{"product_id":"9781438465180","title":"Military Thought in Early China","description":"\u003ci\u003eProvides a systematic and comprehensive survey of writings on military philosophy in early China.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis study of the philosophy of war in early China examines the recurring debate, from antiquity through the Western Han period (202 BCE–8 CE), about how to achieve a proper balance between martial (\u003ci\u003ewu\u003c\/i\u003e) force and civil (\u003ci\u003ewen\u003c\/i\u003e) governance in the pursuit of a peaceful state. Rather than focusing solely on Sunzi’s \u003ci\u003eArt of War\u003c\/i\u003e and other military treatises from the Warring States era (ca. 475–221 BCE), Christopher C. Rand analyzes the evolution of this debate by examining a broad corpus of early Han and pre-Han texts, including works uncovered in archeological excavations during recent decades. What emerges is a framework for understanding early China’s military philosophy as an ongoing negotiation between three major alternatives: militarism, compartmentalism, and syncretism. \u003ci\u003eMilitary Thought in Early China\u003c\/i\u003e offers a look into China’s historical experience with a perennial issue that is not only of continuing relevance to modern-day China but also pertinent to other world states seeking to sustain strong and harmonious societies.","brand":"State University of New York Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47123181764848,"sku":"9781438465180","price":22.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781438465180_p0.jpg?v=1763756520","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781438465180","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}