Overview
Sun Tzu was a Spring and Autumn general and strategist traditionally credited with The Art of War.
PeriodAncient China
IdentityUncertain · Male
Other names
| Type | English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal name | Sun Wu | 孫武 | Sūn Wǔ |
Life and dates
Death
- ExecutedDirectly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 102
Attested activity
- legendary antiquityDirectly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 62, passage 64
- BC 512 三年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passages 189-190
- BC 506 九年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passages 195-196
- BC 512 to BC 506 BC 512-506Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 32, passage 118
- BC 512 to BC 506 以兵法見於吳王闔廬…入郢Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passages 2, 34
- BC 512 to BC 506 吳用孫武Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 12
Show 7 more source-backed claims
- BC 500 孫、吳用兵Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 103, passage 52
- BC 500 孫吳用兵Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passage 91
- BC 515 to BC 496 孫武所以能製勝於天下者Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 39, passage 138
- BC 512 to BC 506 孫武與謀伐楚Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passages 81, 87
- BC 500 戰國Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 25, passage 58
- BC 500 春秋Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 47, passage 42
- BC 515 to BC 496 春秋孫武之世Strongly inferred · Book of Jin 117, passage 122
Family
- Ancestor of Sun Bin (孫臏)descendant 後世子孫Sources vary in certainty · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passage 36
Key source chapters
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 65 Biographies of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi 13 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 25 Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law 4 passages
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 66 Biography of Wu Zixu 3 passages
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 31 Genealogies: House of Wu Taibo 2 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 76 Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo 1 passage
Career and standing
- military strategist 兵法Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passage 2
- general 將AppointedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passage 33
- general 將軍BC 512 三年 · HeldDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 190
Places and affiliations
- Polity Qi 齊 · Relation Native ofDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passage 1
- Polity Wu 吳 · Relation Associated withDirectly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 58
- Polity Wu 吳 · Relation ServedStrongly inferred · Records of the Three Kingdoms 39, passage 138
- Polity Wu 吳 · Relation Served
- At Qi 齊Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passage 1
Works and attributed material
- Sun Tzu's Art of War / thirteen chapters 孫子十三篇Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passage 157
- military writings 篇籍Relation Associated authorDirectly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 58
- method of swearing in the host 誓眾之法Relation Attributed sourceDirectly stated · Book of Jin 117, passage 122
- thirteen chapters 十三篇Relation AuthorDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passages 3, 157
- Speech · Speaker · Addressed to King Helu of Wu (吳王闔廬) · Quote Status quoted · Units s0190 · Mode quotation Speaker Sun Tzu (孫子)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 190
- Speech · Speaker · With Wu Zixu (伍子胥) · Addressee Person Ids Helu (闔廬) · Direct quotation · Units s0196, s0197Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passages 196-197
Show 1 more source-backed claim
- Speech · Speaker · With Helü (闔廬)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passages 4, 6, 11, 18, 20-21, 26, 32
Events and relationships
- Advised campaign via Tang CaiDated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passages 195-197
- Broke Chu and entered YingBC 506 西破彊楚，入郢 · Military · Commander · At Ying 郢Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passage 34
- Captured enemies and established victoriesMilitary strategic · StrategistDirectly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 58
- Counseled delay entering YingBC 512 三年 · Military · AdvisorDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 190
- Employed by WuPolitical · AppointeeDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 12
- Executed the two team leaders as an exampleLegal · ExecutorDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passages 22, 27
Show 1 more source-backed claim
- Trained palace women as troopsDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passages 7-8, 27, 29
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment controlled victory because he employed law clearly · Mode quotation Speaker Zhuge Kongming (諸葛孔明)Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 39, passage 138
Source notes
- Historicity historicalDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 190
References in the histories
31 passages
No matching passages.