Welcome to Literature.com!

Literature.com is a huge collection of classic books from famous and not-so-famous authors from around the world — collaboratively published by amateur book authors and contributing editors.

Navigate through our books database alphabetically or simply search by keywords. Books can be rated, discussed through community features and even translated to many common and not-so-common languages.

The Art of War (5th century BC)
The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the Late Spring and Autumn Period. The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, is composed of 13 chapters. Each one is devoted to an aspect of warfare and how it applies to military strategy and tactics.

Year:
5th century BC
71,064 Views

    								
I. Laying Plans 1. Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State. 2. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected. 3. The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. 4. These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline. 5,6. The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger. 7. Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons. 8. Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.
Rate this book:4.5 / 2 votes

Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer and philosopher who lived in the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China. Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, an influential work of military strategy that has affected both Western and East Asian philosophy and military thinking. more…

All Sun Tzu books

2 fans

Discuss everything about Literature.com with the community:

5 Comments
  • leveshka_t
    You need to add short stories especially of 19th and early 20th centuries by giants like Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, A. Kuprin, Maupassant, Jack London, W. W. Jacobs, Dickens, Bret Harte, H. H. Munro (Saki), Robert Barr, Bram Stoker, Joseph Sheridan le Fanu (The great Irish Horror Stories pioneer), Lucy Mod Montgomery, Sarah Anne Jewett, Rex Ellingwood Beach, Saadat Hassan Manto, R. Tagore and numerous other great short story writers of that golden era. 
    LikeReply 116 days ago
  • imagin
    I can't find Francis Bacon here. There are related books but not the author in person. I wish I could read his essay ''Of Studies''. I think Francis bacon is as famous as Shakespeare, but unluckily there is not a work of his. 
    LikeReply2 months ago
  • courtneye
    As an avid reader and literature enthusiast, Literature.com has significantly enriched my literary journey. The platform's diverse collection of literary works spans across genres and time periods, offering exceptional content for both classic literature connoisseurs and those interested in contemporary gems. 
    LikeReply 310 months ago
  • hasmukh.amathalal
    I am proud to be a member
    LikeReply 72 years ago
  • davidb
    Very nice website!
    LikeReply 164 years ago
    • acronimous
      Thanks David! Appreciated...
      LikeReply 83 years ago

Translation

Translate and read this book in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Citation

Use the citation below to add this book to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Literature.com ." Literature.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 15 Oct. 2024. <https://www.literature.com>.

We need you!

Help us build the largest authors community and books collection on the web!

Autumn 2024

Writing Contest

Join our short stories contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
1
month
15
days
5
hours

Our favorite collection of

Famous Authors

»

Our awesome collection of

Promoted Books

»

Quiz

Are you a literary expert?

»
Who is the protagonist in "Crime and Punishment"?
A Raskolnikov
B Ivan Karamazov
C Alyosha Karamazov
D Dmitri Karamazov