The Art of War by Sun Tzu

This special edition of “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu presents three complete versions of the classic text: in Chinese, in English, and fully annotated. Section I contains the complete 13 chapters of Sun Tzu’s masterpiece in Chinese together with the facing page English translation by Lionel Giles, without notes or commentary. This presentation avoids the objection that commentary tends to clutter and obscure the clarity of thought of the ancient military genius. Section II contains the complete annotated translation by Lionel Giles, with explanatory notes and critical commentary. It includes an historical account of Sun Tzu’s work, evaluations by Chinese commentators, an essay examining the traditional Chinese attitudes toward war and a bibliography that details Giles’ source materials. The supplemental text in this section includes critical commentary and notes by both the Chinese historians as well as by Giles himself. This is invaluable information for any Eastern or Western student of Sun Tzu. Lionel Giles, as the British Museum’s “Keeper of the Department of Oriental Printed Books,” was uniquely qualified to translate and explain this great classic Chinese work to Western readers.