Sun Tzu's Art of War Sun Bin's Art of War

Author: Qian Yuqian
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-09-01
Features: The Art of War, commonly known as Sunzi, was recorded in The Book of Han·Treatise on the Arts and Literature as Sunzi's Art of War. It is the oldest military treatise preserved in Chinese history. The current canonical version consists of thirteen chapters: Planning, Waging War, Stratagems, Form, Momentum, The Art of Infiltration, The Art of Conquest, The Nine Variations, The Art of Marching, Terrain, The Nine Terrains, The Art of Fire Attacks, and Espionage. Its content is profound and extensive, with highly concise theories, rigorous logic, and endless practical applications. It is not only a shining gem in the classical military cultural heritage of China but also an important part of the treasure trove of outstanding traditional Chinese culture. As a distinguished representative of classical Chinese military studies, The Art of War possesses a very comprehensive and complete system, reflecting the relationship between war and politics, economy, culture, and other aspects.
Sun Bin's Art of War, also known as The Art of War of Qi, was referred to as Sunzi's Art of War in The Records of the Grand Historian. It is said that "his military strategies were passed down through the generations," and "Sun Bin lost his feet, yet he discussed military strategies." The Book of Han·Treatise on the Arts and Literature recorded it as The Art of War of Qi, with eighty-nine chapters and four volumes of illustrations. The Biography of Chen Tan in The Book of Han quoted from Sun Bin's Art of War, saying, "When the number of guests is double that of the host, then the enemy can be defeated," indicating that Sun Bin's Art of War was still popular during the Western Han Dynasty. However, due to various historical circumstances, it was lost after the Eastern Han Dynasty. This led to many speculations in later generations. Some said that Sun Bin was the same as Sunzi, while others claimed that Sun Bin's Art of War was the same as The Art of War. In any case, they denied the coexistence of two Sunzis and two military treatises, and questioned the recording of The Art of War of Qi, with eighty-nine chapters and four volumes of illustrations, in The Book of Han. In 1972, Sun Bin's Art of War, along with The Art of War and other pre-Qin military treatises, was discovered in Western Han Dynasty tombs at Yinque Mountain in Linyi, Shandong, solving this long-standing historical mystery.