Sun Tzu's Art of War is written by Sun Wu and is set in the final years of the Spring and Autumn Period, 770-476 B.C. It is not only the oldest Chinese military work in existence but the oldest compilation of military theory in the world. Sun Wu, also called Chang Qiao, is known to have lived at about

Sun Wu, who was a native of Qi (a Chinese province near Beijing¡XI think you¡¦ve been there), caught King He Lu's attention with his profound knowledge on military theory. The curious king appointed him to train a few troops as an experiment and test of loyalty. Since it was a time of ongoing conflict, the experiment was conducted with women instead extremely valuable and sometimes scarce soldiers. The king sent him one hundred and eighty ¡§beauties¡¨ from the palace (though whether these women were actually as beautiful as Sun Tzu claims can be heavily disputedƒº). Sun Wu divided them into two companies with the king's two favorite concubines as their leaders. After he armed the women he asked them if they knew their right from their left. The women assured him that they did. Then with the roll of a drum he gave the order "Turn right!¡¨. The women burst out laughing. Sun Wu said, "If the rules are not clear and the orders are not clear, the commander is to blame". He repeated the instructions a third and a fourth time. Again the beauties from the palace burst out laughing. Then Sun Wu said, "If the rules are not clear and orders are not understood, the commander is to blame. But when orders are clear yet not carried out, it is the officers who are to blame". He concluded by promptly executing both company leaders. When the king protested, Sun Wu replied, "I have been appointed commander, and a general in the field is not bound by orders from his sovereign". When he gave the orders another time, the women turned left or right and advanced or retreated exactly as they were told. After a period of time, the troops were in fighting trim and they would go through fire or water at the command of their general. King He Lu, now convinced of Sun Wu's skills as a commander, made him his general. Sun Wu went on to defeat the mighty kingdom of Chu and the powerful states in the north, Qi and Jin.

In "Planning a Siege" Sun Tzu says: "So there are five ways of knowing who will win. Those who know when to fight and when not to fight are victorious. Those who discern when to use

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