Peter Lorge is a historian whose scholarship focuses on 10th and 11th century China, with a particular interest in its military, political, and social history. His work delves into the evolution of the Chinese empire as it responded to the demands of warfare and internal control. Lorge deeply engages with the military history of Asia, examining how technological advancements and political forces shaped martial strategies and societal structures across centuries.
A major new revisionist history of the reception of the most important Chinese work on strategy, The Art of War, in the West. Peter Lorge contends that the Western interpretation of Sun Tzu's ideas was not based upon Chinese understandings of the text, but upon twentieth-century Western strategic ideas.
Focusing on a pivotal period in Chinese history, this comprehensive survey examines major military events and emphasizes the significance of warfare in the construction and preservation of the Chinese empire. By detailing various conflicts, the book highlights how military strategy and action were central to the empire's development and stability, offering a unique perspective on the historical narrative.
A rich, wide-ranging and accessible introduction to over 2,000 years of history