Master Wu

吴起Jun 2015

3.9

Word count: 20K words
Chapters: 16

Summary

The Wuzi is an important Chinese military treatise, equal in fame to Sunzi's Art of War, written by the celebrated Warring States general Wu Qi; it is one of the representative works of ancient Chinese military thought. The 'Yiwen Zhi' of the Book of Han records it as forty-eight chapters, while the bibliographic chapters of the Book of Sui and the New Book of Tang list a single volume. Extant editions include the Song-dynasty reproduction in the Xu Gu Yi Cong series and Ming and Qing printings, preserving six chapters—Planning the State, Estimating the Enemy, Governing the Troops, On Generals, Adapting to Circumstances, and Encouraging the Officers—far from complete.

Editor's review

Ranking alongside The Art of War, The Wuzi is a major work reflecting the military thought of the Warring States period. Six chapters survive—Planning for the State, Assessing the Enemy, Directing the Army, On Generalship, Responding to Change, and Encouraging the Troops—and though far from complete, they cover such key topics as governing the state and the army, judging enemy conditions, training soldiers, selecting commanders, adapting on the battlefield, and boosting morale. Compared with The Art of War's emphasis on strategy, The Wuzi stresses "cultivating civil virtue within and military preparedness without," discussing political governance and military preparation together, and makes specific demands on a general's character and judgment. The language is concise and the points clearly ordered, making it valuable primary material for understanding pre-Qin military thought. Readers need not pursue word-by-word philological glossing; they can first read all six chapters to grasp the overall framework, then understand their specific relevance against the historical background of the Warring States period. For general readers, its value lies not in copying tactics but in appreciating how the ancients made judgments and trade-offs under conditions of limited resources and unclear enemy intelligence.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in pre-Qin military thought and military science
Chinese and history students who need the textual framework of The Wuzi
Readers who enjoy short classical Chinese texts and are willing to read slowly with annotations
Military enthusiasts who want to read it alongside The Art of War

Not a good fit for

Corporate readers seeking practical modern management tools
Beginners who need detailed vernacular translation and line-by-line annotation
Readers who prefer long narrative or story-driven history books

Reading tips

First read the six chapter titles and opening paragraphs to build an overall framework of governing the state, assessing the enemy, and directing the army.
Read each chapter twice: the first time to grasp the general idea, the second to clarify key sentences against the annotations.
Read it alongside The Art of War and note the differences in requirements for commanders and in responding to change.
After reading, summarize each chapter's main points in your own words to test whether you truly understand rather than merely recognize the characters.

版权信息
目录
公版书总序
奇才将略诛暴乱，炊骨而食亦骇闻——吴起
图国料敌文武道，论将谈兵陟罚清——《吴子》
正文
图国第一
料敌第二
治兵第三
论将第四
应变第五
励士第六
如是我闻
一、后世对吴起的评价
二、《吴子》的军事思想
三、吴起的故事

FAQ

Is the extant Wuzi the complete original?

No. The Hanshu Yiwenzhi lists forty-eight chapters of Wu Qi; only six survive—Planning for the State, Assessing the Enemy, Directing the Army, On Generalship, Responding to Change, and Encouraging the Troops—far from complete. It should be read as important surviving chapters rather than a complete system; for topics it does not develop, consult other military texts and historical sources.

Can I read it without a foundation in classical Chinese?

You can try, but an annotated or vernacular edition is recommended. The language is concise and the points clearly ordered; reading the translation first to grasp the general idea and then returning to key sentences in the original lowers the barrier. If you have no experience reading classical Chinese at all, start with a vernacular edition of The Art of War and then move on to The Wuzi.

What are the main differences between The Wuzi and The Art of War?

The Art of War leans more toward strategy and assessing circumstances, while The Wuzi stresses "cultivating civil virtue within and military preparedness without," giving greater prominence to political governance, troop training, and a general's character, and discussing such practical matters as assessing the enemy, directing the army, and encouraging the troops. Reading the two together reveals the different emphases of pre-Qin military thought on governing the state and directing the army.

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About the author

吴起 Author

Wu Qi is a renowned military thinker in ancient China. Publicly available information about his life and birthplace is limited, and his dates of birth and death are unknown. The collection contains nine related works, including military texts such as Wuzi, The Art of War of Wu Qi, and Wu Qi's Art of War, as well as chapters on military affairs like "Encouraging Soldiers." They are mostly classified under Eastern philosophy, classic works, and historical readings. These writings discuss army governance, motivating soldiers, and the art of warfare in a concise and pragmatic style, emphasizing discipline, rewards and punishments, and morale, and have long been regarded as important documents of pre-Qin military thought. Another title, Industrial Internet: Redefining Efficiency and Consumption, falls under finance and miscellaneous essays and differs markedly from the military works above. Overall, Wu Qi's writings center on military thought, are plain in language, and stress practical application, exerting an influence on later military studies and statecraft.