Editing Sun Tzu

{{Short description|Chinese general and military strategist (544–496 BC)}}
{{Redirect-multi|2|Master Sun|Sun Zi|the Three Kingdoms period state|Eastern Wu|other masters surnamed Sun|Sun (surname)}}{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox writer
| name             = Sun Tzu
| image            = 吴司马孙武.jpg
| alt              = A statue of Sun Tzu
| caption          = [[Qing Dynasty|Qing-era]] representation of Sun Tzu
| native_name      = 孫子
| native_name_lang = zh
| pseudonym        = Sun Tzu
| birth_name       = Sun Wu
| birth_date       = 544 BC (Traditional)
| birth_place      = [[Qi (state)|Qi]] or [[Wu (state)|Wu]]
| death_date       = 496 BC (traditional; aged 47–48)
| death_place      = [[Suzhou, Jiangsu|Gusu]], [[Wu (state)|Wu State]]
| resting_place    = 
| language         = [[Chinese language |Chinese]]
| occupation       = Military general, strategist, philosopher, writer
| period           = [[Spring and Autumn period|Spring and Autumn]]
| subject          = [[Military strategy]]
| notableworks     = ''[[The Art of War]]''
| module           = {{Infobox Chinese
|child             = yes
|pic               = Sunzi (Chinese characters).svg
|piccap            = "Sun Tzu" in ancient [[seal script]] (top), [[kaishu|regular]] [[Traditional Chinese characters|Traditional]] (middle) and [[Simplified Chinese characters|Simplified]] (bottom) Chinese characters
|picupright        = 0.425
|t                 = 孫子
|s                 = 孙子
|l                 = "Master [[Sun (surname)|Sun]]"
|p                 = Sūnzǐ
|tp                 = Sun-zǐh
|bpmf              = ㄙㄨㄣ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄗˇ
|suz               = Sen-tsỳ
|w                 = {{tone superscript|Sun1 Tzu3}}
|mi                = {{IPAc-cmn|s|un|1|.|zi|3}}
|gr                = Suentzyy
|mps               = Suēntž
|myr               = Swūndž
|showflag          = wp
|j                 = syun1 zi2
|y                 = Syūnjí
|ci                = {{IPAc-yue|s|yun|1|-|z|i|2}}
|poj               = Sun-chú
|tl                = Sun-tsú
|mc                = suən t͡sɨ<sup>X</sup>
|vie={{unbulleted list|Tôn Vũ|Tôn Tử}}
|hn={{unbulleted list|孫武|孫子}}
|hangul={{unbulleted list|손무|손자}}
|hanja={{unbulleted list|孫武|孫子}}
|rr={{unbulleted list|Sonmu|Sonja}}
|kanji={{unbulleted list|孫武|孫子}}
|hiragana={{unbulleted list|そんぶ|そんし}}
|katakana={{unbulleted list|ソンブ|ソンシ}}
|revhep={{unbulleted list|Sonbu|Sonshi}}
|kunrei={{unbulleted list|Sonbu|Sonsi}}
|oc-bs             = &ast;{{IPA|[s]ˤu[n] tsəʔ}}
|altname           = Sun Wu
|t2                = 孫武
|s2                = 孙武
|p2                = Sūn Wǔ
|tp2                = Sun Wǔ
|gr2               = Suen Wuu
|bpmf2             = ㄙㄨㄣ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄨˇ
|myr2              = Swūn Wǔ
|mi2               = {{IPAc-cmn|s|un|1|-|wu|3}}
|mps2              = Suēn Wǔ
|w2                = {{tone superscript|Sun1 Wu3}}
|mc2               = suən mɨo<sup>X</sup>
|oc-bs2            = &ast;{{IPA|[s]ˤu[n] m(r)aʔ}}
|altname3          = Changqing
|t3                = 長卿
|s3                = 长卿
|p3                = Chángqīng
|tp3                = Cháng-cing
|mps3              = Chángchīng
|mi3               = {{IPAc-cmn|ch|ang|2|.|q|ing|1}}
|gr3               = Charngching
|w3                = {{tone superscript|Ch'ang2-chʻing1}}
|bpmf3             = ㄔㄤˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄑㄧㄥ
|myr3              = Chángchīng
|mc3               = ɖɨɐŋ kʰˠiæŋ
|oc-bs3            = &ast;{{IPA|Cə-[N]-traŋ C.qʰraŋ}}
 }}
}}

