Spring and Autumn Era: Part 4. The Child of War, 春秋: 吴国锻军魂 (Sun Tzu)

Music: Before

"I swear by Heaven, I will keep you running until death takes you." 

The state of Wu was forged by wronged souls who hated Chu. This is a David and Goliath story of bitter revenge, of how generations of men wronged by the greatest power of their age took upon themselves to gut that power before the entire awe- struck realm. And the man who supposedly trained the army that achieved that?- was none other than Sun Tzu himself. 

From nowhere, the master appeared- as if carried by a nimbus, intervened on the side of an embattled upstart, and utterly destroyed its foe- the greatest state of the age.

Chu Primacy: 595 BC. The Spring and Autumn world during the dynamic reign of its 3rd great Hegemon: King Zhuang of Chu. Although for centuries, Chu (Purple) had been deliberately sidelined and encircled by more powerful states, put in its place by its arch-rival Jin (blue,) during the reign of King Zhuang, Chu threw its full might against Jin and its allies. In the battle of Bi (597 BC) Chu utterly crushed the Jin army by the bank of the Yellow River. The defeat at Bi was catastrophic for the Jin and caused its own disloyal Di vassals to revolt (gray)- splitting Jin nearly in half during the chaos. As Jin weakened, Chu aggressively vassalized many of Jin's former allies in the Central Plains (bright purple)- making them Chu vassals instead. By 595 BC. Chu was the paramount and King Zhuang received enough pledges that allowed him to claim the mantle of Hegemon.

A STRIFE IN THE VICTORIOUS HOUSE

After Chu's climactic victory at Bi, cracks began to form within Chu. As King Zhuang aged, it soon became apparent to all- especially the dynamic but aged King himself that there was no one capable enough to fill his shoes and hold things together after he's gone. As such, factions of ministers soon coalesced around Zhuang's Princes, with hopes of having a stake in chartering Chu's course after Zhuang's death as well as securing their futures. Unfortunately, in this partisan struggle, there will be winners and losers. One such loser would unknowingly tip a series of dominos that would lead to the realm's next Hegemon. 

We have already been introduced to the figure who would drive the said domino- minister Wu Chen to abandon all. Xia Ji- or Lady Xia: was one of the most infamous femme fatales of the Spring and Autumn Period. Xia Ji 夏姬 was known to have been intimate with at least 10 recorded lovers and married half a dozen times, whereby 2 of her husbands and her own son were killed as a result of her affairs. And 3 states- that of Chen, Chu, and Jin were plunged to ruin as a result of the men and whole clans that slaughtered each other to possess her. Ironically the deeply chauvinistic wars to possess her inadvertently led to the Hegemony of Chu, Wu, and the destruction of Jin- all keystone events in Spring and Autumn period's history. Despite being a civilian- her influence on this age was nothing short of the capricious goddess of Fortune Herself.

Around 590s- a Chu minister departed the Chu capital- supposedly on a stately mission, however on his great baggage train and entourage was laden with all sorts of treasures from his own manor. The man had no wish to return, and his heart was filled with both lust and disillusionment for Chu. The Minister Wu Chen 巫臣- birth name 屈巫 Qu Wu- the Duke of Shen had previously been a very influential advisor to King Zhuang, but because he had backed the wrong princely faction in their partisan struggle for the Chu throne, Wu Chen was sidelined. Feeling the winds change, Wu quickly packed up all of his treasures, and under the pretext of conducting a stately visit, abandoned Chu. Another bright emotion filled his racing heart, that of lust and love, for the forbidden woman whom he long coveted~ Lady Xia.

WU CHEN DEFECTS

Though well over the age of 40 and already given birth twice, it was said that Xia Ji- or Lady Xia was still one of the most desired women of this age. Earlier she was captured by Chu- Wu Chen sought to marry her by first sending her off to her native state of Chen, he then married her after he himself left Chu and rendezvoused with her at Chen. Afterwards, she gave birth to a daughter. After Wu's initial stately mission concluded, he and Lady Xia soon eloped to the nearby state of Jin- Chu's archrival for protection. Jin welcomed them both and appointed Wu Chen a key minister at the Jin court. This scandal infuriated the Chu court- most of all Prince Zi Fan 子反~ (Prince as in royal uncle) who once deeply coveted Lady Xia for himself.  

疲於奔命- WU CHEN'S THREAT

It would not be an understatement to say that Zi Fan took Wu Chen's defection personally, having been both outmaneuvered of the beauty he coveted, and who had long resent Wu Chen's faction against his interests at court, Fan and another prince Zi Zhong then suggested to King Gong of Chu that the renegade Wu Chen must be punished to the cruelest degree. Under Fan's suggestion King Gong ordered that Wu Chen's whole family in Chu be slaughtered. All of Wu's extended family were killed to the last and the clan's lands and properties were gobbled up by the two Princes. With one stroke, Wu Chen lost everything. What came next to both Prince Fan and Prince Zhong was a letter from Wu Chen with a simple message. 

余必使尔罢于奔命以死。

"I swear by Heaven, I will keep you running (exhausted) until death takes you." 

Wu- like Chu were not like the people of the Central Plains. For centuries they were well away from the cultural orbit of Zhou and had a distinct ethnic and linguistic identity. Wu's people, and the people of the neighboring state of Yue lived in what is today's Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions. They likely had Austronesian heritage. They were known to mark themselves in tattoos and kept to their ways. For centuries they were insignificant vassals to the Chu.

