Library

Regarding Sun Tzu's life and writings, the earliest and most authoritative record should be "Historical Records: Biography of Sun Tzu Wu Qi". As for the "Wu Yue Chun Qiu", "Yue Jueshu" and even "Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Dynasties", including the "Test of Ancient and Modern Surnames", the records in them cannot be fully accepted. According to the records in "Historical Records: Biography of Sun Tzu Wu Qi", we can get the following important information: Sun Tzu was named Wu, with the courtesy name Changqing, and was a native of Qi in the late Spring and Autumn Period. The date of birth and death is unknown, about the same time as Confucius. According to Sima Qian's records, Sun Tzu once visited King Helu of Wu with thirteen articles on the art of war, and used the palace maids as a "little test to rein in the troops" in order to gain the opportunity to become a general. Some people say that this is the result of Wu Zixu's recommendation, which can probably be believed. It is also said that Wu Zixu recommended it seven times, which may not be credible. "Historical Records" says that the King of Wu saw Sun Wu's Thirteen Art of War and knew that Sun Wu was a capable man, so he agreed to meet Sun Wu. In this case, maybe there is no need to go through seven recommendations, right?