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marched into Ying。＇ ＇5＇
This is the latest date at which anything is recorded of Sun
Wu。 He does not appear to have survived his patron； who died
from the effects of a wound in 496。
In another chapter there occurs this passage： ＇6＇
From this time onward； a number of famous soldiers
arose； one after the other： Kao…fan； ＇7＇ who was employed by
the Chin State； Wang…tzu； ＇8＇ in the service of Ch‘i； and Sun
Wu； in the service of Wu。 These men developed and threw
light upon the principles of war。
It is obvious enough that Ssu…ma Ch‘ien at least had no
doubt about the reality of Sun Wu as an historical personage； and
with one exception； to be noticed presently； he is by far the
most important authority on the period in question。 It will not
be necessary； therefore； to say much of such a work as the WU
YUEH CH‘UN CH‘IU； which is supposed to have been written by Chao
Yeh of the 1st century A。D。 The attribution is somewhat
doubtful； but even if it were otherwise； his account would be of
little value； based as it is on the SHIH CHI and expanded with
romantic details。 The story of Sun Tzu will be found； for what
it is worth； in chapter 2。 The only new points in it worth
noting are： （1） Sun Tzu was first recommended to Ho Lu by Wu
Tzu…hsu。 （2） He is called a native of Wu。 （3） He had previously
lived a retired life； and his contemporaries were unaware of his
ability。
The following passage occurs in the Huai…nan Tzu： 〃When
sovereign and ministers show perversity of mind； it is impossible
even for a Sun Tzu to encounter the foe。〃 Assuming that this
work is genuine （and hitherto no doubt has been cast upon it）； we
have here the earliest direct reference for Sun Tzu； for Huai…nan
Tzu died in 122 B。C。； many years before the SHIH CHI was given to
the world。
Liu Hsiang （80…9 B。C。） says： 〃The reason why Sun Tzu at the
head of 30；000 men beat Ch‘u with 200；000 is that the latter were
undisciplined。〃
Teng Ming…shih informs us that the surname 〃Sun〃 was
bestowed on Sun Wu's grandfather by Duke Ching of Ch‘i ＇547…490
B。C。＇。 Sun Wu's father Sun P‘ing； rose to be a Minister of State
in Ch‘i； and Sun Wu himself； whose style was Ch‘ang…ch‘ing； fled
to Wu on account of the rebellion which was being fomented by the
kindred of T‘ien Pao。 He had three sons； of whom the second；
named Ming； was the father of Sun Pin。 According to this account
then； Pin was the grandson of Wu； which； considering that Sun
Pin's victory over Wei was gained in 341 B。C。； may be dismissed
as chronological impossible。 Whence these data were obtained by
Teng Ming…shih I do not know； but of course no reliance whatever
can be placed in them。
An interesting document which has survived from the close of
the Han period is the short preface written by the Great Ts‘ao
Ts‘ao； or Wei Wu Ti； for his edition of Sun Tzu。 I shall give it
in full：
I have heard that the ancients used bows and arrows to
their advantage。 ＇10＇ The SHU CHU mentions 〃the army〃 among
the 〃eight objects of government。〃 The I CHING says：
〃'army' indicates firmness and justice； the experienced
leader will have good fortune。〃 The SHIH CHING says： 〃The
King rose majestic in his wrath； and he marshaled his
troops。〃 The Yellow Emperor； T‘ang the Completer and Wu Wang
all used spears and battle…axes in order to succor their
generation。 The SSU…MA FA says： 〃If one man slay another of
set purpose； he himself may rightfully be slain。〃 He who
relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated； he
who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish。
Instances of this are Fu Ch‘ai ＇11＇ on the one hand and Yen
Wang on the other。 ＇12＇ In military matters； the Sage's rule
is normally to keep the peace； and to move his forces only
when occasion requires。 He will not use armed force unless
driven to it by necessity。
Many books have I read on the subject of war and
fighting； but the work composed by Sun Wu is the profoundest
of them all。 ＇Sun Tzu was a native of the Ch‘i state； his
personal name was Wu。 He wrote the ART OF WAR in 13 chapters
for Ho Lu； King of Wu。 Its principles were tested on women；
and he was subsequently made a general。 He led an army
westwards； crushed the Ch‘u state and entered Ying the
capital。 In the north； he kept Ch‘i and Chin in awe。 A
hundred years and more after his time； Sun Pin lived。 He was
a descendant of Wu。＇ ＇13＇ In his treatment of deliberation
and planning； the importance of rapidity in taking the field；
＇14＇ clearness of conception； and depth of design； Sun Tzu
stands beyond the reach of carping criticism。 My
contemporaries； however； have failed to grasp the full
meaning of his instructions； and while putting into practice
the smaller details in which his work abounds； they have
overlooked its essential purport。 That is the motive which
has led me to outline a rough explanation of the whole。
One thing to be noticed in the above is the explicit
statement that the 13 chapters were specially composed for King
Ho Lu。 This is supported by the internal evidence of I。 ss。 15；
in which it seems clear that some ruler is addressed。
In the bibliographic section of the HAN SHU； there is an
entry which has given rise to much discussion： 〃The works of Sun
Tzu of Wu in 82 P‘IEN （or chapters）； with diagrams in 9 CHUAN。〃
It is evident that this cannot be merely the 13 chapters known to
Ssu…ma Ch‘ien； or those we possess today。 Chang Shou…chieh
refers to an edition of Sun Tzu's ART OF WAR of which the 〃13
chapters〃 formed the first CHUAN； adding that there were two
other CHUAN besides。 This has brought forth a theory； that the
bulk of these 82 chapters consisted of other writings of Sun Tzu
we should call them apocryphal similar to the WEN TA； of
which a specimen dealing with the Nine Situations ＇15＇ is
preserved in the T‘UNG TIEN； and another in Ho Shin's commentary。
It is suggested that before his interview with Ho Lu； Sun Tzu had
only written the 13 chapters； but afterwards composed a sort of
exegesis in the form of question and answer between himself and
the King。 Pi I…hsun； the author of the SUN TZU HSU LU； backs
this up with a quotation from the WU YUEH CH‘UN CH‘IU： 〃The King
of Wu summoned Sun Tzu； and asked him questions about the art of
war。 Each time he set forth a chapter of his work； the King
could not find words enough to praise him。〃 As he points out； if
the whole work was expounded on the same scale as in the above…
mentioned fragments； the total number of chapters could not fail
to be considerable。 Then the numerous other treatises attributed
to Sun Tzu might be included。 The fact that the HAN CHIH
mentions no work of Sun Tzu except the 82 P‘IEN；