AN UNFORSEEN MATCH

Wu Chen's bitter revenge would lie elsewhere. In 584 BC the Duke of Jin sent Wu Chen on a mission to the petty kingdom of Wu to Chu's east to establish an alliance between the two states. Wu had long chafed as a vassal to Chu, so to embolden Wu to finally rebel against their Chu overlords- Wu Chen brought along 100 charioteers in order to teach the Wu tribesmen to use chariots and fight like the greatest of the Zhou states.

THE FEROCIOUS DEBUTE OF WU

Depending on the storyteller, it was either a marriage made in Heaven or a pairing made in Hell. For joining with Wu Chen's hatred for Chu was an ambitious and culturally curious Wu king who was eager to take his people to a more technologically advanced level of development. Shoumeng 壽夢, was a very curious chieftain and was greatly impressed by the prowess demonstrated by the Jin army. 

After been shown the various ways in which the Zhou- cultured states conducted themselves the impressed chieftain began to aggressively model his state after other Zhou states. During his rule Shoumeng began to interact with the other Spring and Autumn states. In the second year of Shoumeng's reign he forged an alliance with Jin, which provided him with modern weapons and training for the Wu to fight on chariots in exchange for his help against Jin's rival Chu. Wu Chen and Shoumeng's partnership proved to be extremely deadly and Wu then broke its vassalage to Chu and invaded it, annexed the Chu city of Zhoulai, and took over many tribes that had been loyal to Chu. 

THE SEVENTY YEAR THORN BY CHU'S SIDE

A kneeling tribesman unearthed from the region of Yue with elaborate tattoos covering his body. The people of the neighboring states of Wu and Yue were cultural others to the Zhou states, regardless of this initial barrier, Wu and then Yue aggressively adopted Zhou culture and customs. 

Later, in 570 BC Chu general Zi Chong attacked Wu, reaching Mount Heng (in present-day Dangtu County) in Wu territory. However, to Chu's surprise Wu successfully counterattacked and took the important Chu city of Jia. The Chu commander died soon afterwards. Despite its small size and its prior undeveloped state, Wu was able to vanquish the army of its overlord in merely 1 generation. For the ensuing seven decades Chu would be consumed by a series of at least ten wars with Wu. during which Wu would become a constant threat to Chu and a backer of rebellions among all Chu's vassals along the Yangtze valley. Each blow carried Wu Chen's hateful revenge. Thus was born Wu- the child of war, a weapon of bitter revenge.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

To cover the King's immoral shame, his family had to be killed. But for Chu it was him who should have been killed above all.

Music: Red Lotus Theme

Wu Chen and Shoumeng's story was a microcosm, both in that it was an origin story of the tribe- turned kingdom of Wu but also it was the 1st example of the type of wronged men who took Wu to the height of greatness. In the larger story to follow, we will examine another strikingly similar parallel of another dynamic duo- between a wronged Chu minister and an ambitious Wu King that will take Wu to the loft heights of Hegemony. And joining them- according to legends and traditions, a master who wielded war like an art. Now we enter the late game of Spring and Autumn period. The Axial Age of sages and kings in China when Laozi, Sun Tzu, and Confucius all walked with the realm's last Hegemons.

A DEBAUCHED KING

We pick back our story in 529 BC: During this time, Chu (Purple) was again challenged on many fronts, its arch- nemis Jin (blue) had reconstituted itself back to strength and formed an alliance with Wu (Gold) to attack Chu together in 2 directions. Despite Chu's great size, by 529 B.C it was constantly Hammered from both the north and the east, internally the picture was not well for Chu either. Like in ancient times, the Chu royal court was with plagued with violent intrigue.

THE CHU NEST OF VIPERS

In the year 528 BC. royal blood was spilled thrice in Chu. All instigated by a master betrayer. In the winter of 529 BC, King Ling- a debauched and wasteful ruler whose reign was characterized by wasteful building of massive pleasure palaces and a streak of misjudging the ministers that surrounded him, decided to play the part of a warrior. To flex Chu's martial prowess. King Ling set off to attack the smaller nearby State of Xu. While he invaded Xu, he left his youngest brother Qiji to guard the Chu heartlands. However, a rebellion exploded in King Ling's wake. The King's youngest brother Qiji, had persuaded 2 of his elder brothers- plus the nearby states of Chen and Cai to invade Chu. 

After the inept rule of King Ling- his successor King Ping of Chu took the act of kin slaying into an art form. His reign would be characterized by even more debauchery and even more extreme violence. During this era Chu expanded southwards- it was also during this time the Chu made some of its most bitter enemies.

This sudden rebellion surprised Ling's government and the rebel army swiftly killed all the way to the Chu royal capital of Ying- there, Ling's brothers slaughtered all of his sons and forced his loyal ministers to commit suicide. Ling's 2 younger brothers then became the new rulers of Chu, and sent out an edict which informed Ling's army that if they do not abandon Ling both they and their families would be slaughtered. Disheartened, Ling's army evaporated and abandoned him. After learning that his own sons are dead and that there is no place for him, King Ling hanged himself on a tree. He was discovered by Qiji, his youngest brother who first instigated the coup. It would fall to Qiji to inform his enthroned older brothers of the good news.