'''Sun Tzu'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|s|uː|n|_|ˈ|d|z|uː|,_|s|uː|n|_|ˈ|s|uː}} {{respell|soon|_|DZOO|,_|soon|_|SOO}};<ref>[http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Sun+Tzu "Sun Tzu"]. ''[[Columbia Encyclopedia|Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia]]'' (2013).</ref><ref>{{cite American Heritage Dictionary|Sun Tzu|access-date= 25 October 2019}}</ref> {{lang-zh|t=孫子|s=孙子|first= t|p=Sūnzǐ}}}} was a Chinese [[General|military general]], [[strategist]], [[philosopher]], and [[writer]] who lived during the [[Eastern Zhou period]] (771–256 BC). Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of ''[[The Art of War]]'', an influential work of military strategy that has affected both [[Western philosophy|Western]] and [[East Asian philosophy]] and military thought. Sun Tzu is revered in [[Chinese culture|Chinese]] and East Asian culture as a legendary historical and military figure. His birth name was '''Sun Wu'''{{efn|{{lang-zh|t=孫武|s=孙武|first=t}}}} and he was known outside of his family by his [[courtesy name]] '''Changqing'''.{{efn|{{lang-zh|t=長卿}}}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 May 2015 |title=孙子 – 国学网 |url=http://www.guoxue.com/?people=sunzi |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=guoxue.com |language=zh}}</ref> The name ''Sun Tzu''{{mdash}}by which he is more popularly known{{mdash}}is an [[Chinese honorifics|honorific]] which means "Master [[Sun (surname)|Sun]]".

Sun Tzu mastered the military science of ancient China and created the military doctrine of asymmetrical warfare. According to it, an attack on the enemy should begin only after the enemy has no opportunity to either defend or counterattack. It was used in the wars in the era of the Warring States in ancient China (about 475–221 BC). Those combat combinations had specific names, descriptions and classifications.

Sun Tzu's [[historicity]] is uncertain. The [[Han dynasty]] historian [[Sima Qian]] and other traditional Chinese historians placed him as a minister to [[King Helü of Wu]] and dated his lifetime to 544–496 BC. Many modern scholars accepting his historicity place the extant text of ''The Art of War'' in the later [[Warring States period]] of 475 to 221 BC, based on its style of composition and its descriptions of warfare.<ref>{{harvnb|Sawyer|2007|pages=421–422}}.</ref> Traditional accounts state that the general's descendant [[Sun Bin]] wrote a treatise on military tactics, also titled [[Sun Bin's Art of War|''The Art of War'']]. Since both Sun Wu and Sun Bin were referred to as "Sun Tzu" in classical Chinese texts, some historians believed them identical, prior to the rediscovery of Sun Bin's treatise in 1972.

Sun Tzu's work has been praised and employed throughout the arc of East Asian military history since its composition, and eventually earned global attention. During the twentieth century, ''The Art of War'' grew in popularity and saw practical use in the [[Western world]] as well. 

==Life==
[[File: Inscribed bamboo-slips of Art of War.jpg|thumb|The [[Yinqueshan Han Slips]] unearthed in 1972 include Sun Tzu's ''Art of War'', collection of [[Shandong Museum]]]]
The oldest available sources disagree as to where Sun Tzu was born. The ''[[Spring and Autumn Annals]]'' and [[Sima Qian]]'s later ''[[Records of the Grand Historian]]'' (''Shiji'') state that Sun Tzu was born in [[Qi (state)|Qi]].<ref>{{harvnb|Sawyer|2007|p=151}}.</ref> Both sources also agree that Sun Tzu was born in the late [[Spring and Autumn period]] and that he was active as a general and strategist, serving [[kings of Wu|King]] [[Helü]] of [[Wu (state)|Wu]] in the sixth century BC, beginning around 512 BC. Sun Tzu's victories then inspired him to write ''The Art of War''. ''The Art of War'' was one of the most widely read military treatises in the subsequent [[Warring States period]], a time of constant war among seven ancient Chinese states—[[Zhao (state)|Zhao]], [[Qi (state)|Qi]], [[Qin (state)|Qin]], [[Chu (state)|Chu]], [[Han (Warring States)|Han]], [[Wei (state)|Wei]], and [[Yan (state)|Yan]]—who fought to control the vast expanse of fertile territory in Eastern China.<ref name=mcneilly3>{{harvnb|McNeilly|2001|pp=3–4}}.</ref>

