Dongxi Qian·Treasure of Zhenguan丨Peng Mei: Why is "Sun Tzu's Art of War", which is popular again because of "Furious Speed", translated as "the art of war"?

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The beauty of national treasures, through ancient and modern times, is magnificent. Behind each rare cultural relic is the ingenuity and wisdom of the ancients, engraved with the cultural genes of the Chinese nation, and witnessing the exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations. From 2023 March 3, China News Service "East-West Question" has launched the "Treasures of the Town Hall" series of planning (20), through experts to explore the meaning of cultural relics and the stories behind them.

Jinan, 3 Mar (ZXS) -- Why is "Sun Tzu's Art of War," which is revived because of "Rage," translated as "the art of war"?

——Interview with Peng Mei, director of the Linyi Yinqueshan Han Tomb Bamboo Museum

China News Agency reporter Zhao Xiao

The popular anti-gang crime and anti-evil TV series "Crazy" once again brought fire to the classical Chinese military masterpiece "Sun Tzu's Art of War". In the New Year of the Rabbit, sales of different versions of "Sun Tzu's Art of War" soared and became a "popular book". With a history of more than 20,<> years, this "sacred book of military studies" has been translated into more than <> languages and sold well all over the world.

"Sun Tzu's Art of War" is often translated as "The Art of War", what is the meaning behind it? Which ideas in the book are accepted and recognized by readers in various countries? Recently, Peng Mei, deputy director of the Linyi City Museum and director of the Yinqueshan Han Tomb Bamboo Museum, was interviewed by the China News Agency's "East-West Question" on the above issues.

The following is a summary of the interview:

China News Agency: How was the bamboo Jane of Sun Tzu's Art of War, the "treasure of the town hall" of the Han Tomb Bamboo Jane Museum in Yinque Mountain, Linyi, discovered?

Peng Mei: "Ranked as the smallest famous mountain in the world, the first soldier's book in the world" is the best summary of the Yinqueshan Han Tomb Bamboo Jane Museum, reflecting the lofty status of the Yinqueshan Han Tomb in the history of Chinese archaeology and the precious value of the Bamboo Jane Book of the Art of War of Sun Tzu.

About a kilometer south of the old Linyi City, there are two small uplifted hills, the east hill is Jinque Mountain, and the west hill is Yinque Mountain. According to archaeological evidence, this is a large Han dynasty cemetery.

Linyi Yinqueshan Han Tomb Bamboo Jane Museum. Photo by Li Mingrui

In April 1972, the Linyi District Health Department stumbled upon Han Tombs No. 4 and No. 1 during the construction of Yinqueshan Infrastructure, and immediately reported to the cultural relics group. After excavation, the staff found that the two Han tombs were rectangular vertical caves, and the rafters were basically complete, one coffin and one coffin. Tomb No. 2 bamboo Jane was found in the gap between the lacquered wood and pottery at the northern end of the side box, due to long-term immersion in muddy water and squeezed by other burial utensils, the bamboo Jane has been scattered, the surface is dark brown, and the bamboo canon rope has long decayed. Some traces can also be seen on some of the tablets, and the handwriting written in ink, except for a few characters that are illegible, is mostly clear.

The museum exhibits the bamboo simplification of Sun Tzu's Art of War. Photo by Li Mingrui

The excavated bamboo tablets were immediately sent to Beijing, and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China set up a group to sort out the bamboo tablets of the Han Tomb in Yinqueshan to sort, interpret and protect the bamboo tablets. There are a total of 4974 bamboo tablets, each of which is 27.6 cm long, 0.5-0.9 cm wide and 0.1-0.2 cm thick. Each piece has more than 40 characters, and the handwriting is correct; Some of them are scribbled, not by the hands of one person, mainly for bamboo simple military books such as "Sun Zi's Art of War", "Sun Bin Art of War", "Liu Tao", "Wei Yanzi" and so on.

A large number of precious bamboo simple military books were unearthed in the Han Tomb of Yinque Mountain, which caused a sensation at home and abroad. Up to now, the Yinqueshan Han Tomb Bamboo Museum has received more than 500 million visitors at home and abroad, and senior military officers and military cadets from nearly <> countries such as the United States, Malaysia, Cambodia and North Korea have specially visited the museum. Many military academies at home and abroad have included "Sun Tzu's Art of War" in their teaching courses, which shows the influence of this military masterpiece in the world.

