{"title":"Andrew Seth Meyer","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"dao-of-the-military-book-andrew-seth-meyer-9780231153331","title":"The Dao of the Military","description":"Master Sun's The Art of War is by no means the only ancient Chinese treatise on military affairs. One chapter in the Huainanzi, an important compendium of philosophy and political theory written in the second century BCE, synthesizes the entire corpus of military literature inherited from the Chinese classical era. Drawing on all major, existing military writings, as well as other lost sources, it assesses tactics and strategy, logistics, organization, and political economy, as well as cosmology and the fundamental morality of warfare.  This powerful work set out to become the last word on military matters, subsuming and replacing all preceding literature. Written under the sponsorship of Liu An, king of Huainan, the Huainanzi's \"military methods\" emphasize the preservation of peace as the ultimate value to be served by the military, insisting that the army can be effectively and rightly used only when defending the sacred hereditary position of the emperor and his vassals. This position stands in stark contrast to that of The Art of War, which prioritizes the enrichment and empowerment of the state. Liu An's philosophy also argues that military success depends on the personal cultivation of the commander and that deception is not enough to secure victory. Only a commander with the exceptional qualities of insight and cognition, developed through a program of meditative practice and yogic refinement, can effectively control and interpret the strategic situation. Andrew Seth Meyer offers both a full translation of this text and an extensive analysis of its historical context. His thorough treatment relates Liu An's teachings to issues in Chinese philosophy, culture, religion, and history, helping to interpret their uncommon message.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49591283286289,"sku":"GOR012946049","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0231153333.jpg?v=1750694596"},{"product_id":"to-rule-all-under-heaven-book-andrew-seth-meyer-9780197667484","title":"To Rule All under Heaven","description":"The first ever comprehensive history in English of China's Warring States period, an era that saw epic battles, the birth of profound philosophies, groundbreaking innovations, and shaped much of East Asian culture as we know it today \n\nIn 481 BCE, ancient China was on the cusp of one of the most profound revolutions any society has ever undergone, one that would set the course of world history for the following two millennia and a half. The ruling order that had been set up by the Zhou kings almost six centuries before was disintegrating. While the Zhou realm was populous, wealthy, and blessed with a sophisticated and already ancient culture, the basic institutions that structured social and spiritual life were in radical decay. The world was literally falling apart. \n\nThe following two-hundred and sixty years saw the largest civilization on earth reinvent and recreate itself. Through war, diplomacy, debate, commerce, philosophy, literature, science, and artistic expression, the people of the Warring States gave birth to a radically new social order. The era saw the emergence of Confucianism and Daoism, the composition of seminal texts such as The Art of War by Master Sun and the Book of Changes, and the codification of Chinese script into its current form. It also saw the initial building of the Great Wall and the canal system that would become the Grand Canal, as well as the invention of the crossbow--which would not be invented in Europe for another 1,500 years--and the origin of acupuncture and feng shui.\n\nThis dynamic period coincided with the lives of global figures such as the Buddha, Socrates, and the prophet Ezra, beginning during Confucius's lifetime and culminating with the reign of the First Emperor, whose tomb is famously guarded by the terra cotta soldiers. The Persian Wars and the conquests of Alexander the Great are well known to people in Europe and America; however, far fewer English-language books have attempted to cover this same and equally important period in East Asia. To Rule All under Heaven corrects this imbalance by recounting a detailed history that is replete with dramatic stories and characters. The result is a thorough and entertaining account of one of the most fertile and significant periods in world history.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":52101170102545,"sku":"NGR9780197667484","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":53013766832401,"sku":"NIN9780197667484","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9780197667484.jpg?v=1772037160"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/author-books-by-andrew-seth-meyer.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}