Previous translations of The Art
of War have presented Sun Tzu's classic from the point of view of military
strategy, Chinese history, or Taoist philosophy. This translation—accompanied
by the translators' in-depth essays and illuminating line-by-line
commentary—offers a fresh perspective on this ancient Chinese text. Here, Sun
Tzu's strategic principles of warfare (based as they were on the fundamental
insights of the Chinese spiritual and philosophical tradition) are seen as universally
relevant—the foundation for personal transformation and the creation of an
enlightened society.
In this translation of The Art of
War , Sun Tzu's teachings are revealed in an entirely new light. War is any
situation that demands hard choices about creation and destruction, life or
death. The state is the system in which we live—our household, our culture or
society, or our own mind. Defense ensures the integrity of our boundaries and
allows life to flourish within them. Force is the energy of concentrated
action. Victory lies in bringing others around to embracing a larger view—one
that includes their own—without ever going to battle.