The museum exhibits the bamboo simplification of Sun Tzu's Art of War. Photo by Li Mingrui

China News Agency: What are the main aspects of the academic research value of the bamboo Jane of "Sun Tzu's Art of War"?

Peng Mei: The excavation of the bamboo simplification of the Han tomb in Yinqueshan provides extremely valuable physical materials for the study of the politics, economy, military, calligraphy, and simple book system of the pre-Qin and early Han dynasties in China, and its academic research value is reflected in the following aspects:

First, the unearthing of the Yinque Mangosteen simplified version of "Sun Tzu's Art of War" solved the controversy related to the origin of "Sun Tzu's Art of War". The "Art of War" was unearthed at the same tomb as the "Sun Bin Art of War", which has been lost for nearly 13,82 years, clarifying the ancient controversy about Sun Tzu and his books, confirming the authenticity of the "Shiji" and other records about Sun Wu and Sun Bin having their own people and books, and also confirming that the "Sun Tzu Art of War" was originally 13 articles, rather than the <> articles that Cao Cao deleted <> articles.

Second, the Yinque Mangosteen simplified version of Sun Tzu's Art of War is the earliest existing version, which provides proofreading materials for the textual study of Sun Tzu's Art of War. There are many versions of "Sun Tzu's Art of War", and the "Seven Books of the Martial Classic" and "Eleven Notes on Sun Tzu" are the two most important versions, and there are many foreign texts between the two versions, and it is difficult to determine which is right and wrong due to the lack of supporting information. Inferred from the font, the written time of the simplified version of Sun Tzu's Art of War should be between the Qin Dynasty and the Western Han Dynasty, more than 1000,<> years earlier than the legendary Song Ben, although it was incomplete when it was unearthed, it still plays an important role in proofreading the inheritance.

Third, the Yinque Mangosteen Simplified Book "Sun Tzu's Art of War" provides important materials for the study of the development of Chinese characters and the art of calligraphy. "Sun Tzu's Art of War" Jianshu is written with a brush dipped in ink, the font is between the Qin subordinate and the Han subordinate, the glyph tends to be square or flat square, the strokes are stretched, the horizontal painting is microwaved, and the characteristics of calligraphy with silkworm head and swallowtail and twists and turns have been revealed, the font is natural and casual, beautiful and beautiful, providing physical materials for the study of the development of Chinese characters and the art of calligraphy.

The museum exhibits the bamboo simplification of Sun Tzu's Art of War. Photo by Li Mingrui

After the excavation of the Yinque Mangosteen Jane, the museum published a number of academic research results, setting off a worldwide upsurge of research on the Art of War of Sun Tzu, and promoting the formation of a unique Yinqueshan military culture.

In academic activities such as the 30rd International Symposium on the Art of War of Sun Tzu and the Commemorative Conference and International Symposium on the Excavation of the Han Tomb of Yinqueshan Han Tomb and Bamboo Simplified Museum, Chinese and foreign experts and scholars exchanged views on the themes of "Sun Tzu's Art of War and Economic Development Strategy", "The Historical Value of Sun Tzu's Art of War", "Yinqueshan Military Studies and the Way to Victory", and fully affirmed the military strategic thinking contained in Sun Tzu's Art of War.

"Sun Tzu's Art of War" and "Sun Bin Art of War" bamboo Jane have also been exhibited in South Korea, Japan and other countries; "Sun Tzu's Art of War" bamboo Jian participated in China's "National Exhibition of Foreign Cultural Exchange Achievements", and its academic research value and military strategic thinking have attracted foreign attention.

The museum exhibits the bamboo simplification of Sun Tzu's Art of War. Photo by Li Mingrui

China News Agency: Why is "Sun Tzu's Art of War" called "the art of war" abroad, and which ideas are generally accepted and highly recognized by the world?

Peng Mei: The Art of War by Sun Tzu has been called "the art of war" because it is full of simple materialism and dialectics, and its impact on the world is both common and individual. The commonality is that Sun Wu's military thought contains universal wisdom; Individuality is the use of Sun Wu thought, and each country must combine with its own reality and use it flexibly.

