“The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.”

Chinese military general, strategist, philosopher and writer, Eastern Zhou period

Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general, strategist, philosopher, and writer from the Eastern Zhou period. He is traditionally credited with writing The Art of War, the classic Chinese treatise on military strategy. The work is associated with the Warring States period, although the earliest parts likely appeared at least a century after Sun Tzu. His name endures above all through this text, which has shaped how military strategy is discussed and studied.