Composition of Sun Tzu's Art of War

Timeline

1. c. -512–-506Gusu · JiangsuSun Wu fled Qi for Wu, presented his thirteen chapters to Helü, and was appointed general. Leading Wu armies west to defeat mighty Chu and north to awe Qi and Jin, he tested and enriched his military thought in practice, laying the practical foundation for The Art of War.
2. c. -500Gusu · JiangsuSun Wu condensed his military theory and combat experience into the thirteen chapters of The Art of War—Laying Plans, Waging War, Attack by Stratagem, Tactical Dispositions, Energy, Weak Points and Strong, Maneuvering, Variation in Tactics, The Army on the March, Terrain, The Nine Situations, The Attack by Fire, and The Use of Spies—founding the Chinese tradition of military science.