The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China Of Ancient China (History and Warfare)

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 one's 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 world's military literature and is essential reading for anyone interested in China's rich cultural heritage or in the timeless principles of successful warfare strategy.

Regarding the first issue, Sawyer has done a superb job in both his translation, and in his historical research. The prose is easy to read and understand, but the essential, almost poetic, essence of the original language has not been sacrificed. Furthermore, each piece is prefaced by a brief, but detailed, overview of the work including a biography of the author, or possible authors, and a synopsis of the historical context in which the work was created. In addition, the book is heavily footnoted, which allows the reader to fully comprehend each piece, without the primary texts being chopped up.

Regarding the second angle, I was genuinely astonished by how pertinent theses works are to modern military thinking. For such primitive (chronologically, not intellectually) works, they do a superb job of capturing the key elements of strategic thinking: maneuver, logistics, terrain, combined arms and command hierarchy. Moreover, they are extremely sophisticated in their consideration of Grand Strategy and the mobilization of the population. While these works are by no means a blue print for a modern army (the codes of conduct are draconian, to say the least), they undoubtedly provide a framework for the analysis/planning of modern operations.

This is truly a superb work that captures both the philosophical and the practical aspects of some of the most ancient books on the planet. Furthermore, it is a fascinating look at ancient Chinese history. It is truly a must read for anyone interested in military theory or international relations, particularly with China once again ascendant on the world stage.


Great works from an exciting period of history   July 6, 2006
W. Bevins (Colorado)
24 out of 24 found this review helpful

The works in this book are:

1) T'ai Kung's Six Secret Teachings
2) The Methods of Ssu-ma
3) Sun-tzu's Art of War
4) Wu-tzu
5) Wei Liao-tzu
6) Three Strategies of Huang Shih-kung
7) Questions and Replies between T'ang T'ai-tsung and Li Wei-kung

Hope that helps.

My one complaint about this book is that it uses the Wade-Giles transliteration rather than Pinyin, which is what everyone, including China, is using. Wade-Giles is now over 35 years outmoded, and can be very confusing for the uninitiated. Compare Ssu-ma I (Wade-Giles) with Sima Yi (Pinyin). Would you know that they're the same bloke? (If you do, bravo.) I assume this speaks to the age of the translation rather than an editorial choice, but it's pretty annoying that they didn't update it.

If you think you might like this book, but want more of a story than essays/discourses, I recommend 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms.' It's very long, but well-loved in most regions of Asia, and with good reason. Also, search for Zhuge Liang's commentary on 'The Art of War.' It's all on Amazon.


Essential for the study of Eastern Martial Philopshy   February 23, 2000
16 out of 17 found this review helpful

This is the best complilation of ancient Chinese martial philosophy I have ever come across. The translation is superb, and it is extensively footnoted to give the reader a complete understanding of the context of the translations and their meaning. It's of a much higher quality then most other translations. For example, I enjoyed dearly the Thomas Cleary trans. of "The Art of War" because of the clear and simple text. However, the Sawyer's trans. "The Art of War" had much more of the subtle nuances of the original by expanding the vocabulary and giving extensive footnotes. The rest of the trans. in the book are perhaps lesser known but equally impressive works. Overall, I felt the book provides the reader with a comprensive view of ancient Chinese strategy and is essential for anyone who wishes to study this subject.


Essential for any complete military library.   April 1, 2000
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Sawyer translates seven of ancient china's military classics and does it in a very thourough, informative, and highly readable way. I have read translations of the Art of War from Griffith, Cleary, and Sawyer and I found Sawyers version to be by far the most readable, as well as the most informative. If you want to study the ancient military texts this is simply a must read. To complete your collection I would also recommend Sawyers translation of Military Methods by Sun Pin.


A compilation of the eternal basics of warfare and survival   July 31, 1999
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

Simply put, amongst these pages sleep the immortal foundations for strategic planning, waging and completion of warfare. It gives adaptive, and concrete rules to live by to ensure survival and means to defend, conquer and remain invincible through military techniques. Amongst the countless numbers of translations, Sawyer is the most successful in accuracy and keeps the ideals and visions of the ancient authors vivid and precise through very educated and well grounded comentaries. In addition to Sun Tzu's Art of War, Sawyer brings us the six classics previously unknown to the western world. With this release, warfare in any sense, will never be the same.