ABSTRACT
If traditional Chinese and Western military theories are examined from a philosophical perspective, it is not difficult to discern the enormous impact exerted on them respectively by the two distinct philosophical traditions-the Chinese and the Western. As cultural legacies, traditional military theories still play an important role in modem strategic think ing and military decision-making, which renders a comparative study in this respect highly necessary. The purpose of this chapter is to reveal some of the most outstanding differ ences between Chinese and Western traditional military theories and trace the divergence back to their respective philosophical roots.