Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu (simplified Chinese: 孙子, traditional Chinese: 孫子, pinyin: Sūnzǐ) was a general, military strategist, and philosopher of ancient China. The name we know him by is actually an honorific meaning "Master Sun." His birth name was Sun Wu and outside the family he was known by his courtesy name Changqing. He is traditionally regarded as the author of The Art of War, an influential treatise on military strategy. Sun Tzu has had a significant impact on Chinese and Asian history and culture, both by writing The Art of War and as a legendary historical figure.

Historians have questioned whether or not Sun Tzu was an authentic historical figure. He is traditionally placed in China's Spring and Autumn period (722-481 BC) as a military general in the service of King Helü of Wu, who lived c. 544-496 BCE Modern scholars accept its historical place by placing the creation of The Art of War in the Warring States period (476-221 BC) based on military descriptions in the text. and to the similarity of his prose to that of other works created in the early Warring States period.

Traditional accounts state that his descendant, Sun Bin, also wrote a treatise on military tactics, entitled Sun Bin's Art of War. Both Sun Tzu and Sun Bin are referred to as Sun Tzu in classical Chinese writings, and some historians believed they were the same person until the latter's treatise was discovered in 1972. During the XX, Sun Tzu's The Art of War also became popular in the West and today is of great influence in almost the entire world in fields as diverse as politics, business, sports and war.

Life

The oldest available sources disagree on Sun Tzu's birthplace. The Spring and Autumn Annals state that he was born in Qi, while Sima Qian's Historical Memoirs say that Sun Tzu was a native of Wu. However, both sources agree that the writer was born at the end of the Spring and Autumn period of China (722-481 BC) and that he was active as a general and strategist, serving King Helü of Wu from 512 BC. His military victories inspired him to write The Art of War, one of the most widely read military treatises in the next stage of the Warring States (475-221 BC), characterized by the constant struggle between seven nations (Zhao, Qi, Qin, Chu, Han, Wei and Yan) who fought to control the vast expanse of fertile eastern China.

One of the best-known stories about Sun Tzu, taken from Historical Memoirs, illustrates his temperament as follows: Before hiring Sun Tzu, the King of Wu tested his abilities by commanding him turn a hougong of 180 concubines into soldiers. Sun Tzu divided them into two companies under the command of the king's two favorite women. When the strategist ordered them to turn right, they laughed. In response, Sun Tzu said that the general, in that case himself, was responsible for ensuring that the soldiers understood the orders given to them. He repeated the order, but the concubines laughed again. Over the monarch's protests, Sun Tzu ordered the execution of his two favorite concubines, explaining that if the soldiers understood their general's orders but did not obey them, it was the officers' fault. He also added that once a general was appointed, it was his duty to carry out the mission even in the face of the king's protests. After the execution of the two concubines, new officers were chosen to replace them and both companies carried out their maneuvers without problems.

The Historical Memoirs state that Sun Tzu later proved his theories effective on the battlefield (for example, at the Battle of Boju), that he had a successful military career, and that he wrote The Art of War based on his proven experience. However, the Zuo Zhuan, an ancient historical text giving a detailed account of the Battle of Boju, there is no mention of Sun Tzu at all. Sun Tzu's descendant, Sun Bin, also became a famous scholar of the military arts.

Historicity

Some scholars have expressed doubts about the authentic existence of Sun Tzu and the traditional dating of The Art of War. His skepticism is fueled by factors including possible historical inaccuracies and anachronisms in the text, as well as the improbability of the execution of the king's favorite concubines. This skepticism, which has even led historians to deny the existence of a historical figure named Sun Tzu, has also sparked a bitter debate between skeptics and traditionalists, especially in China. The attribution of authorship of The Art of War varies among scholars, and names such as the scholar Wu Zixu of Chu, a Qi or Wu school of thought, Sun Bin or an anonymous author.

Traditionalists attribute the authorship of The Art of War to the historical figure Sun Tzu, who is mentioned in the Historical Memoirs and Annals spring and autumn. In them it is said that he was active at the end of the VI century a. C., from 512, and the presence of characteristics of The Art of War in other historical texts is considered a sample of its historicity and authorship. Certain strategic concepts, such as terrain classification, are attributed to Sun Tzu and the reuse of it in other works, such as Sima's methods , only confirms Sun Tzu's historical priority.

Skeptics identify possible anachronisms in The Art of War as problems in the traditionalist view, such as some terms, technology, philosophical ideas, facts, and military techniques. They argue that there is a disparity between large-scale warfare and the sophisticated techniques detailed in the text with the small scales of primitive battles that many believe were prevalent in the VI a. However, according to Ralph D. Sawyer, it is very likely that Sun Tzu actually existed, that he was not just a general, and that he wrote the core of the book that bears his name. Sawyer argues that his teachings were probably passed down for generations. by his family or by a small school of disciples, including his descendant Sun Bin, and that these were later revised and expanded.

