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Military Strategy Classics of Ancient China - English & Chinese: The Art of War, Methods of War, 36 Stratagems & Selected Teachings
Military Strategy Classics of Ancient China presents modern translations of eight of the most important and relevant military texts from antiquity, which have gained new prominence among Western students of Eastern military strategy and philosophy. Each text in Chen Song’s groundbreaking translation is presented in modern English, followed by Chinese characters. These texts provide background for a wide range of disciplines, including: history, linguistics, wuxia, martial arts, business and legal doctrine.
Contents include:
The Six Secret Teachings – Jiang Ziya
The Art of War – Sun Tzu
Methods of War – Sima Rangju
The Book of Wuzi – Wu Qi
The Book of Wei Liaozi – Wei Liao
The Three Strategies of Huang Shigong
The Thirty Six Stratagems
Questions and Replies: Tang Taizong and Li Jing
Contents include:
The Six Secret Teachings – Jiang Ziya
The Art of War – Sun Tzu
Methods of War – Sima Rangju
The Book of Wuzi – Wu Qi
The Book of Wei Liaozi – Wei Liao
The Three Strategies of Huang Shigong
The Thirty Six Stratagems
Questions and Replies: Tang Taizong and Li Jing
438 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2013
About the author
Shawn Conners
45 books51 followersShawn Conners writes hard science fiction thrillers, where murder and mystery drift through the cold dark of deep space. Murder on Argus is available now on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible.
Nonfiction
*Sword, Spirit & Samurai
*Military Strategy Classics of Ancient China
Murder on Argus
(Particle Death Book 1)
There is a sound on Argus Station that never quite goes away. A low pulse under the deck plating. A whisper of recycled air moving through the walls. The tireless hum of a fusion core keeping an artificial world from going dark.
A Station Where There Is Nowhere Left To Hide
Argus isn't a gleaming flagship or a distant colonial outpost. It's a working station. Neon-lit market corridors run day and night. Crowds move past shopfronts that never quite go dark. It's the kind of place that looks, from a distance, like it's thriving — right up until a body turns up somewhere it shouldn't.
That's exactly how this story begins. A body in the recycling pile. No marks. No struggle. No explanation anyone is in a hurry to give. For a station that runs on the appearance of order, an unexplainable death is its own kind of emergency — and somebody, somewhere on Argus, would very much prefer this one stay buried.
The Detective Who's Stopped Being Surprised... Until Now
Dack Speedle is the kind of investigator you get after too many years on a station like this one: sharp, quietly exhausted, and running out of patience for the ways BarCor protects its own. He's partnered with Constable Min Moran, who hasn't yet had the optimism worn off her — a dynamic that gives the investigation its friction and, more than once, its conscience.
Together they're pulled into a case that has no business being simple: no wounds, no witnesses willing to talk, and a corporation upstairs that has a great deal riding on nobody asking the right questions. The further Speedle and Moran dig, the clearer it becomes that Argus's tidy upper tier has spent a long time keeping its worst secrets exactly where the recycling goes — out of sight, and hopefully out of mind.
The Girl Who Should Have Walked Away
The case's most dangerous loose thread isn't a data file or a locked door. It's a young girl who found the body first — and saw the face of the killer. She had every chance to disappear back into the crowd and let the investigation happen without her. She stayed instead. By the time she understands what that decision costs, it's already too late to take it back.
Nonfiction
*Sword, Spirit & Samurai
*Military Strategy Classics of Ancient China
Murder on Argus
(Particle Death Book 1)
There is a sound on Argus Station that never quite goes away. A low pulse under the deck plating. A whisper of recycled air moving through the walls. The tireless hum of a fusion core keeping an artificial world from going dark.
A Station Where There Is Nowhere Left To Hide
Argus isn't a gleaming flagship or a distant colonial outpost. It's a working station. Neon-lit market corridors run day and night. Crowds move past shopfronts that never quite go dark. It's the kind of place that looks, from a distance, like it's thriving — right up until a body turns up somewhere it shouldn't.
That's exactly how this story begins. A body in the recycling pile. No marks. No struggle. No explanation anyone is in a hurry to give. For a station that runs on the appearance of order, an unexplainable death is its own kind of emergency — and somebody, somewhere on Argus, would very much prefer this one stay buried.
The Detective Who's Stopped Being Surprised... Until Now
Dack Speedle is the kind of investigator you get after too many years on a station like this one: sharp, quietly exhausted, and running out of patience for the ways BarCor protects its own. He's partnered with Constable Min Moran, who hasn't yet had the optimism worn off her — a dynamic that gives the investigation its friction and, more than once, its conscience.
Together they're pulled into a case that has no business being simple: no wounds, no witnesses willing to talk, and a corporation upstairs that has a great deal riding on nobody asking the right questions. The further Speedle and Moran dig, the clearer it becomes that Argus's tidy upper tier has spent a long time keeping its worst secrets exactly where the recycling goes — out of sight, and hopefully out of mind.
