Previous translations of The Art of War have presented Sun Tzu's classic from the point of view of military strategy, Chinese history, or Taoist philosophy. This translation - accompanied by the translators' in-depth essays and illuminating line-by-line commentary - offers a fresh perspective on this ancient Chinese text. Here, Sun Tzu's strategic principles of warfare (based as they were on the fundamental insights of the Chinese spiritual and philosophical tradition) are seen as universally relevant - the foundation for personal transformation and the creation of an enlightened society. “The commentary and essays included will help the reader appreciate that this work has endured, not simply as a manual for the conduct of warfare but because of the depth of the principles on which it is based and their applicability to everyday life.” - Library Journal