The Seven Military Classics Of Ancient China

Description

One of the most profound studies of warfare ever written, The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China presents us with an Eastern tradition of strategic thought that emphasizes outwitting ones opponent through speed, stealth, flexibility, and a minimum of force-an approach very different from that stressed in the West, where the advantages of brute strength have overshadowed more subtle methods. Safeguarded for centuries by the ruling elites of imperial China, even in modern times these writings have been known to only a handful of Western specialists. In this volume are seven separate essays, written between 500 B. C. and A. D. 700, that preserve the essential tenets of strategy distilled from the experience of the most brilliant warriors of ancient China. This accurate translation remedies a serious gap in Western knowledge of Asian thought. Based on the best available classical Chinese manuscripts, some only recently discovered by archaeologists, The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China is a uniquely important contribution to the worlds military literature and is essential reading for anyone interested in Chinas rich cultural heritage or in the timeless principles of successful warfare strategy.

Ralph D. Sawyer, one of America's leading scholars in Chinese warfare, has worked extensively with major intelligence and defence agencies. After studying at MIT and Harvard and a brief stint of university teaching, Sawyer has spent the past thirty years lecturing and doing international consulting work focused on China.