Sun Wu was born in Le 'an (now Huimin, Shandong) at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period. His grandfather was a doctor in the state of Qi, and he was made a grandson because of his outstanding military exploits. Later, Sun Wu went to Wu, studied and wrote The Art of War.
After He Lv, the king of Wu, seized power, he was ready to attack Chu, but he couldn't find a suitable general. Wu Zixu, the minister of He Lv, knew Sun Wu and knew that he was proficient in the art of war, so he recommended him to He Lv. Sun Wu dedicated his Thirteen Articles on the Art of War to He Lv. He Lv was full of praise after reading it. He said to him, "I have read all three articles on the Art of War 13. Can you rehearse it for me? " Sun Wu agreed. So He Lu chose one hundred and eighty beautiful women from the palace and ordered Sun Wu to practice. Sun Wu divided them into two teams, with He Lu's two favorite girls as the left and right captains, and began to practice. Sun Wu repeatedly ordered, but the ladies-in-waiting just laughed. Sun Wu ordered the killing of the left and right captains. He Lv was so frightened that he quickly sent someone to stop him, saying, "I know that the general used troops. Without these two people, my meal would be tasteless. Don't kill them. " Sun Wu didn't listen and said, "I was ordered to be a general and will be in the army. Your life is not affected. " Kill these two favorite girls. As a result, none of the ladies-in-waiting did not obey orders, and the pace of advance and retreat was very neat. When He Lv saw that Sun Wu could really fight, he appointed him as a general.
In 506 BC, He Lv personally led an army to the State of Chu, and Sun Wu commanded the army. Wu Jun won five of five wars, defeated twenty Wan Chu armies with thirty thousand people, and invaded the capital of Chu (now Jiangling North, Hubei). From then on, Wu became strong, became a sublime Qi Jin, and dominated the Central Plains.
Sun Wu made great contributions to Wu, but later when Wu became strong, he retired and retired from his official position.
Sun Wu was the ancestor of the pre-Qin military strategists. The Art of War written by him is the earliest and most famous art book I have ever read. This excellent work on military theory has had a great and far-reaching impact on the development of military science in later generations.
In this book, Sun Wu systematically expounded his military thoughts and strategic and tactical thoughts. He believes that war is a major event related to the life and death of the country and must be carefully studied. He also attached great importance to political and diplomatic struggles, and believed that winning every battle was not the best of the best; A soldier who conquers without fighting is the elite of the elite. In the course of war, we should fully understand and master the situation of the enemy and ourselves. He put forward the famous saying, "Know yourself and know yourself, and fight every battle", which is still quoted by everyone. He also emphasized the flexible use of strategy and tactics, pointing out that "there is no fixed way to fight, just as there is no fixed form of water." Those who can win according to the changes of the enemy's situation are called fighting like gods. "He put forward some important principles in all aspects of the war.
This book also embodies Sun Wu's simple dialectical thought.
For example, he thinks that opposing conditions will transform into each other, sometimes less can win the crowd, weak can win the strong, and being at a disadvantage can also turn defeat into victory.
Sun Tzu's contribution to military science is recognized by all countries in the world. John collins said in "Grand Strategy": "Sun Tzu was the first great man to form strategic thoughts in ancient times." "Thirteen of Sun Tzu's works can be compared with historical masterpieces, including the works of Krause Sevez after 2200 years." "Most of his ideas are still as important in our current environment as they were then." These evaluations are relatively fair.