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
What Is Art? to justify their own tastes. Jahn notes the "often confusing use of categorisation" and the lack of definition of the key concept of emotion. Bayley writes that "the effectiveness of "What is Art?" lies not so much in its positive assertions as in its rejection of much that was taken for granted in the aesthetic theories of the time". Noyes criticises Tolstoy's dismissal of beauty, but states that, "despite its shortcomings", "What is Art?" "may be pronounced the most stimulating critical work of our time". Simmons mentions the "occasional brilliant passages" along with the "repetition, awkward language, and loose terminology".