Sun Tzu's Art of War contains comprehensive strategic and tactical principles and has been widely used by countries around the world. The "Ji" chapter is the first part of "Sun Tzu's Art of War", which has the role of overseeing the overall situation and outlining the whole book. The beginning of the "Ji" clearly points out: "Soldiers, the great affairs of the country, the place of death and life, and the way of survival and death, must not be ignored." It can be understood that war is a major national affair, which has a bearing on the life and death of the military and the people and the survival of the country, and it should be considered from the perspective of the interests of the country and the people, and it is treated with caution, which expounds the value concept of safeguarding the fundamental interests of the country and the people, and is a general summary of Sun Wu's military thought.

The museum exhibits a simple part of the bamboo sketch of "Sun Tzu's Art of War". Photo by Li Mingrui

The chapter "Attack" emphasizes the use of strategy to defeat the other side, and discusses the strategic thinking of "total victory" and the methods and principles for achieving it. On the basis of military strength, the "Situation" article discusses giving full play to the subjective initiative of generals, forming a favorable combat situation through effective tactical tactics, and winning by surprise. "Topography" discusses military topography, puts forward the view of "the help of the terrain and soldiers", and takes "knowing the other and knowing oneself" and "knowing the heaven and the earth" as the key to "total victory". The "Use Room" chapter discusses the importance of "prophets", as the last part of "Sun Tzu's Art of War", echoing the "Ji" chapter. The entire "Sun Tzu Art of War" is rigorous in logic, progressing layer by layer, and seamlessly integrating end to end, constituting a broad and profound art of war system.

Sun Wu's basic concept of war is "the whole army of the country", which has great and far-reaching progressive significance and guiding role in curbing war and maintaining peace. After reading through, readers often appreciate the art and true meaning of war in their thinking and epiphany.

The audience visits the Bamboo Jane Museum of the Han Tomb of Yinque Mountain. Photo by Li Mingrui

China News Agency: How should modern people learn from and absorb the wisdom contained in Sun Tzu's Art of War?

Peng Mei: At present, people's research on Sun Tzu's Art of War has gone far beyond the scope of military and strategy, and its essence has been widely used in many fields such as enterprise management, business competition, and sports competition.

The strategic and tactical concept put forward by Sun Wu has its universal significance and is applicable to many fields. Its "concept of any situation" emphasizes that it is necessary to give full play to subjective initiative, create a favorable situation, grasp the initiative, seize opportunities, follow the "trend", and take advantage of the "trend" to develop; The "concept of knowing victory" emphasizes that "knowledge" is the premise, the basis and the primary condition for victory, and we must persist in proceeding from reality, fully analyze the pros and cons of gains and losses, do not fight uncertain battles, and have a chance of victory; The "Total Victory View" uses strategy and wisdom to jump out of direct confrontation and competition, and emphasizes the potential and indirect use of force to win without a fight and achieve success.

"Sun Tzu's Art of War" is a sacred book of military science that outwits victory and seeks peace, and the philosophical ideas and ways to win contained in it are objective truths that guide people to move in response to the situation, and "soldiers, murderous weapons" teach people to abide by morality, mutual respect, win-win cooperation, cultivate the foundation, and stand in the world, which is also the correct direction for leading and promoting the establishment of a new international order in the new stage of the new century. (End)

Respondent Profile:

Photo by Li Mingrui

Peng Mei, deputy research librarian, deputy director of Linyi Museum, director of Yinqueshan Han Tomb Bamboo Museum, the first deputy secretary-general of the Research Professional Committee of Shandong Museum Society, standing director and member of the expert committee of Shandong Sun Tzu Research Association, mainly engaged in the research of museum social education and military culture, responsible for editing and publishing "Yinqueshan Sun Tzu Art of War", "Yinqueshan Military Science Forum", "Sun Tzu's Art of War" and other business books, among which, the book "Yinqueshan Sun Tzu's Art of War" won the " The 11th Shandong Provincial External Communication Award" and "Linyi City's First Social Science Popular Reading Award" were selected as the key books of the SCO "Qilu Culture Collection", and the book "Yinqueshan Military Science Forum" won the "3rd China Sun Tzu Art of War Research Achievement Nomination Award" and "Linyi City Second Social Science Popular Reading Award".