Grandson

Author: Fan Yun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Friends, standing on the shoulders of giants, we can see farther. This book is part of the "Biographies of World Famous Figures" series, introducing you to the author of the renowned "Art of War," the Eastern Martial Sage—Sun Wu. Sun Wu was a native of Qi. Originally surnamed Tian, he was given the surname Sun after his grandfather Tian Shu was rewarded for his military achievements in defeating Ju. Later, due to internal turmoil in Qi, Sun Wu fled to Wu and became a general, presenting his 13 chapters of military strategy to King He Lu of Wu. He defeated the state of Chu in the west and intimidated Qi and Jin in the north, gaining fame among the feudal lords. He wrote the "Art of War" and is considered the ancestor of ancient military strategists and the founder of ancient Chinese military science. A general of the late Spring and Autumn period in Wu. Known as Changqing, he was from Le'an, Qi (now Beipu, Shandong, or Huimin). His birth and death years are unknown, and he was active around the late 6th to early 5th centuries BC. Due to internal turmoil in Qi, Sun Wu fled to Wu. Recommended by Wu's senior minister Wu Zixu, he presented his 13 chapters of military strategy to King He Lu and was appointed as a general. During the struggle for hegemony between Wu and Chu, Sun Wu and Wu Zixu assisted He Lu in formulating strategies to weaken Chu, exhausting its strength and resources. Wu achieved the feat of "defeating strong Chu in the west, intimidating Qi and Jin in the north, and subduing the Yue people in the south"（《Records of the Grand Historian·Biography of Wu Zixu》), becoming a hegemon with a small territory, with Sun Wu playing a significant role. His "Art of War" summarized the military experiences of the late Spring and Autumn period and earlier, being the earliest systematic work in Chinese and world military history to address the overall issues of war. It first revealed the universal principle of "knowing the enemy and knowing yourself, and you will never be in danger in a hundred battles," summarizing operational principles that remain scientifically valuable to this day. It is an immortal military classic that has had a profound and far-reaching impact on later generations. Sun Wu, named Wu and styled Changqing, was a descendant of the noble and renowned family of Qi from Le'an (now Huimin County, Shandong) in the late Spring and Autumn period. His birth and death years are unknown, and he was slightly younger than Confucius, the founder of Confucianism (551–479 BC). Sun Wu was a descendant of the noble and military family of Qi. His ancestors were originally the prince of Chen—Chen Wan. In 672 BC, Chen experienced internal turmoil, and Chen Wan fled to Qi for refuge, changing his name to Tian Wan. The fifth-generation descendant of Tian Wan, Tian Shu (Sun Wu's grandfather), was a minister of Qi and achieved military victories in the war against Ju. King Jing of Qi rewarded him by granting Le'an and giving him the surname "Sun" to honor his contributions. In 532 BC, Qi faced internal turmoil, and Sun Wu left Qi for the southern state of Wu, settling in the capital Gusu (now Suzhou, Jiangsu) and devoted himself to studying military strategy. In Wu, Sun Wu met Wu Zixu. According to the "Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yue·Biography of He Lu," during the feudal lords' struggle for hegemony, the emerging state of Wu, ruled by King He Lu, sought to conquer Chu but struggled to find a suitable general. Wu Zixu often discussed military strategy with the king and recommended Sun Wu, saying: "Sun Wu is proficient in military strategy, possessing supernatural wisdom and hidden strategies. He has written 13 chapters of military strategy, but the world is unaware of his capabilities. If he is appointed as a general, no one in the world can match him—let alone Chu!" After Wu Zixu recommended Sun Wu seven times, the king asked Wu Zixu to persuade Sun Wu to come out of retirement. After meeting the king, Sun Wu presented his 13 chapters of military strategy. The king was deeply impressed. According to historical records, to test Sun Wu's leadership skills, the king selected over 100 palace maids for Sun Wu to train. This is the story of Sun Wu "teaching battle in the Wu Palace and executing beautiful maids," as it is famously known. After the training in the Wu Palace, the king appointed Sun Wu as the Supreme General and enfeoffed him as a military strategist. From then on, Sun Wu and Wu Zixu jointly assisted the king in governing the state and strengthening the military. In the winter of 506 BC, Wu, with Sun Wu and Wu Zixu as generals, launched an attack on Chu. Sun Wu adopted the strategy of "circumventing and striking unexpectedly," ascending the Huai River westward, crossing the Huai River Plain and the Dabie Mountains, and advancing deep into Chu's territory for a thousand miles, directly reaching the Han River. At Baidu (north of Hanchuan, Hubei), he severely defeated the Chu army. Following five consecutive victories, he captured the capital of Chu, Ying. After the Battle of Baidu, Chu was severely weakened and gradually declined, while Wu's prestige soared, becoming one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period. Wu not only became a strong state in the south but also intimidated the great northern states like Qi and Jin. Regarding Sun Wu's historical achievements, Sima Qian wrote in the "Records of the Grand Historian·Biography of Sun Wu and Wu Qi": "Sun Wu played a significant role in defeating strong Chu, capturing Ying, intimidating Qi and Jin in the north, and gaining fame among the feudal lords."