One of the better-known stories about Sun Tzu, taken from Sima Qian, 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 [[Concubinage|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. Afterward, both companies, now well aware of the costs of further frivolity, performed their maneuvers flawlessly.<ref name=bradford134>{{harvnb|Bradford|2000|pp=134–135}}.</ref>

Sima Qian claimed that Sun Tzu later proved on the battlefield that his theories were effective (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 tested expertise.<ref name=bradford134/> However, the ''[[Zuozhuan]]'', a historical text written centuries earlier than the ''Shiji'', provides a much more detailed account of the Battle of Boju, but does not mention Sun Tzu at all.<ref name="Zuo Zhuan">{{citation|chapter-url=http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/saxon/servlet/SaxonServlet?source=xwomen/texts/chunqiu.xml&style=xwomen/xsl/dynaxml.xsl&chunk.id=d2.17&toc.depth=1&toc.id=0&doc.lang=bilingual|chapter=Duke Ding|volume=XI|title=Zuo Zhuan|author=Zuo Qiuming|language=zh, en|title-link=Zuo Zhuan|author-link=Zuo Qiuming}}</ref>


===Historicity===
Around the 12th century AD, some Chinese scholars began to doubt the historical existence of Sun Tzu, primarily on the grounds that he is not mentioned in the historical classic ''[[Zuo Zhuan]]'', which mentions most of the notable figures from the Spring and Autumn period.{{sfnp|Gawlikowski|Loewe|1993|p=447}}  The name "Sun Wu" ({{lang|zh-hant|孫武}}) does not appear in any text prior to the ''Records of the Grand Historian'',{{sfnp|Mair|2007|p=9}} and may have been a made-up descriptive [[cognomen]] meaning "the fugitive warrior"{{snd}}the surname "Sun" can be glossed as the related term "fugitive" (''xùn'' {{lang|zh-hant|遜}}), while "Wu" is the ancient Chinese virtue of "martial, valiant" (''wǔ'' {{lang|zh-hant|武}}), which corresponds to Sun Tzu's role as the hero's ''[[doppelgänger]]'' in the story of [[Wu Zixu]].<ref name="Victor H 2007 pp. 9-10">[[Victor H. Mair|Mair, Victor H.]] (2007). ''The Art of War: Sun Zi's Military Methods''. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 9–10. {{ISBN|978-0-231-13382-1}}.</ref> The only historical battle attributed to Sun Tzu, the [[Battle of Boju]], has no record of him fighting in that battle.<ref name="Daryl">{{cite web|url=http://www.newhistorian.com/the-art-of-war/3232/|title=The Art of War|author=Worthington, Daryl|date=13 March 2015|publisher=New Historian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303082729/http://www.newhistorian.com/the-art-of-war/3232/|archive-date=3 March 2019|url-status=dead}} 13 March 2015</ref> [[File:Battle of Boju.png|thumb|400px|Situation during the [[Battle of Boju]]]]

Skeptics cite possible historical inaccuracies and anachronisms in the text, and that the book was actually a compilation from different authors and military strategists. Attribution of the authorship of ''The Art of War'' varies among scholars and has included people and movements including Sun; [[state of Chu|Chu]] scholar [[Wu Zixu]]; an anonymous author; a school of theorists in [[state of Qi|Qi]] or [[state of Wu|Wu]]; [[Sun Bin]]; and others.<ref>{{harvnb|Sawyer|2005|pp=34–35}}.</ref> Sun Bin appears to have been an actual person who was a genuine authority on military matters, and may have been the inspiration for the creation of the historical figure "Sun Tzu" through a form of [[euhemerism]].<ref name="Victor H 2007 pp. 9-10"/> The name Sun Wu does appear in later sources such as the ''Shiji'' and the ''[[Wu Yue Chunqiu]]'', but were written centuries after Sun Tzu's era.<ref>{{harvnb|Sawyer|2007|pp=176–177}}.</ref>