A TRIPLY TREACHEROUS KING

However, instead of sending back the good news to his 2 elder brothers. Qiji instead wrote to them that his own army had been annihilated by King Ling, that all was lost and that the furious Ling was racing back to the capital with the royal army eager to kill them both. Petrified and exasperated at seeing the "returning Royal Army" that was actually Qiji's own, Qiji's 2 elder brothers committed suicide. Qiji then raced back to the palace and made himself King. With all his elder brothers and nephews gone, Qiji managed to ascend the throne indisputably as King Ping of Chu. Chu would be ruled by an even more debauched and violent King whose appetite and perversion would create far reaching ripples.

INDECENT PROPOSAL-

Studious, visionary, and dogged to the point of being guileful: Wu Zixu 伍子胥 was the talented 2nd son of the Crown Prince's Grant Tutor Wu She. He was well educated and had a bright future ahead of him. His father, grandfather, and grand grandfather all consecutively held very high positions within the Chu court.

After King Ping's ascension, Ping would commit one of the most shocking and perverse transgressions in Spring and Autumn politics. In 522 BC during the diplomatic exchanges between the states of Chu and Qin, King Ping became smitten with the Qin Princess that was promised to be betrothed to his son- the Crown Prince Jian. A corrupt minister named Fei Wuji 费无忌 - eager to obsequiously curry favor with the lecherous King- brazenly suggested that the King take the gorgeous princess as his own bride. This outraged Crown Prince Jian's tutor Wu She 伍奢, a respected minister within Chu- (intimate as a sworn brother to the prince) who rightly pointed out that this extreme breach of form and social norms would not only ruin the King's own reputation but also destroy Chu's. His protestations went unheeded. Instead, the King still coveted the Qin princess and only listened to Fei's suggestion. 

Music: Mako's Sacrifice

Fearing the revenge of the crown prince when he one day would become king, to flush the Chu court of personal rivals, and also to further streamline the King's appetite, the treacherous Fei convinced King Ping that if his eldest son & crown prince is not eliminated, the wronged prince would start a rebellion due to this slight. Fei then framed Wu She and convinced King Ping to not only kill Wu but slaughter his children. Before the trap could be sprung, Prince Jian escaped, however, the King's men arrested the Grand Tutor.

LONE SURVIVOR- WU ZIXU

Before his death, Wu She was forced, under duress from King Ping, to sent a letter to his sons, Wu Shang (伍尚) and the younger son Wu Zixu (伍子胥,) which asked them to join him in the capital. While both realized that this was a trap, Wu Shang decided to go to the capital to die with his father, while convincing his more clever younger brother to escape. Then, the Wu clan was slaughtered. 

Then, the Wu clan was slaughtered. Wu Zixu- promising revenge, fled to the state of Wu.

Wu Zixu's escape was fraught with dangers as King Ping sent many pursuers and patrols along the border to catch him. According to legend, due to the enormous stress of the harrowing pursuit, Wu Zixu's hair turned completely white in only days  and his facial features aged greatly 一夜白头. The change was a blessing in disguise as Wu Zixu's changed appearance allowed him to walk through checkpoints undetected, and slip away to Wu.

THE ETERNAL RIVERLANDS 

If the aforementioned piece sounds eerily similar to the first micro story from the beginning of this chapter, where the lust over a great beauty doomed an entire clan to wrongful slaughter, what follows will be even more (eerily) similar. Wu was taken to its height by those who were wronged by the sins of Chu after all. Speaking of Wu- nearly 70 years had passed since they first prevailed against their Chu overlords. By the time Wu Zixu escaped to Wu, it had greatly transformed. Constant wars seasonally exploded across the long stretch of border shared by the two states. The great river  formed their shared border. While Chu dominated the forested and river basins of the Yangtze in the west, Wu instead controlled the eastern coastal regions around the Yangtze Delta. 

The aggressive King Ping did himself no favors in the eyes of Wu and vigorously invaded southward- further threatening to flank the Wu state from the west. It was in this high- pressure environment that Wu Zixu found someone inside of Wu who was just as distrustful of Chu and just as impetuous to make war against it as himself. A junior member of the royal family- and one whose secret ambitions pulsated far greatly than he displays while playing the part of a courtier: Prince Guang: one day, the 4th Hegemon of this age. 

A SHADOWY PACT

According to one account, the meeting between the young fugitive and his ambitious would be- patron began awkwardly. In this version, Prince Guang was unimpressed by Wu's appearance and found him disgusting. In response Wu offered to politely keep his distance at all times to retain his patron's good humors. However, in time Wu Zixu's unmatched brilliance was recognized by Prince Guang. 

Under the reign of his uncle (Zuo Zhuan) or cousin (Record of the Grand Historian) The clever Prince Guang was a veteran of several campaigns against Chu. Guang was not satisfied with the state of Wu's affairs and often quarreled with the King.

Predictably the burning topic in the Wu court irrevocably involved the new expansions of Chu, but there's also various competing factions within Wu. King Liao had already led Wu through several campaigns against Chu. In 518 BC Liao conquered the fortified Chu city of Zhongli- however his nephew (according to Zuo Zhuan- other versions: his cousin in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian) had great pretension to the Wu throne. When King Liao announced that he would sue for peace with Chu the two had heated disagreements at court, thus Guang planned to have Liao assassinated. To achieve this, Guang invited Wu Zixu to coordinate this impossible assassination. 

