The Art of War (Chinese: 孫子兵法; pinyin: Sūnzĭ bīngfǎ) is an ancient Chinese military text. It was written by Sun Tzu, a high-ranking military general, strategist and Taoist philosopher. The text contains 13 chapters. Each chapter covers one aspect of warfare. The book was written over 2,500 years ago. The Art of War was one of the earliest books on Chinese warfare. It remains one of the best known and most influential books ever written. The book was widely copied in the ancient world. At first it was written on bamboo slats that were sewn together. It was read by politicians, scholars and military leaders. Translations of the book were first read in Japan and Korea. The oldest copy from Japan dates to the 8th century. It was translated into French in 1772 by a Jesuit named Jean Joseph Marie Amiot. The first translation into English was published by Lionel Giles in 1910. The Art of War was first translated into Russian in 1950. Due to the Russian knowledge of French culture is it probable they had copies in French much earlier. It is used today by business schools and militaries worldwide.