The Art of War Complete Text and Commentaries

by CLEARY, THOMAS

• ISBN13: 9781590300541
• ISBN10: 1590300548
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-06-10
• Publisher: Shambhala

Summary

Sun Tzu'sArt of War, compiled more than two thousand years ago, is a study of the anatomy of organizations in conflict. It is perhaps the most prestigious and influential book of strategy in the world today. Now, this unique volume brings together the essential versions of Sun Tzu's text, along with illuminating commentaries and auxiliary texts written by distinguished strategists. The translations, by the renowned translator Thomas Cleary, have all been published previously in book form, except forThe Silver Sparrow Art of War,which is available here for the first time. This comprehensive collection contains:The Art of War:This edition of Sun Tzu's text includes the classic collection of commentaries by eleven interpreters.Mastering the Art of War:Consisting of essays by two prominent statesmen-generals of Han dynasty China, Zhuge Liang and Liu Ji, this book develops the strategies of Sun Tzu's classic into a complete handbook of organization and leadership. It draws on episodes from Chinese history to show in concrete terms the proper use of Sun Tzu's principles.The Lost Art of War:Written more than one hundred years after Sun Tzu's text, by Sun Bin, a linear descendant of Sun Tzu, this classic of political and military strategy is faithful to the principles ofThe Art of War, while developing their practical application much further.The Silver Sparrow Art of War:A version of Sun Tzu'sArt of Warbased on a manuscript of the classic text discovered at a Chinese archeological site in China's Shandong Province in 1972, which contains previously unknown fragments.

Author Biography

Thomas Cleary holds a Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University. He is the translator of more than fifty volumes of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and Islamic texts from Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese, Pali, and Arabic.

Table of Contents

Publisher's Note	vii
The Art of War
Translator's Preface	3	(2)
Translator's Introduction	5	(178)
Strategic Assessments	40	(18)
Doing Battle	58	(10)
Planning a Siege	68	(19)
Formation	87	(10)
Force	97	(7)
Emptiness and Fullness	104	(15)
Armed Struggle	119	(12)
Adaptations	131	(6)
Maneuvering Armies	137	(14)
Terrain	151	(5)
Nine Grounds	156	(17)
Fire Attack	173	(3)
On the Use of Spies	176	(7)
Mastering the Art of War
Note on Pronunciation	183	(1)
Translator's Introduction	184	(9)
The Art of War and the I Ching: Strategy and Change	193	(19)
Notes on Sources	212	(3)
Part One: The Way of the General: Essays on Leadership and Crisis Management	215	(32)
Part Two: Lessons of War: Studies in Strategy	247	(70)
The Lost Art of War
Introduction	317	(6)
Sun Bin's Art of War	323	(84)
Leadership, Organization, and Strategy: How Sun Tzu and Sun Tzu II Complement Each Other	407	(18)
The Silver Sparrow Art of War
Translator's Introduction	425	(34)
Strategic Measurements	427	(2)
Combat	429	(2)
Planning Attack	431	(2)
Formations	433	(2)
Disposition and Momentum	435	(2)
Vulnerability and Substantiality	437	(3)
Armed Struggle	440	(2)
Adapting to All Changes	442	(2)
Maneuvering Forces	444	(3)
The Lay of the Land	447	(3)
Nine Grounds	450	(4)
Fire Assault	454	(2)
Employing Secret Agents	456	(3)
Sources	459