This award-winning book is two books in one: the complete text of Sun Tzu's
The Art of War
plus an explanation of the concepts hidden in the text. The only book that explains in detail the Chinese cultural concepts and writing techniques used in Sun Tzu's original text.
Won Independent Publishers Book Award Multicultural Nonfiction book award recognition.
Its introduction explains how the
diagrams
used in traditional Chinese science and philosophy can be sued to simplify the complex ideas in Sun Tzu's competitive system. These diagrams start with the
Bagua
, the traditional Chinese eight-sided diagram that describes. After this introduction, the left-hand pages show the complete text of
while the facing right-hand pages explain that text in terms of Sun Tzu's original Chinese concepts, symbols, metaphors, and dozens of additional diagrams. These diagrams show the relationships among the components of competitive strategic positions including both the Creation Cycle (the Elemental Pentagon) and the Destruction/Domination Cycle (the Flying Star). Sun Tzu uses these diagrams or maps in new ways. The Creation Cycle map is used to show to flow of resources and costs from one element to another and it reverse to show the flow of rewards. The Destruction Cycle map is used to show the flow of information (and the types of "spies") and its reverse to show the most common mistakes in using the elements.
This book is a must-read for those who really want to understand Sun Tzu's text. It is the only book that shows the secret diagrams from traditional Chinese science used by Sun Tzu to construct his system and to explain the metaphors and Chinese concepts invisible in English translations of the 2,500-year-old classic. It includes an in-depth discussion and a glossary of key Chinese concepts.
The ancient science of
bing-fa
is based on a unique concept of how competition works. This is the first book that explains that system in detail.
Chapters
Foreword-Rediscovering Sun TzuIntroduction-Elemental Secrets
Analysis Secret Knowledge
Competitive Economics
Unity Focus & Speed
Opportunity Shape
Innovation Force
Competitive Relativity
Costly Opposition
Situation Response
Exploration
Evaluating Opportunities
Nine Situations
Environmental Vulnerability
Acquiring Information
Glossary