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To get a better understanding of China, I've been reading translations of the various literary classics.

I feel this is essential to understanding the cultural environment in which the Chinese military organizations have operated in over the centuries.

The most engaging writer I've yet found is Ssu-ma Chi'en, who essentially laid the foundation for later Chinese historians.

The stories are fascinating, with the abridgement I have focusing on biographies.  In that sense, it is very similar to Suetonius, though I'm having a devil of a time keeping all the names straight.

One of the things that has already stood out is the fact that political assassinations are viewed as fair game in ancient China.  Ssu-ma Ch'ien has a whole chapter telling the stories of people who killed leaders (or died trying to do so). 

Of course, other cultures have used targeted murder, but it's either decried as underhanded or at best a necessary evil.  It's just hard to imagine people lionizing Gavrilo Princip or John Wilkes Booth.

I've still got a long to go, but I'm enjoying it so far and looking forward to some time off where I can fully immerse myself in the topic.