strategically about their own decisions.
Who might skip it:
If you need concrete, actionable advice with examples.
If you find ancient military strategy boring or irrelevant.
If you dislike proverbs and prefer narrative.
Final verdict:
The Art of War is not a perfect book. It is too cryptic, too abstract, too easily misinterpreted. But it is a necessary book, a reminder that force is a failure of strategy, that knowledge beats courage, and that the greatest victory leaves the enemy intact but unwilling to fight. I read it first in my late teens, then again in my twenties, then again recently. Each time, I found something new. That is the mark of a classic: it grows with you.
Four stars. Not five, because the book is not a complete system. It is a collection of fragments. But those fragments have sharp edges. Handle them carefully. They will cut.
P.S. There is a famous apocryphal story: a modern military commander, asked if he still reads Sun Tzu, replied, "I don't read Sun Tzu. Everyone else has read Sun Tzu. I read what Sun Tzu read." That is a better strategy than the book itself. show less
I picked up this book expecting ancient military wisdom that would feel hopelessly dated. Spears, chariots, fire arrows- what could a 5th‑century Chinese general teach me about anything relevant? I was wrong. Not completely wrong. The specific tactics (how to position troops on a hill, when to set fire to an enemy camp) are museum pieces. But the principles are not. They are bones. And bones, once picked clean of their original show more flesh, fit any body of conflict.
What it is:
A slim treatise of thirteen chapters, each dedicated to a single aspect of warfare: planning, offensive strategy, maneuvering, terrain, the use of spies, the importance of deception. Sun Tzu (or the historical figure(s) behind the name) wrote it as a manual for feudal Chinese commanders. It is aphoristic, almost oracular. You can read it in an afternoon. You can spend a lifetime trying to apply it.
The most famous line comes early: "All warfare is based on deception." But the book is not about lying. It is about economy. The best victory, Sun Tzu argues, is not a bloody battle; it is winning without fighting. The second‑best is a siege; starving the enemy out. The worst is a prolonged, head‑on assault. "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence," he writes. "Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."
Why it has survived for 2,500 years:
1. The principles are transferable. Business executives read The Art of War for competitive strategy. Coaches read it for game theory. Politicians read it for negotiation tactics. Lawyers read it for courtroom positioning. Even writers read it, knowing when to attack, when to retreat, when to feint, when to commit. The book works because Sun Tzu understood that conflict, in any arena, follows certain irreducible laws: know yourself, know your enemy, choose your ground, preserve your resources, strike where the opponent is weakest.
2. It is ruthlessly economical. No digressions. No anecdotes. No philosophy for its own sake. Each sentence is a tool. You can open the book at random and find a line that lands like a hammer: "If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near." "The wise general avoids the strong and strikes the weak." "There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare." Reading it feels like sitting at the feet of a master who refuses to waste a single word.
3. The concept of "winning without fighting" is revolutionary. Western military tradition (until recently) glorified the decisive battle: Waterloo, Gettysburg, the Somme. Sun Tzu calls that foolishness. War is expensive. Men die. Supplies burn. A Pyrrhic victory is still a loss. The truly skilled commander, he argues, breaks the enemy's will before the first arrow flies: through deception, positioning, alliances, spies, psychological pressure. This is not pacifism. It is efficiency. And it applies just as well to a corporate takeover or a courtroom cross‑examination.
4. The emphasis on knowledge. Sun Tzu devotes an entire chapter to spies; not as a footnote, but as a pillar of strategy. He distinguishes five types of spies: local, inward, converted, doomed, and surviving. The point is simple: you cannot win if you do not know the enemy. And you cannot know the enemy without eyes. In an age of intelligence agencies and data analytics, this feels prescient. But it is just common sense, dressed in ancient robes.
5. The humility. For a book called The Art of War, it is remarkably cautious. Sun Tzu constantly warns against pride, overconfidence, and the temptation to fight on the enemy's terms. He advises retreat when the situation is unfavorable. He counsels against pressing a defeated enemy too hard. Give them a way out, or they will fight to the death. This is not the wisdom of a glory‑hungry general. It is the wisdom of a survivor.
Where it might disappoint a modern reader:
1. It is not a step‑by‑step manual. Do not expect diagrams, case studies, or tactical breakdowns. The chapters are short, abstract, and sometimes contradictory. (When should you attack? When should you wait? The answer: it depends.) You have to interpret Sun Tzu. That is part of the fun. But if you want clear instructions, look elsewhere.
2. The translations vary wildly. Some translators render Sun Tzu in stiff, academic English. Others (like Thomas Cleary) aim for aphoristic punch. The most popular version is Lionel Giles's 1910 translation, which is public domain and readable, but its Victorian cadences can feel distant. I recommend the translation by John Minford (Penguin Classics). It balances accuracy with elegance and includes helpful commentary.
3. The cultural context is missing. Sun Tzu wrote for a world of feudal Chinese states, where generals were also aristocrats, where war was seasonal, and where the ruler often meddled disastrously in military affairs. Some advice ("When the ruler's orders are clearly impossible, do not obey") would have been treasonous in other times and places. A good edition includes historical notes. Do not skip them.
Who should read this:
Anyone in a competitive field: business, law, sports, politics, even creative writing.
Students of military history who want to understand the foundations of Eastern strategy.
People who appreciate concise, aphoristic wisdom (Marcus Aurelius, Machiavelli, La Rochefoucauld).
Those who want to think more strategically about their own decisions.
Who might skip it:
If you need concrete, actionable advice with examples.
If you find ancient military strategy boring or irrelevant.
If you dislike proverbs and prefer narrative.
Final verdict:
The Art of War is not a perfect book. It is too cryptic, too abstract, too easily misinterpreted. But it is a necessary book, a reminder that force is a failure of strategy, that knowledge beats courage, and that the greatest victory leaves the enemy intact but unwilling to fight. I read it first in my late teens, then again in my twenties, then again recently. Each time, I found something new. That is the mark of a classic: it grows with you.
Four stars. Not five, because the book is not a complete system. It is a collection of fragments. But those fragments have sharp edges. Handle them carefully. They will cut.
P.S. There is a famous apocryphal story: a modern military commander, asked if he still reads Sun Tzu, replied, "I don't read Sun Tzu. Everyone else has read Sun Tzu. I read what Sun Tzu read." That is a better strategy than the book itself. show less
Lists
el (2)
Overdue Podcast (1)
Best War Stories (1)
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 156
- Also by
- 4
- Members
- 31,771
- Popularity
- #622
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 325
- ISBNs
- 1,512
- Languages
- 32
- Favorited
- 20