Sun Tzu and the Art of Medieval Japanese Warfare / / Roald Knutsen.

• VerfasserIn: Knutsen, Roald,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden; , Boston : : BRILL,, 2006.
• Year of Publication: 2006
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource.

For the first time, this study examines in depth how the medieval Japanese masters of Heiho - the Art of War - sought to interpret, illustrate and transmit the principles of China's time-honoured military strategist Sun-Tzu during possibly the most turbulent period of Japanese history, the war-torn Muromachi period (c. 1350 - 1575). In these two centuries a number of gifted warriors, steeped in the teachings of Sun-Tzu and the Chinese Military Classics, developed their own concepts of the arts of warfare, expressed in personal combat, to heights of formidable effectiveness. Rather than consider the weaknesses and strengths of the medieval military command structures, the author focuses instead on certain basic strategies still to be found in the upper levels of these individual masters' teachings, some of which have fortunately survived the five hundred or more years that have elapsed since these strategists passed away. Sun-Tzu's lasting legacy was encapsulated in one simple statement: 'All warfare is based on deception'. This volume, supported by a sixteen-page Plate Section, demonstrates how, and from where, some of these master swordsmen derived their unique understanding of these ancient teachings.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements -- List of Illustrations -- Introduction -- 1 The Muromachi Warriors and their Approach to Sun Tzu: Some Historical Benchmarks -- 2 Who Were the Bugeisha? -- 3 Ch'I Within the Eishin-ryu -- 4 Hasegawa Eishin-ryu Structure -- 5 Mao Tse-tung and Unorthodox Tactics -- 6 Iai-jutsu Seen as Flexible Warfare -- 7 Foreknowledge -- 8 The Distinction in the Heiho between Ch'i and Cheng -- 9 The Influence of the Mountain Religion -- 10 The Esoteric Principles Contained in In and Yu -- 11 Unexpected Attacks Against an Unprepared Enemy -- 12 Fundamental Teachings -- 13 Warfare and Ritual -- 14 Conclusions -- 15 'Subtle and Insubstantial...' -- Notes -- Glossary of Terms -- Bibliography -- Index.