Music: An Impossible Crime

THE FISH GUT- Yuchang 鱼肠

What followed was one of the most legendary- and well recorded assassinations in the Spring and Autumn period. After some months, in 518 BC Prince Guang invited Liao to attend a banquet at his own estate. However before the royal entourage arrived, he concealed a number of armored soldiers in his basement. The suspicious King Liao did not come unprepared, and came not only wearing armor but with a large retinue of his ji- armed bodyguards which were posted all along the road from the royal palace to Guang's mansion.

They were posted around Guang's house, his gate, his stairs, and the various other chambers of Guang's mansion. Liao then mandated that all attendants of the banquet must completely undress before they enter the banquet hall and searched by his soldiers. After the areas had been secured and the initial tense mood settled, Guang invited the King to feast on the banquet. Half a night of festivities passed, Guang then excused himself, stating he was suffering from numbing foot pains.

The chef who had just prepared a dish of grilled fish- King Liao's favorite, came and carried it in hand. However, before the King could sample the dish, something appeared in the chef's hand. 

Before King Liao could even react, the "Cook" (in reality a brave swordsman called Zhuan Zhu) plunged the dagger that had been hidden from the fish's belly straight into Liao's heart. The assassin Zhuan Zhu was immediately pierced by the guard's spears and slain on the spot, but before Liao's guards could made out the full scale of the danger they were in, Prince Guang let out his own armored soldiers which had been hidden under the basement and they slew all of King Liao's troops in the compound. Having announced to the remaining troops that the King had died, the soldiers surrendered to Prince Guang.

Age of Professional Assassins- called Cìkè (prounced Tse' Ke) 刺客 (Lit. "stabbing guests") would became legendary in this period- extending all the way to the many assassins who attempted to take the life of the1st Emperor. Often they were unrivaled weapon masters who easily killed within several paces and would be trusted to approach their heavily guarded targets undercover. Because these figures trains their entire lives for their deadly skills and they are never expected to walk away from the scenes of their assassination- they are long remembered in Chinese history.

After the successful assassination of King Liao, Prince Guang ascended the throne and became known as King Helü of Wu. One of his first acts was to appoint Wu Zixu as his right hand man. All of Wu was their oyster. All of this was accomplished only 4 years after Wu Zixu had fled the court from Chu.

A DYNAMIC DUO- HELU AND WU ZIXU TOOK OVER WU

Under their dynamic leadership, Wu underwent a series of rapid reforms. After his ascension, Helü quickly took stock of his kingdom and stated 3 critical weaknesses faced by the Wu state: 1. The poor geography of Wu. Wu was located in the harsh wetlands of the Yangtze Delta and much of it was lower than the sea level, flooding often threatened the state, farmland and irrigation were poorly built, and the wet climate was prone to disease. 2. Wu was plagued by internal instability: like Chu, its court was a nest of vipers (himself being one) 3. overall Wu was dangerously undeveloped. Wu lacked critical infrastructure like granary, warehouses, and canals to take advantage of a terrain that is obstructed by crisscrossing rivers and marshes. To raise Wu to a respectable state, it would need a great deal of internal strengthening. 

Helü then asked how Wu could achieve these goals: After some deliberations, Wu Zixu responded that the poorly situated, unstable, underdeveloped Wu's plights could all be remedied through development. That the stability of the royal house and the approval of the masses would be simultaneously gained through infrastructure. Through building key infrastructures the overall state of Wu would improve, the people- whose lives would then have been made easy would respect the rulers, and through these developments the state would gain great legitimacy in the eyes of its subjects and achieve internal harmony. 安君治人

In order to demonstrate both Helü's ambition and relocate his court to a position that is away from the scheming nobles at court, in 514 BC, Helü began to eye for a new capital around the great Lake Tai. The area had long been the cradle of the Wu culture, and where some of the 1st Wu settlement were born. Numerous tribes formed villages on the edges of the hills above the wetlands surrounding Lake Tai. To cement his new center of power, Helü commissioned a massive capital to be built in his honor.

Music: Ever- Flowing Rivers

CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW WU CAPITAL

Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian records that Wu Zixu was closely involved with the planning and the construction of this massive city, with impressive walls and brand new districts. King Helü then relocated his court and called the settlement Helü City after himself. The seat of this metropolis would become what is today's Suzhou.

Massive irrigation and canal buildings were initiated under Helü's rule, which were carried out by Wu Zixu. One was a massive 200 Km canal which connected from Lake Tai all the way into the Yangtze. On one hand it irrigated hundreds of miles of fresh new farmlands, another is that it allowed Wu to immediately sail into the Yangtze (the Chu- Wu border) with a massive navy from a totally unexpected direction. 

Water Networks: Geopolitics of Wu and Chu contextualized through a look at the Yangtze River Basin (Light Purple) Yangtze and the nearby Huai River's water bodies marked in yellow. During King Helü's rule, Wu- already blessed with a nearly unrivaled riverine navy, established several great canals (orange) that allowed them to enter the Yangtze from several unpredictable directions, whereby if they sailed westward they could directly threaten the Chu heartland. It also ensure there would be a secure channel of relief close to the Wu heartlands. In addition to the strategic ramification of these canals, it also allowed huge amount of poor lands to be irrigated and turned into fertile plains. Food security and prosperity ensured popular support for the Wu monarch.

