The Art of War

Sun Tzŭ

An ancient Chinese military treatise attributed to Sun Wu (Sun Tzŭ), written in the 5th century B.C. for King Ho Lu of Wu. Covering thirteen fundamental topics from strategic planning to espionage, it synthesizes principles of warfare, tactics, and leadership that influenced military thought across Asia and globally.

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Divisions

Chapter I
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Establishes five constant factors in war: moral law, heaven, earth, commander, method and discipline.
Chapter II
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Examines costs and logistics of warfare, emphasizing speed and avoiding protracted campaigns.
Chapter III
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Advocates subduing enemies without fighting through superior strategy and psychological advantage.
Chapter IV
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Teaches securing victory through positioning and calculation before battle, not during combat.
Chapter V
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Discusses controlling large forces through organization and utilizing direct and indirect methods.
Chapter VI
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Explains discovering enemy weaknesses and maintaining concealment of one's own dispositions.
Chapter VII
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Covers army movement, control of formations, and reading enemy intentions through observation.
Chapter VIII
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Addresses adapting strategy to circumstances and avoiding five dangerous faults in generals.
Chapter IX
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Details encampment selection, terrain advantages, and reading enemy signs through observation.
Chapter X
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Classifies six types of ground and six calamities resulting from general mismanagement.
Chapter XI
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Defines nine battlefield circumstances and appropriate strategies for each tactical situation.
Chapter XII
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Explains five methods of using fire as weapon and auxiliary tactical resources.
Chapter XIII
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Justifies espionage and describes five spy classifications essential for military intelligence.