The use of the strips in other works, however, such as ''[[The Methods of the Sima]]'' is considered proof of Sun Tzu's historical priority.<ref name=sawyer149>{{harvnb|Sawyer|1994|pp=149–150}}.</ref> According to Ralph Sawyer, 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.<ref name="sawyer"/> It is argued 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 in China during the 6th century BC. Against this, Sawyer argues that the teachings of Sun Wu were probably taught to succeeding generations in his family or a small school of disciples, which eventually included Sun Bin. These descendants or students may have revised or expanded upon certain points in the original text.<ref name="sawyer">{{harvnb|Sawyer|2007|pp=150–151}}.</ref>

Skeptics who identify issues with the traditionalist view point to possible anachronisms in ''The Art of War'' including terms, technology (such as anachronistic [[crossbows]]), philosophical ideas, events, and military techniques that should not have been available to Sun Wu.<ref>Yang, Sang. ''The Art of War''. Wordsworth Editions Ltd (1999). pp. 14–15. {{ISBN|978-1-85326-779-6}}</ref><ref name="Asian History">{{cite web|url=http://asianhistory.about.com/od/ancientchina/p/Sun-Tzu-Art-of-War.htm|title=Sun Tzu and the Art of War|publisher=Asian History|author=Szczepanski, Kallie|access-date=13 March 2016|archive-date=22 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122031644/http://asianhistory.about.com/od/ancientchina/p/Sun-Tzu-Art-of-War.htm|url-status=dead}} 4 February 2015</ref> Additionally, there are no records of professional generals during the [[Spring and Autumn period]]; these are only extant from the [[Warring States period]], so there is doubt as to Sun Tzu's rank and generalship.<ref name="Asian History"/> This caused much confusion as to when ''The Art of War'' was actually written. The first traditional view is that it was written in 512 BC by the historical Sun Wu, active in the last years of the Spring and Autumn period ({{Circa|722}}–481 BC). A second view, held by scholars such as Samuel Griffith, places ''The Art of War'' during the middle to late Warring States period ({{Circa|481}}–221 BC). Finally, a third school claims that the slips were published in the last half of the 5th century BC; this is based on how its adherents interpret the bamboo slips discovered at [[Yinqueshan Han Slips|Yinque Shan]] in 1972.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.classicsofstrategy.com/2015/11/sun-tzu-the-art-of-war-c-500-300-bc.html|title=Sun Tzu, The Art of War (c. 500–300 B.C.)|publisher=Classics of Strategy|author=Morrow, Nicholas|date=4 February 2015|access-date=13 March 2016|archive-date=20 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020030058/http://www.classicsofstrategy.com/2015/11/sun-tzu-the-art-of-war-c-500-300-bc.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==''The Art of War''==
{{Main|The Art of War}}
[[File:Bamboo book - binding - UCR.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A copy of ''The Art of War'' written on bamboo|alt=A bamboo book]]

''[[The Art of War]]'' is traditionally ascribed to Sun Tzu. It presents a [[philosophy of war]] for managing conflicts and winning battles. It is accepted as a [[masterpiece]] on strategy and has been frequently cited and referred to by generals and theorists since it was first published, translated, and distributed internationally.<ref name="McNeilly1">{{harvnb|McNeilly|2001|p=5}}.</ref>

There are numerous theories concerning when the text was completed and concerning the identity of the author or authors, but archeological recoveries show ''The Art of War'' had taken roughly its current form by at least the early [[Han dynasty|Han]] period.<ref>{{harvnb|Sawyer|2007|p=423}}.</ref> 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 or authors and date of completion are unlikely to be completely resolved.<ref>{{harvnb|Sawyer|2007|p=150}}.</ref> Some modern scholars believe that it contains not only the thoughts of its original author but also commentary and clarifications from later military theorists, such as [[Li Quan (general)|Li Quan]] and [[Du Mu]].{{Cn|date=May 2023}}

Of the military texts written before the [[Qin's wars of unification|unification of China]] and [[Qin Shi Huang|Shi Huangdi]]'s subsequent [[Burning of books and burying of scholars|book burning]] in the second century BC, six major works have survived. During the much later [[Song dynasty]], these six works were combined with a [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] 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 early modern China. Illustrating this point, the book was required reading to pass the tests for imperial appointment to military positions.<ref>{{harvnb|Sawyer|1994|pp=13–14}}.</ref>

Sun Tzu's ''The Art of War'' uses language that may be unusual in a Western text on warfare and strategy.<ref>{{harvnb|Simpkins|Simpkins|1999|pp=131–133}}.</ref> For example, the eleventh chapter states that a leader must be "serene and inscrutable" and capable of comprehending "unfathomable plans". The text contains many similar remarks that have long confused Western readers lacking an awareness of the [[East Asian religions|East Asian context]]. The meanings of such statements are clearer when interpreted in the context of [[Taoism|Taoist]] thought and practice.