The Girl Who Should Have Walked Away
The case's most dangerous loose thread isn't a data file or a locked door. It's a young girl who found the body first — and saw the face of the killer. She had every chance to disappear back into the crowd and let the investigation happen without her. She stayed instead. By the time she understands what that decision costs, it's already too late to take it back.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 24, 2023
remarkable look into Chinese thinking ... past and future
August 5, 2018
If you are keen on reading Sun Tzu, you will probably enjoy this sum of Chinese war literature wisdom which includes :
- The Six Secret Teachings – Jiang Ziya
- The Art of War – Sun Tzu
- Methods of War – Sima Rangju
- The Book of Wuzi – Wu Qi
- The Book of Wei Liaozi – Wei Liao
- The Three Strategies of Huang Shigong
- The Thirty Six Stratagems
- Questions and Replies: Tang Taizong and Li Jing
Every page is written in English in one side, and Chinese on the other side, thus if you are able to read Chinese, it is a real PLUS and shows the hard work to write this book.
I have already read "The art of war" and "The 36 stratagems", so it was a pleasure to discover other books of the same type. I would not be able this say if I have a favorite one, therefore each one is interesting.
- The Six Secret Teachings – Jiang Ziya
- The Art of War – Sun Tzu
- Methods of War – Sima Rangju
- The Book of Wuzi – Wu Qi
- The Book of Wei Liaozi – Wei Liao
- The Three Strategies of Huang Shigong
- The Thirty Six Stratagems
- Questions and Replies: Tang Taizong and Li Jing
Every page is written in English in one side, and Chinese on the other side, thus if you are able to read Chinese, it is a real PLUS and shows the hard work to write this book.
I have already read "The art of war" and "The 36 stratagems", so it was a pleasure to discover other books of the same type. I would not be able this say if I have a favorite one, therefore each one is interesting.
April 4, 2013
Military Strategy Classics of Ancient China - English & Chinese: The Art of War, Methods of War, 36 Stratagems & Selected Teachings
is an outstanding collection of some of the most important works of antiquity. It should be noted that these are new, modern English translations, accompanied by the modern Chinese text of eight venerable classics. They are individually authentic, authoritative and eminently readable. Together they are truly formidable.
Every student of military history, strategy and tactics should have this important work in his/her collection. It provides essential insight into the development of military theory not only in China but in human culture.
The works presented in this excellent volume include:
The Six Secret Teachings which is a well-known and somewhat revolutionary text on civil and military strategy traditionally attributed to the legendary figure Jiāng Zǐyá (also known as Tai Gong Wang). It is presented in the format of a dialogue between King Wen (Zhou Chang) and Jiāng Zǐyá. This text is the earliest of the collected works in this edition, and the use of divination and astrology differs significantly from this work and later works. The text is believed to have been originally written in the Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century BCE) with sections added as late as the Warring States period.
The Art of War by Sun Wu (also known as Sun Tzu) which is a new, modern translation that expounds on the importance of military strategy and tactics, in particular the topics of assessing the opponent, positioning forces, and careful analysis of the enemy, in each of nine situations and terrains. Each of the 13 chapters is transcribed as a lesson by Sun Tzu, traditionally starting with the phrase “Master Sun said…”. The Art of War is still considered one of the most important military texts ever compiled. It is believed to have been written during the late Spring and Autumn period or the early Warring States period (c. 470 BCE).
The Methods of War which is a military text attributed to Sima Rangju which discusses concepts of military theory, as well as administration and propriety: laws, regulations, discipline, tactics, and strategy. It is alternatively known as Sima Fa, Sima Art of War, Methods of Sima, or Principles of Sima. The title “Da Sima” is translated in this edition as “Minister of War”. It is believed to have been developed in the state of Qi during the mid-Warring States period (c. 430 BCE).
The Book of Wuzi which is a classic Chinese work on military strategy attributed to Wu Qi. It is also sometimes referred to as the Wuzi, Wuzi Art of War or The Book of Wu Qi. In an ongoing dialogue, Lord Wen of Wei and his son, Lord Wu of Wei ask Master Wu Qi questions about war theory and strategy, seeking to clarify earlier teachings and analyze historic military maneuvers. It is believed to have been written during the middle of the Warring States period (c. 420 BCE).
The Wei Liaozi which is a text which considers military strategy, while discussing both a civil and a military approach to conducting state affairs. Recommendations are included for ruling over the army, managing differing types of cities, and how to preserve the state. Also discussed are the judicial responsibilities of both the general and the ruler. Although the authorship is debated, it is believed to have been written from the perspective of a military general named Wei Liao during the late Warring States period (c. 400 BCE).
The Three Strategies of Huang Shigong which is a military text which focuses on personnel concerns and logistics: concepts of government, the administration of forces; the characteristics of a capable general; and implementing a system of rewards and punishments. Although called The Three Strategies of Huang Shigong, there is no agreement on the historical author. It has been variously attributed to Huang Shigong and Jiāng Zǐyá, author of the Six Secret Teachings. It is believed to have been written during the Han Dynasty (c. 210 CE).
