孙子 兵法 sūnzǐ bīngfǎ，The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the Late Spring and Autumn Period (roughly 5th century BC). The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu 孙子 sūnzǐ, is composed of 13 chapters. Each one is devoted to a different set of skills (or "art") related to warfare and how it applies to military strategy and tactics.
The essence of The Art of War is pragmatism, and its prime concern is simple and straightforward — how to win a war with limited resources and the least cost? The thirteen chapters of the book focus on this very question and proceed to give practical solutions from various aspects.
The book is concentrating on grand strategy and general military principles, therefore over centuries it has become a timeless reference for the military and by extension offers insights on other fronts of human experience . Today, The Art of War is not only studied by military officers but also entrepreneurs in China and over the world.
Although The Art of War is a military treatise, it constantly reminds readers that War is devastating and every leader should be cautious about going to war. Attaining victory without fighting is considered as the top priority.
Let’s read together an extrait of The Art of War.
“亡国 不可以 复存，wángguó bú kěyǐ fùcún,
A state that has perished cannot be restored,
死者 不可以 复生。sǐzhě bú kěyǐ fùshēng。
Nor can the dead be brought back to life.
故 明君 慎之，gù míngjūn shènzhī，
Therefore, the enlightened ruler is prudent and
良将 警之，liángjiàng jǐngzhī,
The good general is warned against rash action.
此 安国 全军 之道 也。cǐ ānguó quánjūn zhīdào yě。
Thus the state is kept secure and the army preserved.”
愿 世界 和平 ！yuàn shìjiè hépíng ！ May the world be at peace !
You can read the first Chapter of The Art of War with the video hereunder.