The second one was a shorter- but no less critical canal which vertically connected the Yangtze with the northern Huai river. This canal made it possible to securely transport critical goods and raw materials much closer to the Wu heartland. And, like the 1st, provided an easy way where Wu ships could easily travel across all of the main waters in the east (and also turning long stretches of earth into fertile lands.) These waterworks laid the foundations of what would later become China's famed Grand Canal. Because of these new farmlands, and the great quantities of granaries warehouses Wu Zixu constructed, the people of Wu never suffered any famine nor starvation during his tenure.

Even in modern times: Suzhou was known as a city of water: crisscrossed by canals and scholar's courted mansions the city was often dubbed "Venice of the East" because of the numerous canals- pleasure boats and beautiful scenery. (Bottom) scenes depicting hunting of waterfowl in the style of the Wu- Yue culture.

INDESPUTED MASTERY OF THE RIVERLANDS 

On the matters of war, Wu also reorganized its military. Already quite familiar with riverine combat and fighting in water, Wu Zixu and Helü then ambitiously expanded its navy- which was composed of many type of warships, and reportedly included the massive floating fortressed called louchuan- or "Tower ships"/ "Castle ships." This highly developed force would later be deemed by some, including Joseph Needham as China's first navy. 

(Middle) River ship combat, depicted in the traditional Wu- Yue style. (Bottom) Modern reconstructed war barge based on the description of the much later Kingdom of Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms era. Although the state of Helü's Wu greatly predates that of Eastern Wu, even by his time Wu possessed an exceptional riverine navy with many tiers of warships. According to "Chinese Shipbuilding History" published by Hubei Education Press- Wu possessed many class of ships, including ramming crafts, small striking ships, large warships, "bridge ships," and even as far back as the reign of King Liao, Wu sailed great "Tower ships/Castle ships" which acted as floating fortresses.

Reconstruction of what a "Great Wing" ship likely looked like. 

In the "End of the kingdom of Yue" or 越绝书 composed in Eastern Han, Yuan Kang mentioned that Helü's Wu divided its warships and used them according to their specialization. The "great wing" warships correspond to the army's heavy chariots, "little wing" ships to light chariots (both able to skirmish well,) "stomach strikers" (ram ships) to battering rams, "castle ships" to mobile siege towers, and bridge ships to light cavalry. To further cement their mastery of the river lands and the Yangtze Delta, both Helü and his further heir Fuchai contemplated connecting the many closely nestled lakes and rivers in the Yangtze basin with a vast networks of canals: turning the whole area into an interconnected web where a Wu fleet from any of the local rivers/ lakes could cross into another. The famed Wu navy was expertly drilled at this time and would greatly participate in Helü's bid for supremacy. In regards to the Wu army- Wu would be aided by a nearly God- like titan.

SUN TZU ARRIVES

Neither Sun Tzu's life, nor the specific episodes of his life needed much introduction. But it is precisely because of the immense reputation Sun Tzu had achieved both within China and abroad that we need to somewhat reexamine his life. While many have familiarized with the semi- mythical aspect of the great master's life: what IS known for certain of the man is scantly very little. And in more than one interpretation of Sun Tzu's life, he might have not even existed at all. Because Sun Tzu's legendary biography had been exhaustively covered by many mainstream sources, we will try to examine Sun Tzu in the contemporary sources during this period, and then give a quick bulletin of his life. 

There is the version of Sun Tzu that we all think we know, and then there is the Sun Tzu that existed scantly in the records. Hopefully after examine both that you- as the reader could form your own mind on the master, and his role in this historic David and Goliath struggle. 

A MAN OF WAR 

By this point, Wu had endlessly drilled its soldiery for 3 years in secret preparation for a war with Chu. But despite the ceaseless drilling of his soldiers, Helü did not mobilize them for war. Both Wu Zixu and Helü understand that before conducting this daring challenge, Wu needed more talents to shore up its military leadership. 

Original Art by Tsuyoshi Nagano 长野刚

According to the traditional account by Sima Qian's "Record of the Grand Historian" it was during this time of rapid reforms and preparation for a great war with Chu that Sun Tzu, the author of the "Art of War" arrived at the Wu court, ply his craft as an expert of war. Master Sun introduced himself as Sun Wu 孙武, originally born from a general's family in Qi, and- due to the internal strife within Qi left his homeland to pursue a new career. Helü was introduced to Sun by Wu Zixu and hosted him, though Helü was somewhat impressed by Sun's introduction and astute verbal reasoning, he wanted a more clear demonstration of Sun's abilities. To alleviate his suspicion, Helü asked Sun if he could make use of Helü's concubine and palace women and drill them into disciplined soldiers. Despite this outlandish request, Sun immediately agreed to this charge. 

THE MASTER LENDS HIS WEIGHT- AND WISDOM 

Helü then summoned 180 palace women, gave them armors, then divided them into 2 sections- each led by one of his favorite concubines. After they were arrayed like men and wearing drill armors and weapons- it fell upon Sun Tzu to make them act like proper soldiers. 

When Sun Tzu first ordered the concubines to face right, they giggled and tarried. In response, Sun Tzu stated that the general, in this case himself, was responsible for ensuring  soldiers understood the commands given to them. Afterwards, he reiterated the command, and again the concubines giggled. Sun Tzu then ordered that the king's two favored concubines be beheaded, this enraged Helü, who sought to punish Sun, but Wu Zixu intervened. Sun then explained that if the general's soldiers understood their commands but did not obey, it was the fault of the officers. After both concubines were beheaded, new officers from the women's ranks were chosen as replacements. Afterward, both companies, now well aware of the costs of further frivolity, performed their maneuvers flawlessly. Although these women would not participate in the wars to follow: Sun Tzu received the appointment as a commander within the Wu army. Wu Zixu and Sun Tzu therefore became the left and right hand of Helü's military. 

SUN TZU: A HISTORICAL REEXAMINATION 

When speaking of Sun Tzu, that iconic moment is perhaps one of the most recognized scenes in Chinese history, where the master was able to turn palace women who were totally unfamiliar with war into keenly obedient soldiers. However it is also at this point, that we should try to re- examine Sun Tzu's introduction, mainly in that, there is virtually no contemporary records about Sun Tzu himself. 

Our modern understanding of Sun Tzu's life and the traditional source of understanding of the master is mainly from one source: that of Sima Qian's "Record of the Grand Historian." It is in his version that we saw Sun Tzu realized in some of these iconic scenes. However one thing to note is that when Sima Qian wrote about Sun Tzu, if was almost 500 years after this period. By Sima Qian's time, the written body of works attributed to "Sun Tzu" (Master Sun) had already achieved great prominence in the Warring States period and Sima Qian's Han dynasty. The text was such that it would greatly influence Chinese warfare for 2500+ years until the modern age. Thus, because of the existence of these highly valuable writings, by Sima Qian's time there was likely many folk traditions that tried to interpret how these writings (and its author) came to fame, and Sima Qian- the ultimate compiler of oral traditions, courtly records, and salvaged bamboo slips merely stitched them together in a Post Hoc process to create the composite version of Sun Tzu presented in his text. 

Comparatively- in Sun Tzu's own life time, in one of the most important contemporary records in the period which Sun Tzu was supposed to have lived: "Zuo Zhuan" literally translated as "The Commentary of Zuo," where much of the information about Spring and Autumn event and the lives of the great Hegemons were recorded (and used here), Sun Tzu was not mentioned at all in this period, nor mentioned in the major battles that took the Wu state to unrivaled primacy. in fact, for 400+ years from the time when Sun Tzu was supposed to have lived, the name "Sun Wu" (孙武) does not appear in any text prior to the Records of the Grand Historian.

What was certain, however, is that a collection of meditations on warfare attributed to a "Master Sun" 孙子 began to emerge shortly after Wu's ascension to Hegemony around the early Warring States period. (Sun Tzu- or Sun Zi literally means "Master Sun," Zi 子 is an honorific which literally means "Sir" or "Master" as in the case of Laozi which is literally translated as "Old Master.") So how do we make sense of these discrepancies? Was there in fact a centralized figure that truly WAS Sun Tzu? The answer may very well surprise you: or- if you yourself have always been a skeptical reader of history, the answer may not surprise you at all. We have already met him a long time ago.

THE MASTER REEXAMINED 

It was during the late Spring and Autumn period- where warfare became more constant, that Wu began to maintain a professional reserve that is drilled constantly. In the days before, much of the army was composed of levied farmers who would be equipped by the local army warehouse and then spend part of their years on campaigns. During Wu Zixu's tenure, Wu maintained a dedicated army and naval reserve that was drilled constantly.

Oh yes, one of the more prominent interpretations is that Sun Tzu is but a doppelgänger of Wu Zixu. Because the name Sun 孫 (old way of writing) is actually a poetic disguise for "fugitive" (xùn 遜) - while the character (wǔ 武) means both "martial," or "warrior", thus Master "Sun" 's original supposed birth name of "Sun Wu" was in reality a made-up descriptive cognomen meaning "the fugitive warrior." After all, who else was not only a fugitive but a key warrior of Wu responsible for gearing up the war with Chu? If you are wondering in this article why so much exhaustive details had been used to build up and characterize Wu Zixu, well, dear reader, now you understand. And now you may seen why he might actually have played a much bigger part than was already credited to him. After all, when your shadow was literally "Sun Tzu" himself, well, it is a shadow that even you, dear reader- despite the distance of 2500 years, have been acquainted with. 

The striking similarity of the supposed last name of Sun 孫 (old way of writing) with the near identical rendering of "fugitive" xùn 遜 (old way of writing): Apart from the 辶 sign: when Sun Tzu- whose supposed birth name was Sun Wu is rendered as "Xùn Wu"- it easily translates to "Fugitive Warrior." Which fits Wu Zixu's prominent role as Prime Minister of Wu, and his status as a Chu fugitive perfectly. And "Sun Tzu/ Sun ZI" merely means Master Sun.

Of the many interpretation of Master Sun's life, 3 of the most prominent ones exists thusly, 1 is that there truly was a great figure who existed, came to Wu in a time of crisis before the onset of a great power struggle, then wrote his meditations. Though the lack of mention for the supposed "Sun Wu" during the contemporary records called that into question. 2 is that Sun Tzu is actually none other than the "fugitive warrior" Wu Zixu himself, he shepherded the small and outmatched Wu state to prominence, critically reformed its army, and was a personally brilliant strategist. His own meditations were later rebranded as a "master Sun's" clever writing after Wu had been snuffed out by its enemies. 