The Thirty Six Stratagems which is a text used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in conflict, politics and war, often through improvised or deceptive means. The stratagems are divided into six groups: stratagems of advantage, opportunity, attack, confusion, deception and disadvantage. Each individual stratagem is presented with examples from Chinese history. The stratagems were originally taken from the Book of Qi, written during the Southern Qi Dynasty (c. 452–498 CE).
Questions and Replies: Tang Taizong and Li Jing which is a set of dialogues between Tang Dynasty Emperor Taizong and Li Jing, a prominent Tang general. In analyzing military strategy, centuries after the Warring States period, Tang Taizong and Li Jing discuss previous military works such as Cao Cao’s Xin Shu, Wu Qi’s Book of Wuzi, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, Sima Rangju’s Methods of War and Jiāng Zǐyá’s The Six Secret Teachings. Although no clear authorship has been established, the text is believed to have been written in the late Tang Dynasty (c. 599-649 BCE).
This book has my highest recommendation. It is essential reading for every military scholar.
Every student of military history, strategy and tactics should have this important work in his/her collection. It provides essential insight into the development of military theory not only in China but in human culture.
The works presented in this excellent volume include:
The Six Secret Teachings which is a well-known and somewhat revolutionary text on civil and military strategy traditionally attributed to the legendary figure Jiāng Zǐyá (also known as Tai Gong Wang). It is presented in the format of a dialogue between King Wen (Zhou Chang) and Jiāng Zǐyá. This text is the earliest of the collected works in this edition, and the use of divination and astrology differs significantly from this work and later works. The text is believed to have been originally written in the Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century BCE) with sections added as late as the Warring States period.
The Art of War by Sun Wu (also known as Sun Tzu) which is a new, modern translation that expounds on the importance of military strategy and tactics, in particular the topics of assessing the opponent, positioning forces, and careful analysis of the enemy, in each of nine situations and terrains. Each of the 13 chapters is transcribed as a lesson by Sun Tzu, traditionally starting with the phrase “Master Sun said…”. The Art of War is still considered one of the most important military texts ever compiled. It is believed to have been written during the late Spring and Autumn period or the early Warring States period (c. 470 BCE).
The Methods of War which is a military text attributed to Sima Rangju which discusses concepts of military theory, as well as administration and propriety: laws, regulations, discipline, tactics, and strategy. It is alternatively known as Sima Fa, Sima Art of War, Methods of Sima, or Principles of Sima. The title “Da Sima” is translated in this edition as “Minister of War”. It is believed to have been developed in the state of Qi during the mid-Warring States period (c. 430 BCE).
The Book of Wuzi which is a classic Chinese work on military strategy attributed to Wu Qi. It is also sometimes referred to as the Wuzi, Wuzi Art of War or The Book of Wu Qi. In an ongoing dialogue, Lord Wen of Wei and his son, Lord Wu of Wei ask Master Wu Qi questions about war theory and strategy, seeking to clarify earlier teachings and analyze historic military maneuvers. It is believed to have been written during the middle of the Warring States period (c. 420 BCE).
The Wei Liaozi which is a text which considers military strategy, while discussing both a civil and a military approach to conducting state affairs. Recommendations are included for ruling over the army, managing differing types of cities, and how to preserve the state. Also discussed are the judicial responsibilities of both the general and the ruler. Although the authorship is debated, it is believed to have been written from the perspective of a military general named Wei Liao during the late Warring States period (c. 400 BCE).
The Three Strategies of Huang Shigong which is a military text which focuses on personnel concerns and logistics: concepts of government, the administration of forces; the characteristics of a capable general; and implementing a system of rewards and punishments. Although called The Three Strategies of Huang Shigong, there is no agreement on the historical author. It has been variously attributed to Huang Shigong and Jiāng Zǐyá, author of the Six Secret Teachings. It is believed to have been written during the Han Dynasty (c. 210 CE).
The Thirty Six Stratagems which is a text used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in conflict, politics and war, often through improvised or deceptive means. The stratagems are divided into six groups: stratagems of advantage, opportunity, attack, confusion, deception and disadvantage. Each individual stratagem is presented with examples from Chinese history. The stratagems were originally taken from the Book of Qi, written during the Southern Qi Dynasty (c. 452–498 CE).
Questions and Replies: Tang Taizong and Li Jing which is a set of dialogues between Tang Dynasty Emperor Taizong and Li Jing, a prominent Tang general. In analyzing military strategy, centuries after the Warring States period, Tang Taizong and Li Jing discuss previous military works such as Cao Cao’s Xin Shu, Wu Qi’s Book of Wuzi, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, Sima Rangju’s Methods of War and Jiāng Zǐyá’s The Six Secret Teachings. Although no clear authorship has been established, the text is believed to have been written in the late Tang Dynasty (c. 599-649 BCE).
This book has my highest recommendation. It is essential reading for every military scholar.
November 20, 2017
i prefer those with pinyin translation of the original texts
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews