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Hsiang； that Tseng Shen delivered the TSO CHUAN； which had been
entrusted to him by its author。 ＇29＇ Now the fact that
quotations from the ART OF WAR； acknowledged or otherwise； are to
be found in so many authors of different epochs； establishes a
very strong anterior to them all； in other words； that Sun
Tzu's treatise was already in existence towards the end of the
5th century B。C。 Further proof of Sun Tzu's antiquity is
furnished by the archaic or wholly obsolete meanings attaching to
a number of the words he uses。 A list of these； which might
perhaps be extended； is given in the HSU LU； and though some of
the interpretations are doubtful； the main argument is hardly
affected thereby。 Again； it must not be forgotten that Yeh Shui…
hsin； a scholar and critic of the first rank； deliberately
pronounces the style of the 13 chapters to belong to the early
part of the fifth century。 Seeing that he is actually engaged in
an attempt to disprove the existence of Sun Wu himself； we may be
sure that he would not have hesitated to assign the work to a
later date had he not honestly believed the contrary。 And it is
precisely on such a point that the judgment of an educated
Chinaman will carry most weight。 Other internal evidence is not
far to seek。 Thus in XIII。 ss。 1； there is an unmistakable
allusion to the ancient system of land…tenure which had already
passed away by the time of Mencius； who was anxious to see it
revived in a modified form。 ＇30＇ The only warfare Sun Tzu knows
is that carried on between the various feudal princes； in which
armored chariots play a large part。 Their use seems to have
entirely died out before the end of the Chou dynasty。 He speaks
as a man of Wu； a state which ceased to exist as early as 473
B。C。 On this I shall touch presently。
But once refer the work to the 5th century or earlier； and
the chances of its being other than a bona fide production are
sensibly diminished。 The great age of forgeries did not come
until long after。 That it should have been forged in the period
immediately following 473 is particularly unlikely； for no one；
as a rule； hastens to identify himself with a lost cause。 As for
Yeh Shui…hsin's theory； that the author was a literary recluse；
that seems to me quite untenable。 If one thing is more apparent
than another after reading the maxims of Sun Tzu； it is that
their essence has been distilled from a large store of personal
observation and experience。 They reflect the mind not only of a
born strategist； gifted with a rare faculty of generalization；
but also of a practical soldier closely acquainted with the
military conditions of his time。 To say nothing of the fact that
these sayings have been accepted and endorsed by all the greatest
captains of Chinese history； they offer a combination of
freshness and sincerity； acuteness and common sense； which quite
excludes the idea that they were artificially concocted in the
study。 If we admit； then； that the 13 chapters were the genuine
production of a military man living towards the end of the 〃CH‘UN
CH‘IU〃 period； are we not bound； in spite of the silence of the
TSO CHUAN； to accept Ssu…ma Ch‘ien's account in its entirety？ In
view of his high repute as a sober historian； must we not
hesitate to assume that the records he drew upon for Sun Wu's
biography were false and untrustworthy？ The answer； I fear； must
be in the negative。 There is still one grave； if not fatal；
objection to the chronology involved in the story as told in the
SHIH CHI； which； so far as I am aware； nobody has yet pointed
out。 There are two passages in Sun Tzu in which he alludes to
contemporary affairs。 The first in in VI。 ss。 21：
Though according to my estimate the soldiers of Yueh
exceed our own in number； that shall advantage them nothing
in the matter of victory。 I say then that victory can be
achieved。
The other is in XI。 ss。 30：
Asked if an army can be made to imitate the SHUAI…JAN； I
should answer； Yes。 For the men of Wu and the men of Yueh
are enemies； yet if they are crossing a river in the same
boat and are caught by a storm； they will come to each
other's assistance just as the left hand helps the right。
These two paragraphs are extremely valuable as evidence of
the date of composition。 They assign the work to the period of
the struggle between Wu and Yueh。 So much has been observed by
Pi I…hsun。 But what has hitherto escaped notice is that they
also seriously impair the credibility of Ssu…ma Ch‘ien's
narrative。 As we have seen above； the first positive date given
in connection with Sun Wu is 512 B。C。 He is then spoken of as a
general； acting as confidential adviser to Ho Lu； so that his
alleged introduction to that monarch had already taken place； and
of course the 13 chapters must have been written earlier still。
But at that time； and for several years after； down to the
capture of Ying in 506； Ch‘u and not Yueh； was the great
hereditary enemy of Wu。 The two states； Ch‘u and Wu； had been
constantly at war for over half a century； ＇31＇ whereas the first
war between Wu and Yueh was waged only in 510； ＇32＇ and even then
was no more than a short interlude sandwiched in the midst of the
fierce struggle with Ch‘u。 Now Ch‘u is not mentioned in the 13
chapters at all。 The natural inference is that they were written
at a time when Yueh had become the prime antagonist of Wu； that
is； after Ch‘u had suffered the great humiliation of 506。 At
this point； a table of dates may be found useful。
B。C。 ｜
｜
514 ｜ Accession of Ho Lu。
512 ｜ Ho Lu attacks Ch‘u； but is dissuaded from entering Ying；
｜ the capital。 SHI CHI mentions Sun Wu as general。
511 ｜ Another attack on Ch‘u。
510 ｜ Wu makes a successful attack on Yueh。 This is the first
｜ war between the two states。
509 ｜
or ｜ Ch‘u invades Wu； but is signally defeated at Yu…chang。
508 ｜
506 ｜ Ho Lu attacks Ch‘u with the aid of T‘ang and Ts‘ai。
｜ Decisive battle of Po…chu； and capture of Ying。 Last
｜ mention of Sun Wu in SHIH CHI。
505 ｜ Yueh makes a raid on Wu in the absence of its army。 Wu
｜ is beaten by Ch‘in and evacuates Ying。
504 ｜ Ho Lu sends Fu Ch‘ai to attack Ch‘u。
497 ｜ Kou Chien becomes King of Yueh。
496 ｜ Wu attacks Yueh； but is defeated by Kou Chien at Tsui…li。
｜ Ho Lu is killed。
494 ｜ Fu Ch‘ai defeats Kou Chien in the great battle of Fu…
｜ chaio； and enters the capital of Yueh。
485 ｜
or ｜ Kou Chien renders homage to Wu。 Death of Wu Tzu…hsu。
484 ｜
482 ｜ Kou Chien invades Wu in the absence of Fu Ch‘ai。
478 ｜
to ｜ Further attacks by Yueh on Wu。
476 ｜
475 ｜ Kou Chien lays siege to the capital of Wu。
473 ｜ Final defeat and extinction of Wu。