Sun Tzu employed throughout East Asian warfare since its composition. During the twentieth century, "The Art of War" grew in popularity and saw practical use in Western society as well. It continues to influence many competitive endeavors throughout the world, including culture, politics, business, and sports, as well as modern warfare. The oldest available sources disagree as to where Sun Tzu was born. The "Spring and Autumn Annals" states that Sun Tzu was born in Qi, while Sima Qian's later "Records of the Grand Historian" ("Shiji") states that Sun Tzu was a native of Wu. Both sources agree that Sun Tzu was
Sun Tzu stories about Sun Tzu, taken from Sima Qian, illustrates Sun Tzu's temperament as follows: Before hiring Sun Tzu, the King of Wu tested Sun Tzu's skills by commanding him to train a harem of 360 concubines into soldiers. Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, appointing the two concubines most favored by the king as the company commanders. When Sun Tzu first ordered the concubines to face right, they giggled. In response, Sun Tzu said that the general, in this case himself, was responsible for ensuring that soldiers understood the commands given to them. Then, he reiterated the command, and