Sun Tzu, originally named Sun Wu and also called Chang Qing, authored The Art of War in the sixth century BC. This military strategy book became one of the most influential books of war, and Sun Tzu became well-known for being a military strategist, but also an international relations realist.

Lionel Giles worked in the British Museum for most of his professional life, becoming Keeper of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts in 1936. In addition to The Art of War, he produced other Chinese classics including The Sayings of Lao Tzu, Musings of a Chinese Mystic, The Sayings of Confucius, Taoist Teachings from the Book of Lieh Tzu and The Book of Mencius.

John Minford is dean of the School of Arts and Social Sciences at the Open University of Hong Kong and has taught Chinese literature and literary translation in China, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. He has published widely on Chinese literature and translated numerous works including Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio by Pu Songling and The Art of War.