Sun Tzu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the military strategist. For the mathematician, see  Sun Tzu (mathematician).

Sun Tzu

Statue of Sun Tzu in Yurihama, Tottori, Japan

Born c. 544 BCE (traditional)

Died c. 496 BCE (traditional)

Occupation Military General and Tactician

Ethnicity Chinese

Period Warring States

Subjects Military strategy

Notable work(s) The Art of War

 Influences[show]

Sun Wu (traditional Chinese: 孫武; simplified Chinese: 孙武; pinyin: Sūn Wǔ), style

name Changqing (traditional Chinese: 長卿; simplified Chinese:长卿; pinyin: Chángqīng), better known as Sun
Tzu or Sunzi[1] (simplified Chinese: 孙子; traditional Chinese: 孫子; pinyin: Sūnzǐ; pronounced [swə́n tsɨ]̀ ), was
an ancient Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher from the Zhou Dynasty. He is traditionally
believed to be the author of The Art of War, an extremely influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy.
Sun Tzu has had a significant impact on Chinese and Asian historyand culture, both as an author of The Art of
War as well as through legend.

Sun's historicity is uncertain. Traditional accounts place him from c. 544–496 BCE in the Spring and Autumn
Period of China (722–481 BCE) as a military general serving under King Helü of Wu. Modern scholars
accepting his historicity place the completion of The Art of War in the Warring States period (476–221 BCE),
based on the descriptions of warfare in the text and on the similarity of text's prose to other works completed in
the early Warring States period.[2]

Traditional accounts state that his descendant, Sun Bin, also wrote a treatise on military tactics, entitled Sun
Bin's Art of War. Both Sun Wu and Sun Bin were referred to as Sun Tzu in classical Chinese writings, and
some historians believed that Sun Wu was in fact Sun Bin until Sun Bin's own treatise was discovered in 1972.
During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Sun Tzu's The Art of War grew in popularity and saw practical
use inWestern society. His work continues to influence both Asian and Western culture, politics, business, and
sports.[3][4]

Contents
  [hide] 

1 Life

2 The Art of

War

3 Historicity

4 Legacy

5 Notes

6 References

7 External

links

Life[edit]
The oldest available sources disagree as to where Sun Tzu was born. The Spring and Autumn Annals states
that Sun Tzu was born in Qi,[5] while the later Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) states that Sun Tzu was a
native of Wu.[6]

Both sources agree that Sun Tzu was born in the late Spring and Autumn Period of China (722–481 BCE), and
that he was active as a general and strategist, serving the king of Wu, King Helü, in the late sixth century BCE,
beginning around 512 BCE. Sun Tzu's victories then inspired him to writeThe Art of War. The Art of War is one
of the most widely read military treatises in the subsequent Warring States period (475–221 BCE), a time of
constant war among seven nations (Zhao, Qi, Qin, Chu, Han, Wei and Yan) who fought to control the vast
expanse of fertile territory in Eastern China.[7]

One of the more well-known stories about Sun Tzu, taken from Shiji, illustrates Sun Tzu's temperament as
follows: Before hiring Sun Tzu, the King of Wu tested Sun Tzu's skills by commanding him to train a harem of
180 concubines into soldiers. Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, appointing the two concubines most
favored by the king as the company commanders. When Sun Tzu first ordered the concubines to face right,
they giggled. In response, Sun Tzu said that the general, in this case himself, was responsible for ensuring that
soldiers understood the commands given to them. Then, he reiterated the command, and again the concubines
giggled. Sun Tzu then ordered the execution of the king's two favored concubines, to the king's protests. He
explained that if the general's soldiers understood their commands but did not obey, it was the fault of the
officers. Sun Tzu also said that, once a general was appointed, it was his duty to carry out his mission, even if
the king protested. After both concubines were killed, new officers were chosen to replace them. Afterwards,
both companies, now well aware of the costs of further frivolity, performed their maneuvers flawlessly. [8]