The text outlines theories of battle, but also advocates diplomacy and the cultivation of relationships with other nations as essential to the health of a state.<ref name="McNeilly1" />

On 10 April 1972, the [[Yinqueshan Han Tombs]] were accidentally unearthed by construction workers in [[Shandong]].<ref name=shandong>{{citation|title=Yinqueshan Han Bamboo Slips|url=http://www.sdwenbo.com/art.asp?id=26&type=6|date=24 April 2008|publisher=[[Shandong Provincial Museum]]|language=zh|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029195157/http://www.sdwenbo.com/art.asp?id=26&type=6|archive-date=29 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="Clements">{{citation|last=Clements|first=Jonathan|title=The Art of War: A New Translation|date= 2012|publisher=Constable & Robinson Ltd|isbn=978-1-78033-131-7|pages=77–78}}</ref>
Scholars uncovered a [[Yinqueshan Han Slips|collection of ancient texts]] written on unusually well-preserved [[bamboo slips]]. Among them were ''The Art of War'' and [[Sun Bin]]'s ''Military Methods''.<ref name="Clements"/> Although Han dynasty bibliographies noted the latter publication as extant and written by a descendant of Sun, it had previously been lost. The rediscovery of Sun Bin's work is regarded as extremely important by scholars, both because of Sun Bin's relationship to Sun Tzu and because of the work's addition to the body of military thought in Chinese late antiquity.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sydney Wen-Jang Chu|last2=Cheng-Yu Lee|date=16 January 2013|title=Just another Masterpiece: the Differences between Sun Tzu's the Art of War and Sun Bin's the Art of War|url=http://www.airitilibrary.com/Publication/alDetailedMesh?docid=P20121108003-201301-201302010022-201302010022-59-73|journal=健行學報|volume=33|issue=1|issn=1817-6755}}</ref>
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.

==Legacy==
[[File:Enchoen27n3200.jpg|thumb|right|Statue of Sun Tzu in [[Yurihama, Tottori]], in Japan]]
Sun Tzu's ''Art of War'' has influenced many notable figures. The Han dynasty historian [[Sima Qian]] recounted that China's first historical [[emperor of China|emperor]], [[state of Qin|Qin]]'s [[Qin Shi Huang|Shi Huangdi]], considered the book invaluable in ending the time of the [[Warring States period|Warring States]]. In the twentieth century, [[Mao Zedong]] partially credited his 1949 victory over [[Chiang Kai-shek]] and the [[Kuomintang]] to ''The Art of War''. The work strongly influenced writings about warfare in Mao's [[Little Red Book]], which further influenced communist insurgencies around the world.<ref name="McNeilly2"/>

''The Art of War'' was introduced into [[Nara period|Nara Japan]] in {{circa|lk=no|AD&nbsp;760}} and the book quickly became popular among Japanese military generals. Through its later influence on the [[Sengoku period]] "Great Unifiers" of Japan, [[Oda Nobunaga]], [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], and [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]],<ref name="McNeilly2">{{harvnb|McNeilly|2001|pp=6–7}}.</ref> it significantly affected the [[Edo period|unification of Japan]] in the early modern era. After the [[Meiji Restoration]], it remained popular among the [[Imperial Japanese Army|Imperial Japanese armed forces]]. Admiral [[Tōgō Heihachirō]], who led Japan's forces to victory in the [[Russo-Japanese War]], was an avid reader of Sun Tzu.<ref>{{harvnb|Tung|2001|p=805}}.</ref>

[[Ho Chi Minh]] translated the work for his Vietnamese officers to study. His general [[Võ Nguyên Giáp]] was likewise an avid student and practitioner of Sun Tzu's ideas.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.sonshi.com/duiker.html|title=Interview with Dr. William Duiker|work=Sonshi|access-date=5 February 2011|archive-date=18 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118173816/https://www.sonshi.com/william-duiker-interview.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{citation|last=McCready|first=Douglas M.|title=Learning from Sun Tzu|date=May–June 2003|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PBZ/is_3_83/ai_109268913/?tag=untagged|newspaper=Military Review|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629011131/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PBZ/is_3_83/ai_109268913/?tag=untagged|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{citation|last1=Forbes|first1=Andrew|last2=Henley|first2=David|name-list-style=amp|year=2012|title=The Illustrated Art of War: Sun Tzu|publisher=Cognoscenti |location=Chiang Mai|asin=B00B91XX8U}}</ref>

