Uploaded August 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Here we have extracts from Sun Tzu's ancient classic, still relevant today.

Translated by Lionel Giles.

Huge thanks to Antony Cummins for the use of his images from his version of the text, and for his choice of extracts for this video.

Pick up a copy of his clear and easy to understand version here:

amazon.com/Ultimate-Art-War-Step-Step/dp/1786782715

Video actor and editor: David Kelly

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— Music courtesy of:-
Epidemic Sound
Artlist.io

We try to use copyright free images at all times. However if we have used any of your artwork or maps then please don't hesitate to contact me and we’ll be more than happy to give the appropriate credit.

Thanks to:

By vlasta2, bluefootedbooby on flickr.com - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluefootedbooby/370458424/, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1616406
By SY - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64875198
Joe Hunt
Terracotta Warrior, Xian
wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/obf_images/7d/eda234fc2aa4a6c3aa426a997f6c9d.jpg
Gallery: wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/V0037646.html
Wellcome Collection gallery (2018-03-21): wellcomecollection.org/works/qmcauudh CC-BY-4.0
AhaUFO / CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
Photo by prostějovský časosběrač from Pexels
Poemandpainting / CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
Filipe Fortes from New York, United States / CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)