{"product_id":"2940014501767","title":"The Art of War","description":"Ssu-ma Ch`ien gives the following biography of Sun Tzu: [1]\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cbr\u003eSun Tzu Wu was a native of the Ch`i State. His ART OF\u003cbr\u003eWAR brought him to the notice of Ho Lu, [2] King of Wu. Ho\u003cbr\u003eLu said to him: \"I have carefully perused your 13 chapters.\u003cbr\u003eMay I submit your theory of managing soldiers to a slight\u003cbr\u003ePage 1\u003cbr\u003eThe Art of War\u003cbr\u003etest?\"\u003cbr\u003eSun Tzu replied: \"You may.\"\u003cbr\u003eHo Lu asked: \"May the test be applied to women?\"\u003cbr\u003eThe answer was again in the affirmative, so arrangements\u003cbr\u003ewere made to bring 180 ladies out of the Palace. Sun Tzu\u003cbr\u003edivided them into two companies, and placed one of the King's\u003cbr\u003efavorite concubines at the head of each. He then bade them\u003cbr\u003eall take spears in their hands, and addressed them thus: \"I\u003cbr\u003epresume you know the difference between front and back, right\u003cbr\u003ehand and left hand?\"\u003cbr\u003eThe girls replied: Yes.\u003cbr\u003eSun Tzu went on: \"When I say \"Eyes front,\" you must\u003cbr\u003elook straight ahead. When I say \"Left turn,\" you must face\u003cbr\u003etowards your left hand. When I say \"Right turn,\" you must\u003cbr\u003eface towards your right hand. When I say \"About turn,\" you\u003cbr\u003emust face right round towards your back.\"\u003cbr\u003eAgain the girls assented. The words of command having\u003cbr\u003ebeen thus explained, he set up the halberds and battle-axes\u003cbr\u003ein order to begin the drill. Then, to the sound of drums, he\u003cbr\u003egave the order \"Right turn.\" But the girls only burst out\u003cbr\u003elaughing. Sun Tzu said: \"If words of command are not clear\u003cbr\u003eand distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then\u003cbr\u003ethe general is to blame.\"\u003cbr\u003eSo he started drilling them again, and this time gave\u003cbr\u003ethe order \"Left turn,\" whereupon the girls once more burst\u003cbr\u003einto fits of laughter. Sun Tzu: \"If words of command are\u003cbr\u003enot clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly\u003cbr\u003eunderstood, the general is to blame. But if his orders ARE\u003cbr\u003eclear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the\u003cbr\u003efault of their officers.\"\u003cbr\u003eSo saying, he ordered the leaders of the two companies\u003cbr\u003eto be beheaded. Now the king of Wu was watching the scene\u003cbr\u003efrom the top of a raised pavilion; and when he saw that his\u003cbr\u003efavorite concubines were about to be executed, he was greatly\u003cbr\u003ealarmed and hurriedly sent down the following message: \"We\u003cbr\u003eare now quite satisfied as to our general's ability to handle\u003cbr\u003etroops. If We are bereft of these two concubines, our meat\u003cbr\u003eand drink will lose their savor. It is our wish that they\u003cbr\u003eshall not be beheaded.\"\u003cbr\u003eSun Tzu replied: \"Having once received His Majesty's\u003cbr\u003ecommission to be the general of his forces, there are certain\u003cbr\u003ecommands of His Majesty which, acting in that capacity, I am\u003cbr\u003eunable to accept.\"\u003cbr\u003eAccordingly, he had the two leaders beheaded, and\u003cbr\u003estraightway installed the pair next in order as leaders in\u003cbr\u003etheir place. When this had been done, the drum was sounded\u003cbr\u003efor the drill once more; and the girls went through all the\u003cbr\u003eevolutions, turning to the right or to the left, marching\u003cbr\u003eahead or wheeling back, kneeling or standing, with perfect\u003cbr\u003eaccuracy and precision, not venturing to utter a sound. Then\u003cbr\u003eSun Tzu sent a messenger to the King saying: \"Your soldiers,\u003cbr\u003eSire, are now properly drilled and disciplined, and ready for\u003cbr\u003ePage 2\u003cbr\u003eThe Art of War\u003cbr\u003eyour majesty's inspection. They can be put to any use that\u003cbr\u003etheir sovereign may desire; bid them go through fire and\u003cbr\u003ewater, and they will not disobey.\"\u003cbr\u003eBut the King replied: \"Let our general cease drilling\u003cbr\u003eand return to camp. As for us, We have no wish to come down\u003cbr\u003eand inspect the troops.\"\u003cbr\u003eThereupon Sun Tzu said: \"The King is only fond of\u003cbr\u003ewords, and cannot translate them into deeds.\"\u003cbr\u003eAfter that, Ho Lu saw that Sun Tzu was one who knew how\u003cbr\u003eto handle an army, and finally appointed him general. In the\u003cbr\u003ewest, he defeated the Ch`u State and forced his way into\u003cbr\u003eYing, the capital; to the north he put fear into the States\u003cbr\u003eof Ch`i and Chin, and spread his fame abroad amongst the\u003cbr\u003efeudal princes. And Sun Tzu shared in the might of the King.\u003cbr\u003eAbout Sun Tzu himself this is all that Ssu-ma Ch`ien has to\u003cbr\u003etell us in this chapter. But he proceeds to give a biography of\u003cbr\u003ehis descendant, Sun Pin, born about a hundred years after his\u003cbr\u003efamous ancestor's death, and also the outstanding military genius\u003cbr\u003eof his time. The historian speaks of him too as Sun Tzu, and in\u003cbr\u003ehis preface we read: \"Sun Tzu had his feet cut off and yet\u003cbr\u003econtinued to discuss the art of war.\" [3] It seems likely, then,\u003cbr\u003ethat \"Pin\" was a nickname bestowed on him after his mutilation,\u003cbr\u003eunless the story was invented in order to account for the name.\u003cbr\u003eThe crowning incident of his career, the crushing defeat of his\u003cbr\u003etreacherous rival P`ang Chuan, will be found briefly related in\u003cbr\u003eChapter V. ss. 19, note.\u003cbr\u003eTo return to the elder Sun Tzu. He is mentioned in two\u003cbr\u003eother passages of the SHIH CHI: --\u003cbr\u003eIn the third year of his ...","brand":"All classic book warehouse","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47083769135344,"sku":"2940014501767","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940014501767_p0.jpg?v=1763609876","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940014501767","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}