[[Taoist]] rhetoric is a component incorporated in the ''Art of War''. According to Steven C. Combs in "Sun-zi and the ''Art of War'': The Rhetoric of Parsimony",<ref name="Combs 276–294">{{cite journal|last=Combs|first=Steven C.|title=Sun-zi and the Art of War: The Rhetoric of Parsimony|journal=Quarterly Journal of Speech|date=August 2000|volume=86|issue=3|pages=276–294|doi=10.1080/00335630009384297|s2cid=145097995}}</ref> warfare is "used as a metaphor for rhetoric, and that both are philosophically based arts."<ref name="Combs 276–294" /> Combs writes: "Warfare is analogous to persuasion, as a battle for hearts and minds."<ref name="Combs 276–294" /> Combs compares Taoist and [[Aristotle|Aristotelian]] rhetoric, notably for the differences in persuasion. Daoist rhetoric in ''The Art of War'' warfare strategies is described as "peaceful and passive, favoring silence over speech".<ref name="Combs 276–294" /> This form of communication is [[parsimonious]]. Parsimonious behavior, which is highly emphasized in ''The Art of War'' as avoiding confrontation and being spiritual in nature, shapes basic principles in Taoism.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Galvany|first=Albert|title=Philosophy, biography, and Anecdote: On the Portrait of Sun Wu|journal=Philosophy East and West|date=October 2011|volume=61|issue=4|pages=630–646|doi=10.1353/pew.2011.0059|s2cid=171035936}}</ref>

In ''Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare'', Mark McNeilly writes that a modern interpretation of Sun and his importance throughout Chinese history is critical in understanding China's push to become 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.<ref>{{harvnb|McNeilly|2001|p=7}}.</ref>

Some admirers of Sun Tzu's work claim that it has relevance in competitive endeavors across the modern world beyond military strategy and warfare, including espionage, culture, governance, business, and sports.<ref name=wp>{{citation|last= Scott|first= Wilson|title=Obama meets privately with Jewish leaders|date=7 March 2013|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-meets-privately-with-jewish-leaders/2013/03/07/dd95b4ca-8733-11e2-999e-5f8e0410cb9d_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|location=Washington, D.C.|access-date=22 May 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724060741/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-03-07/politics/37535039_1_nuclear-weapons-jewish-leaders-president-obama|archive-date=24 July 2013}}</ref><ref name=UPI>{{citation|title=Obama to challenge Israelis on peace|work=United Press International|date=8 March 2013|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/03/08/Obama-to-challenge-Israelis-on-peace/UPI-70151362729600/|access-date=22 May 2013}}</ref><ref name="Business">{{citation|last=Garner|first=Rochelle|title=Oracle's Ellison Uses 'Art of War' in Software Battle With SAP|date=16 October 2006|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aFA0SRsqGq04|work=Bloomberg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020122222/https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aFA0SRsqGq04|url-status=dead|access-date=18 May 2013|archive-date=20 October 2015}}</ref><ref name=Football>{{citation|last=Hack|first=Damon|title=For Patriots' Coach, War Is Decided Before Game|newspaper=The New York Times|date=3 February 2005|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/03/sports/football/03belichick.html|access-date = 18 May 2013}}</ref><ref>
{{cite book
 |last1                = McNeilly
 |first1               = Mark R.
 |year                 = 2015
 |title                = Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare
 |url                  = https://books.google.com/books?id=yVFjBAAAQBAJ
 |edition              = updated
 |location             = Oxford
 |publisher            = Oxford University Press
 |page                 = 301
 |isbn                 = 978-0-19-995785-9
 |access-date          = 14 December 2022
 |quote                = Sun Tzu is not talking about 'news' here but about espionage affairs, or matters or plans relating to espionage.
}}
</ref>