The Art of War

Bamboo version The Art of War

The authorship of The Art of War (simplified Chinese: 孙子兵法, traditional Chinese: 孙子兵法, pinyin: Sūn Zǐ Bīng Fǎ, lit. "Master Sun's Rules for Soldiers") is traditionally attributed to Sun Tzu. Presents a philosophy of war for managing conflicts and winning battles; It is considered a masterpiece on strategy, which is why it has been frequently cited and referred to by generals and theorists since it was first published, translated, and distributed internationally.

There are many theories as to whether the text was completed, and as to the identity of the author(s), but archaeological finds have shown that The Art of War had more or less reached its present form by to the early Han dynasty (206–220 AD). Because it is impossible to definitively prove when the treatise was completed before then, differing theories about the author(s) of the work and the time of its writing will probably never be resolved. Some recent scholars believe that, contrary to traditional belief, the treatise contains not only the original author's writings, but also commentaries and clarifications by later military philosophers such as Li Quan and Du Mu.

Of all the military texts written before the unification of China and the burning of books in the 2nd century B.C. C., six major works survived, including The Art of War. During the Song dynasty, at the end of the 1st millennium AD. C., these six works were combined with a Tang Dynasty text in a collection called the Seven Military Classics. As a central part of the compilation, The Art of War formed the foundation of China's orthodox military theory and was required reading for passing the examinations required for imperial appointment to military posts.

According to Alexander and Annellen Simpkins, Sun Tzu's The Art of War uses language that may be unusual in a Western text on war and strategy. For example, chapter eleven of it says that a boss must be "cool and inscrutable" and able to understand "unfathomable plans." They claim that the text contains many similar comments that have long been confusing to Western readers who lack an understanding of the East Asian religious context, as such comments become clearer when interpreted within the realm of Taoist thought and practice. Sun Tzu saw the ideal general as an enlightened Taoist master, which has led to The Art of War being considered a prime example of Taoist strategy.

The book is not only popular among military theorists, but has also gained wide acceptance among political and business leaders. Despite its title, The Art of War addresses strategies in a broad way, focusing on public administration and planning. The text describes theories for battles, but also advocates diplomacy and the cultivation of relations with other nations as essential to the health of a State.

On April 10, 1972, the Yinqueshan Han tombs were unearthed by chance during construction work in Shandong. Inside was found an unusually well-preserved collection of ancient texts written on bamboo sheets. Among them were Sun Bin's Art of War and Military Methods. descendant of Sun Tzu, since then she was lost. The find of Sun Bin's work is considered extremely important, both because of its relationship to Sun Tzu and as an addition to the body of late-antique Chinese military thought. Not surprisingly, the discovery has significantly expanded the surviving military theory of the Warring States era, as it is the only text on a military theme from that era discovered in the 19th century XX and is the closest to The Art of War of all known documents.

Legacy

Sun Tzu's The Art of War has influenced many notable historical figures. Traditional histories state that Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of unified China, considered the book invaluable as early as the late Warring States period. The art of war was introduced to Japan around 760 AD. C. and soon became very popular among the Japanese military, which is why it significantly influenced the unification of the country of the rising sun. His mastery of his teachings was honored among the samurai, and his guidelines were exhorted and exemplified by influential daimyō and shōguns such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Also Tōgō Heihachirō, admiral of the Japanese fleet that defeated the Russian at the Russo-Japanese War, he was an avid reader of The Art of War.

Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong attributed his victory over Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang in 1949 in part to The Art of War. In addition, the treaty profoundly influenced Mao's writings on guerrilla warfare, ideas that in turn permeated communist insurgencies around the world. General Võ Nguyên Giáp, the military mastermind behind victories over French forces and Americans in Vietnam, was a passionate student and practitioner of Sun Tzu's ideas. The American defeat in this conflict, more than any other event, brought Sun Tzu to the attention of American military leaders. Hồ Chí Minh translated the military treatise into Vietnamese for his officers to read.

The United States Department of the Army, through its Command and General Staff College, directs all its units to maintain libraries in their respective barracks for the continuing education of personnel in the art of warfare. The Art of War is mentioned as an example of books that each individual unit should have, and staff officers are required to prepare short papers to be read at other officers' presentations. an old Chinese treatise appears in the Marine Corps Professional Reading Program. During the Gulf War in the early 1990s, U.S. Generals Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell practiced Sun Tzu's principles of deception, speed, and the attack on the weak points of the enemy.

Mark McNeilly writes in Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare that a modern interpretation of Sun Tzu and his importance throughout Chinese history is critical to understanding China's drive to become a superpower of the 21st century. Modern Chinese scholars explicitly draw on historical strategic lessons and The Art of War to develop their theories, seeing a direct relationship between modern struggles and those of Sun Tzu's time. They see great value in the teachings of Sun Tzu and other traditional Chinese writers, lessons that are applied by the Chinese state and its leaders in creating strategy.