Illustrated Picture Book of Chinese Classics, Volume 1: Stories of the Art of War

Author: Li Yufu, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features:
A fresh approach to telling classic stories, unique illustrations that complement vivid text. Concise and beautiful text that captures the essence of the original work, with standard phonetic annotations in line with teaching standards. Original illustrations crafted with artistic skill, taking children on a soul-stirring journey that will influence them for a lifetime. The Art of War is a treasure of China's classical military cultural heritage and has been revered since ancient times as the "Holy Canon of Military Strategy."
Attack where the enemy is unprepared and strike when they are unaware. Li Yu seized Caizhou in a surprise night attack during a snowstorm, defeating the enemy while they slept. At a banquet, with a few words, Yan Zi outmaneuvered his opponent without fighting. During the Three Kingdoms period, Guan Yu used the terrain to flood the seven armies of Sima Yi. Ma Su, who "practiced warfare on paper," lost the Battle of Jieting and was executed by Zhuge Liang in tears. Even the oxen, adorned in colorful clothes and wearing horns, were dragged onto the battlefield by Tian Dan, creating the astonishing "Fire Oxen Formation.", Yuan Wu used pigeons as sentries, catching the enemy off guard. Xiang Yu burned his boats and defeated Zhang Han, lifting the siege of Julu and earning the title of "Hegemon of Chu." The Qin Dynasty used spies with mysterious and magical tactics, ultimately achieving unification. Each story is imbued with profound wisdom and radiates the light of intelligence.
The Art of War originally consists of thirteen chapters, including The Art of Calculation and The Art of Warfare, with over 5,000 characters. Yet, it covers every aspect of preparation, military governance, and troop deployment, touching on military, political, and economic fields, encompassing all, vast and profound. It has served as the guiding principle for generations of military strategists in their warfare practices and the development of military theory. Sun Wu, the great military strategist of the Spring and Autumn period (later revered as "Sunzi"), was honored as the "Divine Warrior" and was considered equal to Confucius, the "Divine Scholar."
The newly released Illustrated Classics of China is a series of books meticulously drawn and compiled based on the original works, especially dedicated to young readers. The exquisite illustrations by talented artists complement the text, vividly recreating the rich social life and profound artistic realm of the original works. The expressive text, lifelike illustrations, and standard phonetic annotations in line with primary school teaching standards will serve as a bridge for children to understand and appreciate the essence of traditional Chinese culture.