The Art of War

What can we learn from Sunzi’s masterpiece in a time of rising China?

Sunzi’s The Art of War is one of the most influential texts in world literature. For the first time, this classic work has now been translated directly from Chinese into Dutch by Mark Leenhouts, winner of the prestigious Martinus Nijhoff Translation Prize 2025. But what is this book actually about? And what does Sunzi’s strategic thinking mean today, in a world where China is playing an increasingly prominent role?

During this event, organized in collaboration with the Leiden Asia Center, we will dive into the history, philosophy and current relevance of The Art of War. We discuss the book’s origins, its translation challenges, and the lessons it offers for modern conflict and diplomacy. With contributions from Mark Leenhouts, Frans-Paul van der Putten (geopolitical analyst), and Frank Osinga (Professor of War Studies at Leiden University), we reflect on the application of Sunzi’s principles in present-day China and international politics.

Program

• Introduction by Mark Leenhouts: What is The Art of War? An exploration of the historical context, the translation challenges, and the timeless principles of Sunzi.
• Lecture and discussion: Frans-Paul van der Putten and Frank Osinga analyse how Sunzi’s strategies are applied in geopolitics and military science today, particularly in the rise of China as a global power.
• Panel discussion: What can we learn from Sunzi’s emphasis on smart strategy, intelligence, and avoiding direct confrontation? And how do these lessons translate into contemporary conflict and diplomacy?

About the speakers:

• Dr. Mark Leenhouts is a sinologist, literary translator, and expert in Chinese language and culture. He studied at Leiden University, Université Paris 7, and Nankai University in Tianjin. Leenhouts obtained his PhD in contemporary Chinese literature and is co-founder of Het trage vuur, a journal for Chinese literature. As a translator, he received the Dutch Foundation for Literature’s Translation Prize (2012) and the Filter Translation Prize (2022) for The Dream of the Red Room, a monumental eighteenth-century classic. His translation of The Art of War (Sunzi) was published by Athenaeum in the autumn of 2025, directly from Chinese and with in-depth commentary. Leenhouts has been writing about Chinese literature for de Volkskrant since 2000.

• Dr Frans-Paul van der Putten is a researcher and advisor in the field of China and geopolitics. He studied history in Leiden, where he obtained his PhD in 2001 for research on political business strategies in China before 1942. From 2007-2022, he worked as a China specialist at the Clingendael Institute, where he was co-founder and coordinator of the Clingendael China Centre. Van der Putten is the author of the book ‘The resurrection of China: from prey to world power’ (Prometheus Publishers). He is an external expert at Clingendael and at the LeidenAsiaCentre.

• Commodore (bd) Prof. Dr. Frans Osinga obtained his PhD in Leiden and was appointed professor by special appointment of War Studies at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) on Leiden University’s Campus in The Hague in 2019. Since 2023, he has been a professor at Leiden University. From 2010 to 2023, he was Professor of Military Sciences at the Netherlands Defence Academy and head of the department of the same name.

You can register via this link: https://leidenasiacentre.nl/event/de-kunst-van-het-oorlogvoeren/