The Rising Sons: China's Imperial Succession & The Art of War recollects 2,000 years of China's history by examining how some of its most representative imperial rulers seized power by applying tactics and strategies from Sun Tzu's The Art of War. This volume brings together tales of the nine princes of the Qin to Qing dynasties who rose to power through their cunning wit and prowess at psychological warfare. Brimming in equal measure with narrative interest and analytical insight, this book is as much a page turner about human greed, ambition and its capacity for cruelty as it is a treatise on power dynamics and court politics.
Sample Chapter(s)
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: Ying Yiren’s Path of Least Resistance to Power
Contents:
- About the Author
- Preface
- Introduction
- Ying Yiren's Path of Least Resistance to Power
- Liu Heng: The Seasoned Card Player
- Cao Pi & The Triumph of the Good Son
- Brother Against Brothers: Li Shimin's Bloody Ascent to the Top
- Li Zhi: The Tai Chi Master of Court Politics
- Li Long Ji: Thriving on Chaos
- Tender Care & Iron Fist: The Weapons of Hong Taiji
- Position of Invincibility: Yongzheng's Strategy to Success
- What Xianfeng Knew
- Epilogue
- Appendix 1: Overview of the Succession Process in Ancient China
- Appendix 2: Selection Criteria for the Rising Sons
- Bibliography
- Index
Readership: Readers familiar with Sun Tzu's The Art of War, readers, teachers and students interested in Chinese history, and those who are interested in stories of political intrigue and mind games.
"For each of his stories, Ian identifies a key precept from the Art of War that encapsulates the strategy employed by a particular prince to secure the throne. Paradoxically, a central principle of Sun Tzu's teachings is the avoidance of violence.
Many of us engaged in studying China past and present aspire to reach out to a wider audience, to make what we know accessible beyond a narrow circle of academic specialists. With this book, Ian has succeeded brilliantly in doing exactly that, in a way that is useful to a wide readership. The stories presented here are gripping; the book is a great read."
From the foreword by Professor Robert Chard
Associate Professor of Classical Chinese
Oxford University
"Ian Huen's first book comes at an important point in China's relations with the rest of the world. As it reemerges as one of the world's largest economies and major powers, it is more important than ever before to better understand China's dynamics and processes. There is no better way to do this than through its history and how its history reflects in personal and business dynamics. This book provides an invaluable contribution, as it masterfully applies elements of China's historical and cultural foundations to draw lessons for business and strategy."
Professor Douglas Arner
Kerry Holdings Professor in Law
University of Hong Kong
"Ian Huen's The Rising Sons is an incisive romp through the most fraught imperial successions in Chinese history. Drawing on the wisdom of Sun Tzu, Huen traces how heirs who successfully ascended to the throne hunted like leopards, biding their time in hiding, maximizing their likelihood of success while maintaining their cover, and then striking swiftly when the opportunity presented itself. The imperial Chinese court was an uncertain, fractious, and often violent political environment. Yet however well they played the game of thrones, the successful heirs, as Huen points out, were not always wise or effective at governing once in power. Huen's trenchant analysis has lessons for the perils of succession and governance today."
Professor Justin Hastings
Professor in International Relations and Comparative Politics
University of Sydney
"Through our numerous discussions, especially during his guest lectures in my program, Ian had always been able to apply Chinese history to modern international business settings that proved to be edifying for his audience. He has done precisely that in The Rising Sons as well. Bravo! I am certain this book will be as beneficial for all its readers as Ian's lectures had been for my EMBA students."
Professor Andrew Chan
Emeritus Professor (Department of Marketing)
Director of the Executive MBA Program (2002–2020)
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Ian Huen is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aptorum Group (Nasdaq: APM), a global pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercialising therapeutic and diagnostics technologies to tackle unmet medical needs. He is a part-time lecturer for Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Master of Science in Business Management programme offered by the Shenzhen Finance Institute at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen campus). He graduated from Princeton University with an AB degree in Economics. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in the Comparative and Public History Program at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and is the awardee of the Scholarship for Outstanding History MA Student for 2015–2016.
His passion for Chinese history and culture has led him to become an enthusiastic proponent of integrating modern global business with traditional Chinese wisdom. He has delivered numerous lectures at forums such as the Institute of China Studies and the EMBA programme at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, on topics such as the management principles of Cao Cao to the poetic world of the Song dynasty literalist Su Dong Po.
