Sun Tzu was an ancient Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher who is thought to be the author of “The Art of War,” a famous ancient Chinese book on military strategy. Sun Tzu influenced Chinese and Asian history and culture through his legends and the influential “The Art of War.” When the Western Society saw its practical application in the 19th and 20th centuries, the book gained enormous popularity. This work continues to have an influence on Asian and Western culture and politics. Sun Tzu’s authenticity is still debated, but traditional Chinese accounts place him as a military general serving under King Helü of Wu during China’s Spring and Autumn Period (722–481 BC). Modern scholars date the completion of “The Art of War” to the Warring States Period (476–221 BC) based on the text’s description of warfare and the striking similarity of the text’s prose to other works from the period.
Childhood and Life of Sun Tzu
Due to the unreliability of the oldest available sources, the exact date of Sun Tzu’s birth is still unknown. Sun Tzu was born in Qi, according to the official chronicle of the State of Lu, The Spring and Autumn Annals, whereas Sun Tzu was a native of Wu, according to The Records of the Grand Historian or Shiji.
Both sources agree that he was born during China’s late Spring and Autumn Period (722–481 BC), and that he served as a general and strategist under King Helü of Wu. Sun Tzu was inspired to write “The Art of War” after his victories in battle.
“The Art of War” became the most widely read military treatise during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). The Warring States Period was characterized by constant warfare between seven nations (Zhao, Qi, Qin, Chu, Han, Wei, and Yan) for control of Eastern China’s vast expanse of fertile land.
Sun Tzu had a successful military career, demonstrating that his theories were effective on the battlefield. Sun Bin, Sun Tzu’s descendant, was also a well-known military scholar.
War is an Art Form
Sun Tzu’s famous military treatise “The Art of War” depicts a war philosophy for resolving conflicts and winning battles. Some modern philosophers believe that it contains commentary and clarifications from later military philosophers such as Li Quan and Du Mu, in addition to the author’s writings.
Since its first publication, this masterpiece has been translated and distributed internationally, and generals and theorists have frequently referred to and used it. There are numerous theories about the text’s completion, but archeological evidence suggests that the Art of War was written by at least the early Han dynasty.
The various theories about the work’s author(s) and completion date will never be resolved because it is nearly impossible to predict the correct date of completion. It was one of only six major works to survive before China’s unification in the 2nd century BC.
These six major works were combined with a Tang Dynasty text into a collection known as the Seven Military Classics in the late first millennium AD, during the Song Dynasty. “The Art of War,” as the collection’s centerpiece, established the foundations of orthodox military theory in China.
The book’s language is distinct from that of a Western text on warfare and strategy. The text was said to contain recurring references to a leader’s need to be “serene and inscrutable” and capable of comprehending “unfathomable plans,” which confused Western readers unfamiliar with the East Asian context.
When viewed through the lens of Taoist thought and practice, these statements make perfect sense. An ideal general, according to Sun Tzu, was an enlightened Taoist master, which led to “The Art of War” becoming a classic example of Taoist strategy. On the spiritual level, it differs from other Western works such as Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz’s On War.
It is necessary to be familiar with Taoism in order to fully comprehend this text. This book was also well-received by politicians and executives in the business world. It is now used in government administration and planning.
Apart from describing battle theories, this text also discusses the importance of diplomacy and developing relationships with other nations for a state’s sovereignty.
It is now part of the Marine Corps Professional Reading Program, and all US Military Intelligence personnel are encouraged to read it. This book is also required reading for CIA officers. In the early 1970s, archaeologists discovered a collection of ancient texts written on unusually well-preserved bamboo slips.
“The Art of War” and Sun Bin’s “Military Methods” were among these works. A descendant of Sun Bin wrote Sun Bin’s “Military Methods,” which has since been lost. Sun Bin’s relationship to Sun Tzu, as well as its contribution to the body of military thought in late Chinese antiquity, make it extremely valuable.
The body of surviving Warring States military theory grew significantly as a result of this discovery. Apart from being the only surviving military text from the Warring States period discovered in the twentieth century, Sun Bin’s text also bears the most resemblance to “The Art of War” of all the surviving texts.
Legacy of Sun
Many historical figures were influenced by Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.” One of the earliest accounts was from Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a united China, who believed the book ended the Age of Warring States. Around the year 760, this text was introduced in Japan and quickly became popular among Japanese generals.
The unification of Japan was aided by the publication of this book. The teachings of this book were revered by the Samurai. According to legend, Napoleon studied Sun’s military writings and put them to good use in his war against the rest of Europe.
His defeat in Russia was due to his ignorance of central principles such as attention to temporal conditions. Tôgô Heihachirô, the Admiral of the Fleet who led Japan’s forces to victory against Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, was said to be a voracious reader of “The Art of War.” Even Mao Zedong, the communist Chinese leader, credited this text in part for his victory over Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang in 1949.
General Vo Nguyen Giap, the military genius behind victories over French and American forces in Vietnam, was said to be a devout follower of Sun Tzu’s teachings. The defeat of the United States in Vietnam drew the attention of American military leaders to Sun Tzu’s writings.
The Marine Corps Professional Reading Program now includes it. Sun Tzu’s principles of deception, speed, and attacking the enemy’s weakness were used by both General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. and General Colin Powell during the Persian Gulf War in the 1990s.
Estimated Net Worth
The estimated net worth of Sun is unknown.