This version of Sun Tzu's Art of War (translated by Lingkai Kong) is the most legible and classically revised translation. The translator has undertaken a general retranslation and reorganization of Sun Tzu's book Art of War with the support of the Open Democracy and Science Foundation after discovering that the majority of current English translations contain numerous errors due to the complexity of the ancient Chinese language.
Unlike the previous edition by Lionel Giles, this book has been translated by native Chinese speakers and political science experts to be closer to the real Chinese expression. Also provided is a cross-reference to the original Chinese text.
The Art of War is a Chinese military book from the late Spring and Autumn Period (5th century B.C.). This thirteen-chapter treatise is credited to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu. Each one focuses on a distinct set of warfare-related abilities and how they apply to military strategy and tactics. Currently, it is also a roadmap to competitive success in business, law, politics, and sports.
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." -- Sun Tzu