Selecting Soldiers

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

3.9

Word count: 392 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

The Art of War by Sun Bin is one of the most famous ancient Chinese military works of the Central Plains, another major achievement of the "Sun school" after The Art of War by Sun Tzu, and a representative work reflecting Warring States military thought. Anciently called The Qi Sun Tzu, it was written by Sun Bin, one of the ten outstanding figures of the pre-Qin world. Born in the Warring States period between A and Juan in the state of Qi (north of present-day Juancheng, Heze City, Shandong Province), he once studied military strategy alongside Pang Juan. The text was excavated in Linyi.

Editor's review

This book is an edited edition of The Art of War by Sun Bin, drawing on the excavated Yinqueshan Han bamboo slips to provide readers a reliable text for understanding the other branch of the Warring States "Sun school" of military thought. Anciently called The Qi Sun Tzu, it belongs to the same Sun family tradition as The Art of War by Sun Tzu but differs in emphasis: it concentrates more on principles of warfare, formation organization, and methods of governing the army, in concise language with a distinct Warring States flavor. For general readers, the value of this book lies not only in military strategy but in experiencing the original appearance and intellectual threads of pre-Qin texts through surviving fragments. The Bashu Press edition is convenient for desk reading and suitable as an introduction or companion to studying military classics. Readers may read it alongside The Art of War by Sun Tzu, noting how the two echo and converge on concepts such as "shi" (momentum), "bian" (change), and "zu" (soldiers); they may also combine it with Warring States history to understand how military thought took root amid interstate competition. Since the book involves slip transcription and chapter arrangement, it is advisable to read the preface or editorial notes first before the main text, so that textual information does not interrupt the reading rhythm.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in pre-Qin military classics who wish to compare Sun Bin and Sun Wu's thought
Students and enthusiasts of ancient Chinese military history and Warring States history
Researchers who need a desk copy of an annotated military text
Readers who enjoy understanding how classics were formed from excavated texts

Not a good fit for

Readers who only want vernacular stories and avoid slip text and transcription notes
Readers expecting a full narrative of Sun Bin's life and dramatic episodes
Practical readers seeking modern management or business-war case applications

Reading tips

Read the editorial notes and chapter summaries first to understand the Yinqueshan Han slip excavation background and the state of the fragments.
Read in comparison with The Art of War by Sun Tzu, noting concepts in each chapter that the two books can cross-reference.
Do not force a continuous reading of damaged passages; first grasp the chapter's main argument on warfare, then revisit details.
After several chapters, review with historical examples of Warring States battles to test whether your understanding holds up.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
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FAQ

Were The Art of War by Sun Bin and The Art of War by Sun Tzu written by the same person?

No. Anciently The Art of War by Sun Bin was called The Qi Sun Tzu, and its author is Sun Bin; The Art of War by Sun Tzu was written by Sun Wu. The two belong to the same "Sun school" but are different figures and different military books. The Yinqueshan Han slips yielded both texts together, providing material evidence for distinguishing them.

Can someone without a foundation in classical Chinese read this book?

Yes, but patience is needed. This is an edited edition with many damaged slips; it is advisable to read the preface and chapter notes first, grasp each chapter's general meaning, then compare sentence by sentence with the transcription. If it feels difficult, read alongside a reliable modern translation or annotated edition rather than struggling over individual damaged characters from the start.

Does the book mainly tell battle stories or military theory?

Mainly military theory, discussing principles of warfare, formations, army governance, and troop deployment—not a narrative of Sun Bin's life and battles. Readers expecting dramatic narrative may find it theoretical; those seeking to understand Warring States military thought will find it on target.

What textual issues should I watch for in this edited edition?

Watch for damaged slips and the arrangement of chapter titles. Different editors may differ in joining fragments and transcribing characters; follow this edition's editorial notes, and for key variant readings consult related research on excavated texts rather than treating one transcription as definitive.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.