Shiji claims that Sun Tzu later proved on the battlefield that his theories were effective (for example, in
the Battle of Boju), that he had a successful military career, and that he wrote The Art of War based on his
tested expertise.[8] However, Zuo Zhuan, an earlier historical text which provides a much more detailed account
of the Battle of Boju, does not mention Sun Tzu at all. [9]

The Art of War[edit]

Main article:  The Art of War

A bamboo version of The Art of War

The Art of War (simplified Chinese: 孙子兵法; traditional Chinese: 孫子兵法; pinyin: Sūnzǐ Bīng Fǎ) is attributed

to Sun Tzu. It presents a philosophy of war for managing conflicts and winning battles. It is accepted as
a masterpiece on strategy and is frequently cited and referred to by generals and theorists since it was first
published, translated, and distributed internationally.[10]

There are numerous theories concerning when the text was completed, and concerning the identity of the
author or authors, but archeological recoveries have proven that the Art of War had achieved roughly its current
form by at least the early Han dynasty (206 BCE – AD 220).[11] Because it is impossible to prove definitively
when the Art of War was completed before this date, the differing theories concerning the work's author(s) and
date of completion are unlikely to ever be completely resolved. [12] Some modern scholars believe that, contrary
to popular belief, it contains not only the writings of the original author, but also commentary and clarifications
from later military philosophers, such as Li Quan and Du Mu.

Of the military texts written before the unification of China in the second century BCE, six major works survived,
including The Art of War. During the Song Dynasty in the late 1st millennium AD, these six works were
combined with a Tang Dynasty text into a collection called the Seven Military Classics. As a central part of that
compilation, The Art of War formed the foundations of orthodox military theory in China. Illustrating this point,
the book was required reading to pass the tests needed for imperial appointment to military positions. [13]

According to Simpkins and Simpkins, Sun Tzu's Art of War uses language that may be unusual in a Western
text on warfare and strategy. For example, the eleventh chapter states that a leader must be "serene and
inscrutable" and capable of comprehending "unfathomable plans". They state that the text contains many
similar remarks that have long confused Western readers lacking an awareness of the East Asian context. The
meaning of such statements are clearer when interpreted in the context of Taoist thought and practice. Sun Tzu
viewed the ideal general as an enlightened Taoist master, which has led to The Art of War being considered a
prime example of Taoist strategy.[14]
The book is not only popular among military theorists, but has also become increasingly popular among
political leaders and those in business management. Despite its title, The Art of Waraddresses strategy in a
broad fashion, touching upon public administration and planning. The text outlines theories of battle, but also
advocates diplomacy and cultivating relationships with other nations as essential to the health of a state. [10]

On April 10, 1972, the Yinqueshan Han Tombs were accidentally unearthed by construction workers
in Shandong.[15][16] Scholars uncovered a collection of ancient texts written on unusually well-preserved bamboo
slips. Among them were the Art of War and Sun Bin's Military Methods.[16] Although Han Dynasty bibliographies
noted the latter publication as extant and written by a descendant of Sun, it had since been lost. The finding of
Sun Bin's work is considered to be extremely important, both because of Sun Bin's relationship to Sun Tzu, and
because of the work's addition to the body of military thought in late Chinese antiquity. The discovery as a
whole significantly expanded the body of surviving Warring States military theory. Sun Bin's treatise is the only
known military text surviving from the Warring States period discovered in the twentieth century, and bears the
closest similarity to the Art of War of all surviving texts.

Historicity[edit]

Some scholars have expressed doubt in Sun Tzu's historicity and the traditional dating of the Art of War.
Skeptics cite possible historical inaccuracies and anachronisms in the text, as well as the likelihood of the
execution of the king's favorite concubines. This skepticism, which sometimes cause scholars to completely
deny the existence of a historical figure named Sun Wu (Sun Tzu), has led to acrimonious debate between
skeptics and traditionalists, especially in China. Attribution of authorship to the Art of War varies among
scholars, and has included people and movements including Sun; Chu scholar Wu Zixu; an unknown author; a
school of thought in Qi or Wu; Sun Bin, and others.[17]

