Sun Tzu
15 entries
Biography
Sun Tzu, or Sunzi, “Master Sun”, is the ancient Chinese general and strategist traditionally credited with The Art of War, the most famous book on strategy ever written. According to the historian Sima Qian, he was a general in the service of the King of Wu at the end of the sixth century BC, in the time of Confucius. Modern scholars are less certain: the book as we have it may have been put together later, in the Warring States period, from the teachings of several hands.
In thirteen short chapters The Art of War teaches that the greatest victory is the one won without fighting, and that a general must know both the enemy and himself, rely on planning, deception and speed, and avoid long and costly wars. Read for centuries by Chinese and Japanese commanders, it was translated into French in 1772 and later into many other languages. Today it is studied not only in military academies but also in business, politics and sport.
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