More than 2,500 years ago, a Chinese commander, Master Sun – or Sun-tzu – collected together his precepts on generalship to form the kernel of one of the most famous military treatises of all time. Our understanding of strategic warfare that comes out of his writings has yet to be surpassed. Eschewing conventional courage and military might as primary deciding factors, The Art of War is characterised by a profoundly enlightened emphasis on moderation, imagination, good morale and scrupulous forward planning.

There has never been a state that has benefited from an extended war.

Leaders from all centuries and all countries have claimed to have drawn inspiration from the work, and its influence infiltrated popular culture as modern thinkers recognised that its fundamental philosophies apply as much to gaining a competitive edge in day-to-day life as they do to the battlefield.