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.