Sun Tzu

In 2034 — A Novel of the Next World War, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War is the strategic frame for the Chinese admiral Lin Bao, who quotes it directly — “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” The novel uses the maxim as Lin Bao’s operating philosophy, threading classical strategy through a near-future scenario of networked naval warfare and escalation.

Context: Sun Tzu was a Chinese military strategist and general traditionally dated to the 5th–6th century BCE, credited as the author of The Art of War, the foundational treatise on strategy, deception, and the conduct of conflict that remains widely read in military, business, and political circles.

Where this appears

• 2034 — A Novel of the Next World War — The Art of War is quoted verbatim as the strategic frame for the character Lin Bao