An interesting aside is that long after the fall of the Wu kingdom, 700 years later during the collapse of the Han dynasty- in what would be known as the fabled 3 Kingdoms era, a prominent clan of warriors named Sun 孫 with figures like Sun Jian, Sun Ce, and Sun Quan, would take over this same region and resurrect the kingdom of (Eastern) Wu. 

3 is that there in fact was a historical Sun Tzu who lived during this age, but he had a far smaller role in this era's struggle than Sima Qian gave him credit for, rather than a prominent general or minister of war, he had a much smaller position, performed his duties, then died. But his writings became his greatest legacy, and because of its prominent influence in the later age's warfare was reimagined by later admirers that he played a much greater part in the Wu- Chu conflict. Going forth, we will try still present the events as if Sun Tzu did play a part in these great wars (though version 2 and 3 being more likely,) but at least you as the reader will be equipped with the ability to interpret his role in these conflicts. In 512 BC, after 6 years of drilling and reforming its army and navy. Wu renewed its offenses against Chu.

Music: Water

WU RENEWS ITS WARS AGAINST CHU

WU LAUNCHES ALL NEW OFFENSIVES AGAINST CHU

Helü once asked Wu Zixu what would be the best approach in attacking Chu. Wu Zixu summarized Chu's capacities thusly. Chu's leadership was unstable. For nearly a century, the Chu court had been riven by high factionalism. It's ministers were partisan, and they do not trust each other. This means that if they could be pressured in a way that would split up Chu command, internal divisions will be further exacerbated. In short, the best strategy against Chu is to let Chu trip over itself. 

HYDRA OF HARASSMENT

If Wu were able to launch a staggered attack against Chu using 3 separate armies, Chu would be paralyzed. Should the alarmed Chu send out a great relief force, whenever they appear, the Wu army should hastily retreat before they arrive and do not give them battle. It would be a hydra of harassment.

Wu Zixu devised a critical strategy in dealing with Chu. Chu's lands are vast, it also had a massive army of 200,000 men. However its leadership is riven by high factionalism. Thus Wu used 3 armies to harass 3 separate points of Chu, and attacked the cities of Xu (a Chu vassal), Liu, and Xian. Whenever any one of these armies caught the Chu attention and the main royal Chu army was dispatched to relive these beleaguered hotspots- the Wu forces would vanish. Wu would act like an unpredictable rolling hydra then vanish like a receding wave.

If the great Chu army returns home, thinking dangers had passed from whatever city they were relieving- Wu should use its 2 remaining armies and attack another 2 Chu cities. The underpinnings of this whack-a-mole strategy allowed Wu to dictate the whole conflict with Chu, and turn Chu's vast size against itself. Furthermore, the continual guerilla level of harassment will force the Chu army to always be one the run to put out fires~ yet never be allowed a favorable decisive battle. Most of all, the constant trespassing will weakens the whole of Chu's eastern front and keeps them always frustrated and anxious, all the while the upper echelons of Chu leadership would fray apart due to the endless fruitless pursuit. This Helü readily agreed.

THE WHACK- A- MOLE CAMPAIGN OF 512 BC

The 2nd year after this proposal, in the Autumn of 512 BC, Wu forces launched a concentrated invasion of a small Chu- vassal state in Wu's northwest called Xu. Xu was quickly surrounded and desperately requested aid from Chu. The Chu army came but the Wu were gone.

Around the same time, Wu sent out another army and invaded directly westward, striking deep and surrounded the Chu city of Liu, putting it to siege. Seeing this. Chu responded with its massive army. But before they arrived, the besiegers pulled out and disappeared. 

After this, Wu's 3rd army suddenly appeared near the southern Chu city of Xian, dangerously near its heartland. Again, the massive Chu army appeared, equipped for battle, but no battle came to be, again, the Wu army abandoned its siege and vanished. This process would repeat with the other 2 Wu armies. Where ever the Chu army was not present the city was put to siege, forcing the Chu army to fruitlessly run wild yet unable to save anything. Always so close to getting the Wu army but always see them slip away. 

BE LIKE WATER 

For 3 years, this wave- like sea saw harassment fluctuated between the 2 state's borders, but this did not mean that there were no battles, in fact whenever Wu armies did see a clear advantage, they discreetly took it and committed in all out assaults. Leading to several victories.

After taking Xu, several other Chu cities and bullying numerous Chu vassals, Wu was able to demonstrate to the rest of the realm that the Chu's eastern borders were able to be freely trespassed. Despite these promising early tidings, it was not the decisive victory Wu needed. That battle would come- under the strangest of circumstances. 

CHU WINS LEGIONS OF NEW ENEMIES 

509 BC, the Marquis of Cai 蔡 (Pronounced "Tsai")- a vassal of Chu, visited the Chu capital to pay his respects to King Zhao of Chu, the Chu King then hosted a great banquet where the Marquis attended. During the festivities, King Zhao became covetous of the Marquis' incomparably exquisite Leather coat and brazenly asked to have it. This advance was politely rebuffed. However King Zhao responded by arresting the Marquis and threw him- a head of state in prison for 3 years. 

King Zhao succeeded King Ping as ruler of Chu. like many of his predecessors he was a gluttonous and debauched hedonist. Not only was he without tact but he managed to simultaneously enrage several Chu vassals with his offending arrogance. Sensing the cankered nature of Chu leadership, Wu was emboldened to challenge Wu decisively.

