Quote:
Originally Posted by Shek
William,
Are there many significant differences in the various translations, or do the various appendices/background material have significant differences leading to diverging thought on how to read Sun Tzu?
Thanks.
Shek
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Sir,
There are differences in translation.
Which is better or worse I guess is a matter of personal taste if you cannot read the original Chinese.
FWIW, the 1905 Giles translation is generally considered to be inferior by many English speaking students of Sun Tzu. I personally do not like it as much as Griffith's. I am taking another pass at R.K. Saywer's rendering of it right now and it is growing on me a bit.
One of the things I like about Griffith's translation as published by Oxford is the many footnotes where the translator offers and alternative rendering and/or explains why he rendered things a certain way which is illuminating and also inspires confidence in the author due to his candor.
As to the appendices in the Oxford edition, they are:
I. "Wu Chi's Art of War"
II. "Sun Tzu's Influence on Japanese Military Thought"
III. "Sun Tzu in Western Languages"
IV. "Brief Biographies of the Commentators"
I like these appendices because they add texture to the Sun Tzu experience (wow that sounds cheesy!). Too, they help put Sun Tzu in context.
I am a big beleiver in placing primary source material in context for you can always get more out of it if you know something of the time and place where it was written.
Regards,
William