Traditionalists attribute the authorship of The Art of War to the historical figure Sun Wu, who is chronicled in
the Records of the Grand Historian and the Spring and Autumn Annals. Reputedly, he was active in the late
sixth century BCE, beginning c. 512 BCE. The appearance of features from the Art of War in other historical
texts is considered to be proof of his historicity and authorship. Certain strategic concepts, such as terrain
classification, are attributed to Sun Tzu. Their use in other works, such as by the compilers of the Methods of
the Sima, is considered proof of Sun Tzu's historical priority. [18]

Skeptics who identify issues with the traditionalist view point to possible anachronisms in the Art of War that
include terms, technology, philosophical ideas, events, and military techniques. They argue that there is a
disparity between the large scale wars and sophisticated techniques detailed in the text, and the more primitive
small scale battles that many believe predominated the sixth century BCE. According to Ralph D. Sawyer,
however, it is very likely Sun Tzu did exist and not only served as a general, but also wrote the core of the book
that bears his name.[19] Sawyer argues that the teachings probably were taught to the succeeding generations
in the family or a small school of disciples, including Sun-Tzu's descendant, Sun Bin, and were revised and
expanded upon.[19]

Legacy[edit]

Sun Tzu's Art of War has influenced many notable figures. Traditional histories recount that the first emperor of
a unified China, Qin Shi Huang, considered the book invaluable in ending the Age ofWarring States. The Art of
War was introduced into Japan, c. AD 760, and the book quickly became popular among Japanese generals.
The work also significantly influenced the unification of Japan. Mastery of its teachings was honored among
the samurai, and its teachings were both exhorted and exemplified by influential daimyo and shogun, such
as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.[20]

Admiral of the Fleet Tōgō Heihachirō, who led Japan's forces to victory against Russia in the Russo-Japanese
War, was an avid reader of The Art of War.[21]

Communist Chinese leader Mao Zedong partially credited his victory over Chiang Kai-shek and

the Kuomintang in 1949 to The Art of War. The work strongly influenced Mao's writings aboutguerrilla warfare,
which further influenced communist insurgencies around the world. [20]

General Vo Nguyen Giap, the military mastermind behind victories over French and American forces
in Vietnam, was an avid student and practitioner of Sun Tzu's ideas. America's defeat there, more than any
other event, brought Sun Tzu to the attention of American military leaders. Ho Chi Minh translated the work for
his Vietnamese officers to study.[22][23][24]

The Department of the Army in the United States, through its Command and General Staff College, has
directed all units to maintain libraries within their respective headquarters for the continuing education of
personnel in the art of war. The Art of War is mentioned as an example of works to be maintained at each
individual unit, and staff duty officers are obliged to prepare short papers for presentation to other officers on
their readings.[25]

Sun Tzu's The Art of War is listed on the Marine Corps Professional Reading Program (formerly known as the
Commandant's Reading List).[26] During the Persian Gulf War in the 1990s, both General Norman Schwarzkopf,
Jr. and General Colin Powell practiced Sun Tzu's principles of deception, speed, and attacking the enemy's
weakness.[20]

Mark McNeilly writes in Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare that a modern interpretation of Sun and his
importance throughout Chinese history is critical in understanding China's push to becoming a superpower in
the twenty-first century. Modern Chinese scholars explicitly rely on historical strategic lessons and The Art of
War in developing their theories, seeing a direct relationship between their modern struggles and those of
China in Sun Tzu's time. There is a great perceived value in Sun Tzu's teachings and other traditional Chinese
writers, which are used regularly in developing the strategies of the Chinese state and its leaders. [27]
In 2008, producer Zhang Jizhong adapted Sun Tzu's life story into a 40-episode historical drama television
series entitled Bing Sheng (兵聖; also called The Ultimate Master of War: Sun Tzu), starring Zhu Yawen as Sun
Tzu.[28]

According to participants in an off-the-record meeting with two dozen Jewish leaders at the White House on
March 7, 2013, US President Barack Obama said he would continue to press for a diplomatic solution with Iran,
quoting Sun Tzu's The Art of War to convince them