General Sun Tzu? He never existed.

Most book stores around the world contain the so-called "Art of War" by the alleged "General" Sun Tzu. But David Jones’ research suggests neither appellation is correct. Read Art of War and look for the details for an army at war and you will not find them; No weapons, no supply lines, no wounded or dead or medical arrangements, no horses or vehicles for transport. There are continuous admonitions against losing control and getting yourself in a conflict situation. And despite the text stating over and over that the dumbest thing one can do is to attack a walled city, Art of War readers are absolutely convinced that the text says this means such assaults are not desirable—but always the last option!

Jones’ two decades of study brings a different interpretation. Reading Art of War (actually, the name is Bing-fa, meaning Art of Diplomacy) Jones sees instructions written by masters of strategic management for achieving results without conflict. It is, therefore, a peace methodology. And Jones further argues that this methodology played a dramatic and dynamic role in ending the 200 year Warring States period, and in founding the first empire of China under Qin Shi Huang.

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David G. Jones B.A.,M.A. is a retired government executive and university teacher. Fellow of the University of King's College, he was awarded the Queen's Jubilee Medal, and holds an officer's commission in the Canadian Army. He has been studying the origins of the Chinese empire for two decades, and is author of The School of Sun Tzu: Winning Empires without War.