Book Review

Pre-Qin Military Texts, with Special Regard to the Sunzi

Smith, Kidder

1994

نظرة عامة

A review essay exploring several recent translations, studies, & scholarly tools that improve access to the ancient military texts of China: The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China (Sayer, Ralph [Tr], Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1993); Bingshu sizhong zhuzi suoyin ([A Concordance to the Militarists] TaipeiLau, D. C. [Compiler], Taiwan: The Commercial Press, 1992); Yang Bing'an, Sunzi huijian ([Collected Notes on the Sunzi] Henan: Zhongzhou Guji, 1986); Wu, Jiulong, et al, Sunzi jiaoshi ([Collation and Explanation of the Sunzi] Beijing, China: Junshi Kexue, 1990); & Sun-tzu -- The Art of Warfare (Ames, Roger T. [Tr] New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 1993). Sawyer offers a translation of the seven primary military texts of ancient China. Each translation opens with an essay introducing basic concepts & discussing textual history. Lau offers a concordance of four ancient Chinese texts -- the Sunzi, Wei Liaozi, Wuxzi, & Sima fa. The concordance is formatted to allow easy location of all but the most common words of the four texts. Bing'an incorporates recent archeological evidence into translation of the Sunzi. Survey of textual variants, cross-referencing with nonmilitary works, & detailed arguments for interpretive decisions are provided. Jiulang also provides a translation of the Sunzi military classic. Though detailed analyses of the basis for interpretive decisions are not provided, the translation appears particularly well formulated. Ames translates Sunzi-related texts, offering the Chinese text side by side with the English translation. A cultural account aimed at the generalist is provided. Unfortunately, Ames's translation at times does not directly represent the structure of the Chinese original. D. Generoli

• الناشر: University of Hawaiʻi Press,University of Hawai'i Press
• موضوع: 1947 / 6th cent. B.C / 799-500 B.C. Spring and Autumn period / Ames, Roger T / Antiquity / Armed Forces / China / Chinese literature / Concordances / Early works to 1800 / Literature / Military art and science / Military art and science $zChina $vEarly works to 1800 / prose / review article / REVIEWS / Sawyer, Mei-chün / Sawyer, Sawyer, Lau, Yang, Wu, Yang, Sunzi, Wu jing qi shu. $lEnglish., Ralph D., ed. Seven military classics of ancient China = [Wu jing qi shu], Mei-chün, ed., D. C. (Dim Cheuk) Bing shu si zhong (Sunzi, Wei Liao zi, Wuzi, Sima fa) zhu zi suo yin = A Concordance to the militarists (Sunzi, Yuliaozi, Wuzi, Simafa)., Bing'an., Jiulong., Bing'an., 6th cent. B.C / Sun-tzu / Sunzi / Sunzi bing fa / Sunzi, 6th cent. B.C. Sunzi bing fa / The Art of War / the art of warfare: the first English translation incorporating the recently discovered Yin-chʻüeh-shan texts