Sun Tzu has even been mentioned in [[popular culture|pop culture]]. For example, in the 1987 film ''[[Wall Street (1987 film)|Wall Street]]'', the protagonist [[Gordon Gekko]] frequently cites passages from ''The Art of War'' as guiding principles for his aggressive trading techniques.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oliver Stone's ''Wall Street'' and the Market for Corporate Control |work=Economics in Popular Film (course) |publisher=Mount Holyoke |date=November 21, 2001 |url=http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/sgabriel/filmcourse/oliver_stone.html |access-date=18 February 2021 |archive-date=13 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713042945/https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/sgabriel/filmcourse/oliver_stone.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Sun Bin]]
* [[Sun Jian]]
* ''[[The Art of War]]''
* [[Confucius]]
* [[Li Shizhen]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |author-link = Roger T. Ames |last = Ames |first = Roger T. |title = Sun-tzu: The Art of Warfare: The First English Translation Incorporating the Recently Discovered Yin-chʻüeh-shan Texts |publisher = Ballantine Books |location = New York|year = 1993 |isbn = 978-0-345-36239-1 }}
* {{citation |last=Bradford |first = Alfred S. |title = With Arrow, Sword, and Spear: A History of Warfare in the Ancient World |year=2000 |publisher = Praeger Publishers |isbn = 978-0-275-95259-4 |url = https://archive.org/details/witharrowswordsp00brad }}
* {{cite book |title = Early Chinese Texts: A Bibliographical Guide |first1 = Krzysztof |last1 = Gawlikowski |last2 = Loewe |first2 = Michael |author2-link = Michael Loewe |publisher = Society for the Study of Early China; Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley |year=1993 |isbn=978-1-55729-043-4 |editor-last = Loewe |editor-first = Michael |location = Berkeley |pages = 446–455 |chapter = ''Sun tzu ping fa'' 孫子兵法 }}
* {{citation |last = McNeilly |first = Mark R. |title = Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare |year = 2001 |publisher = Oxford University Press |isbn=  978-0-19-513340-0 }}.
* {{cite book |title = The Art of War: Sun Zi's Military Methods |last = Mair |first = Victor H. |author-link = Victor H. Mair |publisher = Columbia University Press |year = 2007 |location = New York |isbn = 978-0-231-13382-1 }}
* {{citation |last = Sawyer |first = Ralph D. |title = The Art of War |year = 1994 |publisher = Westview Press |isbn = 978-0-8133-1951-3 |url = https://archive.org/details/artofwarsunzib00sunz }}.
* {{citation |last=Sawyer |first = Ralph D. |title = The Essential Art of War |year = 2005 |publisher = Basic Books |isbn = 978-0-465-07204-0 }}.
* {{citation |last = Sawyer |first = Ralph D. |title = The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China |year = 2007 |publisher = Basic Books |location = New York |isbn = 978-0-465-00304-4 }}.
* {{citation |last1 = Simpkins |first1 = Annellen |last2 = Simpkins |first2 = C. Alexander |title = Taoism: A Guide to Living in the Balance |year=1999 |publisher = [[Tuttle Publishing]] |isbn = 978-0-8048-3173-4 |name-list-style = amp }}.
* {{citation |last1 = Tao |first1 = Hanzhang |last2 = Wilkinson |first2 = Robert |title = The Art of War |year = 1998 |publisher = Wordsworth Editions |isbn = 978-1-85326-779-6 }}.
* {{citation |last = Tung |first = R. L. |title = Comparative Management:Critical Perspectives on Business and Management |year = 2001 |volume = 3 |chapter = Strategic Management Thought in East Asia |publisher = Routledge |editor-last = Warner |editor-first = Malcolm }}.
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links |wikt=no |commons=Category:Sun Tzu |b=no |n=no |q=Sun Tzu |s=Author:Sun Tzu |v=no |species=no }}
;Translations
* {{StandardEbooks|Standard Ebooks URL=https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/sun-tzu}}
* {{Gutenberg author |id=Sunzi}}
* {{Internet Archive author |search=("Sun Tzu" OR "Sun Wu" OR "Sun Zi" OR "Sunzi" OR "Changqing")}}
* {{Librivox author |id=3534}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080527081835/http://www.ndu.edu/inss/siws/cont.html Sun Tzu and Information Warfare] at the Institute for National Strategic Studies of [[National Defense University (Washington, D.C.)|National Defense University]]
* [https://www.sonshi.com/ Sun Tzu's Art of War Resource] Original translation, reviews of Art of War versions, interviews with translators

{{Chinese philosophy}}
{{East Asian topics}}
{{Political philosophy}}
{{Portal bar|China|Biography}}

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