Â鶹APP

Sun Bin portrait. Photo by unknown author.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Sun Bin

Sun Bin was a Chinese military strategist during the Warring States Period. This was a time characterized by intense wars among the 7 major states of China. Each was competing for consolidated power. These states were the Zhao, Wei, Qi, Han, Chu, Qin, and Yan.

He was a brilliant mind, having studied military tactics under the tutelage of a hermit. He wrote the military treatise, ‘Sun Bin’s Art of War’.

It is a remarkable classic on battle strategy, compiling Sun Bin’s knowledge of military tactics. Here are the top 10 interesting facts about Sun Bin.

He is a supposed descendant of Sun Tzu   

Sun Tzu. Photo by Unknown author.

Yes! The author of the ‘Art of War’. Sun Tzu lived through the ancient Eastern Zhou Dynasty. He was a Chinese general, military strategist, and philosopher. He is a legendary historical figure in Chinese history.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Sun Tzu

 Sun Bin is said to have been his descendant. Interestingly, his work has sometimes been confused with Sun Tzu’s writing. Both manuscripts were found in a tomb in Shandong province.

Sun Bin was a student of Guiguzi, the hermit

He studied military techniques under Guiguzi. Sun was praised by his tutor for his sharpness of mind. He could even recite Sun Tzu’s ‘ Art of War’!

 It was during his study under Guiguzi that he met with Pang Juan, a fellow student. They became close. However, the two would later become sworn rivals.

Pang Juan was secretly jealous of Sun Bin’s talents. He left early to serve as a military general in Wei state.

Sun Bin was framed for treason by his rival, Pang Juan

Pang was serving as a military general of Wei state at the time. He framed Sun  as traitor and reported him to the King. The King, believing Pang’s allegations, ordered Sun’s execution.

He was sentenced to face tattooing, branding him a criminal. His kneecaps were removed, making him a cripple for life!

Pang feigned pity over his supposed friend’s troubles, pleading for mercy from the King on Sun’s behalf.

He feigned madness to escape prison

While in prison, Sun discovered that it was Pang, who had framed him for treason. Pang planned to convince Sun to compile his expertise and knowledge on military warfare techniques in a book, then kill him.

Upon this discovery, Sun Bin pretended to have become mad. To test whether he was indeed insane, Pang threw him in a pigsty. Sun maintained his act by pretending to enjoy staying  with pigs. 

Convinced, Pang lowered his guard. Sun saw this as an opportunity to escape and he did! He was helped by diplomats from the state of Qi, where he would later become a prominent figure.

Sun Bin became the Chief Military Advisor at Qi state

After his escape, he was taken as a guest by the military general of Qi, Tian Ji. At one time, he was invited to a horse race competition.

He advised Tian on how to win the horse race, and Tian indeed won thrice! Tian Ji, impressed by Sun Bin’s brilliance at strategy, recommended him to the King.

The King wanted to appoint him as Commander of his army. However, owing to his crippled state, Sun Bin could not ride on horseback. He declined the offer and settled on being the army’s chief military advisor. 

He rescued the Zhao state from a siege

Map showing the Battle of Guiling in 353 BC and 352 BC between Qi and Wei states. Photo by SY. .

At around 354 BC, the army of Wei, led by general Pang Juan (Sun’s rival), laid siege upon Zhao’s capital. The King of Zhao sent for help from the Qi state. Qi’s King ordered Sun Bin and Tian Ji to lead an army against Wei.

Sun Bin suggested a strategy that has become known as ‘Besiege Wei, Rescue Zhao’. Qi’s army would attack Wei’s capital, forcing the army of Wei to retreat from Zhao in defense of their capital. It was the Battle of Guiling. The strategy worked, and the siege was lifted.

Sun Bin defeated his rival, Pang Juan at the battle of Maling

Map of the Battle of Maling between Qi and Wei. Photo by SY.

It would be the last battle between these two. At around 342 BC, the army of Wei, led by Pang, attacked Han. Han state was an ally of Qi. Sun Bin lead Qi’s army alongside general Tian Ji against Wei.

Sun Bin’s strategy was to lure Pang’s army into believing that Qi was weak. This would make them pursue. Sun feigned defeats in a series of small wars to enforce the idea.

He asked his army members to reduce the number of stoves they used and left behind, making them appear less in number.

 Pang fell for the trick. He pursued Sun Bin’s army blindly, believing they were retreating and weak. Sun lured him to a narrow valley, where he ambushed Pang’s army.

Contrary to Pang’s belief, Sun’s army greatly surpassed his in number. It was a terrible defeat. Pang, injured badly from arrows, committed suicide in the valley to avoid capture.

He is the writer of ‘Sun Bin’s Art of War

Inscribed bamboo-slips of Sun Bin’s Art of War, unearthed in Yinque Mountain, Linyi, Shandong in 1972. Photo by AlexHe34. Wikimedia Commons.

It is a military treatise on battle strategies. The original manuscript is said to have had 89 chapters. It was lost for about 2000 years until its rediscovery in 1972, at a tomb in Shandong province, China.

Most of it was damaged and illegible. After textual study and research, it was rewritten and published by the Cultural Relic Press. The current text has 16 chapters.

His rivalry with Pang Juan is depicted in the film ‘The Warring States’

It is a 2011 Chinese film directed by Chen Jin.  Although its plot and event accuracy are criticized, the enmity between Sun and Pang is clear.

The film attained first place in China’s box office chart, barely 7 days after its release. It would appear that the rivalry between these two Guiguzi students was one for the books.

Sun Bin is used as a door god in Chinese temples

Yi Shing Temple, Yuen Long District, Hong Kong. The two door gods have been pasted facing each other. Photo by Underwaterbuffalo.

Door gods, referred to as ‘menshen’, are guardians of gates and doors from evil forces. They  keep off evil and allow good influences according to Chinese folk religions.

Their images are pasted to paired doors, meaning that two images are pasted facing each other. Interestingly, Sun Bin is usually paired with his rival Pang Juan!