This work, now over 2,000 years old, has been translated into more than 32 languages and studied by politicians, economists, businessmen. Because the wisdom of this book is a profound human knowledge. It does not belong to any group, Chinese or Western.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, The Art of War grew in popularity and saw practical use in Western society. It likely influenced Napoleon, and General Douglas MacArthur has claimed to have drawn inspiration from the work.
The book of Sun Zi have been widely known in the United States since the mid-1970s. Diplomat Henry Kissinger has made reference to Sun Zi and the principles of warfare has been the subject of serious study in U.S. military circles for many years. The Art of War was applied to business, sports, diplomacy and personal lives in American . Sun Zi may be the most frequently talked Chinese personality in the world.
Today, Sun Zi's appeal has extended beyond the military realm into the world of business. Because Sun Zi's principles are ideally suited to competitive business situations. Business, like warfare, is based on both morale and machines, and deals with the effective and efficient use of scarce resources, so many business people across the globe have found value in Sun Zi's teachings. Many Japanese companies make the book required reading for their leaders. The book is also popular among Western business management, who have turned to it for inspiration and advice on how to succeed in competitive business situations.
Unfortunately, for the people who would like to gain insight into Sun Zi's strategic philosophy, there is no recourse but to read The Art of War .That is not a simple task. Therefore, to offer a more straightforward bridge between today's world and Sun Zi's ancient wisdom, some western ahthors have written some books to annotate The Art of War.For example,Mark McNeilly has written two books. Sun Zi and the Art of Business is written for businessmen while Sun Zi and the Art of Modern Warfare was created for those who have an interest in how Sun Zi's ideas have been applied in military history and current warfare.