Leather robe of a high Zhou lord. The robes are made from the leather of precious white kid deer and on his hat are studded jade that designated his rank. Dukes of the royal families are marked with 9 jades, Marquis are marked with 7 jades, Vicounts had 5 jades, in descending order etc. Further distinctions are also color coded.

That same year, another vassal of Chu: the Marquis Chen of Tang visited the Chu capital with a magnificent stallion. Again, the beautiful prize did not escape King Zhao's eye and he also wanted it, and like with the Marquis of Cai, the Marquis of Tang also politely rebuffed King Zhao's request. And like the Marquis of Cai, he too was arrested for 3 years. Eventually, Tang- under pressure, traded the stallion to regain their lord's freedom. This was done so, and the court of Cai, seeing this, tried to convince their imprisoned lord to do the same with his leather jacket. After 3 years of imprisonment, the Marquis of Cai returned to his homeland.

However, immediately after the Marquis returned to his homeland, the infuriated Marquis- in a blinding rage took off the large disk of precious jade fastened under his belt called Yupei 玉佩 - and threw it into the river. The Marquis bitterly swore that if he ever visit Chu as a vassal again, let himself end up like that piece of jade and be thrown into the river,  saying that any state that wished to destroy Chu- he would volunteer to lead that army from the front. 

CONSPIRACY AGAINST CHU 

Knowing Jin's long time reputation as an arch- nemesis of Chu, Cai send his son to Jin as a hostage and broached Jin for a coalition to invade Chu. In 506 BC, Jin held a quorum of the greatest lords of the Zhou world: Lu, Song, Qi, Wey and 18 other nations at Zhaoling to coordination against Chu. Unsurprisingly, of the 18 heads of states that showed up, many of them were mistreated former vassals of Chu. 

Unfortunately, the meeting didn't succeed and- instead of some grand alliance, it turned into a giant debacle. During the conference Zhaoling (Zhao Hill) suffered a profuse downpour of rain. As a result of the wet weather- a plague broke out in the area and soldiers died from the plague. Overlapping rivalry also destroyed any sense of unity, despite their mutual enmity against Chu, most of the attendees also hated and distrusted each other because they were still rivals with each other. And in matters of place of honor, positions to lead key wings of the coalition each attendee doggedly refused to cooperate with rivals and whoever they deemed as inferiors.

Lastly, when the impetuous and tiny state of Cai sought to eclipse that of Jin~  Jin- the greatest military power in the whole conference and only contender that could fight Chu one- on- one backed out. Ironically despite the conspiracy being summoned directly because~ and on behalf of the Marquis of Cai's grievances, the pure unlikability of the Marquis of Cai alienated everyone in the meeting and the conference disbanded. 

Cai- disappointed and still infuriated, took out its anger on Shen, an even smaller state to its south, citing Shen's disrespectful refusal to attend the Zhaoling Conference (Shen's still a loyal Chu vassal.) Cai then invaded Shen and annexed it. The annihilation of Shen provoked Chu and Chu invaded Cai with a massive force, completely encircling it. Desperate, Cai hastily pleaded for aid from Wu, with the Marquis sending his other son to Wu as a hostage. Unbeknownst to Cai,  their agreement of alliance to Wu was precisely what Wu Zixu, King Helü, and Sun Tzu needed. 

Music: Soaring Dragons

THE TRUE ALLIANCE 

Cai- though tiny, was located on the strategic bank of the Huai River. If you remember, Wu Zixu previously was able to dig a critical north- to- south canal which vertically connected the Yangtze with the Huai river to the north. Cai was positioned right on the bank of the Huai river- and its alliance with Wu allowed Wu to use it as a landing pad to safely disembark a large Wu army from their fleet of ships. 

After agreeing that both Tang and Cai would join Wu in attacking Chu,  the grand coalition was truly sealed. This is important in several respects. Because despite Wu's best effort to scrounge up a dedicated fighting force for this offensive, at most~ they could only muster some 30,000 men. While Chu still wielded a massive army of nearly 200,000 soldiers. This was why despite Wu's aggression against Chu they never truly sought a battle. However, with the addition of Cai and Tang's forces, the odds are bettered to a point that Helü, Wu Zixu and Sun Tzu would gamble all into.

In 506 BC, King Helü decided to invade Chu. The king personally led the army, along with his younger brother Fugai and Wu Zixu. Wu was joined by the minor states of Cai and Tang whose rulers were once held prisoners by Chu. The Wu army sailed up the Huai River and then left their ships. In response, Nang Wa and the Chu chief military commander Shen Yin Shu led the Chu army eastward to face against the invaders.

BOJU- LEADUP

Battle of Boju is unique in comparison to many of the other major decisive battles of the Spring and Autumn era in that most of this massive (and indeed it was massive) battle, instead of being a tactical set piece battle- constricted to a single battlefield, Boju was more a rapid series of fighting maneuvers in a large region. In total, 5 battles took place in the river valleys to the east of the Chu capital, and- Perhaps true to Sun Tzu, was one of grand strategy. Plans and fluid countermeasures are the real focus of this battle.

With Wu's 30,000 vs Chu's 200,000, the Wu army had 1 vs 7 chance of winning. But with the additions of Tang and Cai, each brought around 10,000 soldiers, increase the total number of Wu's forces to some 50,000 soldiers. This increased the odds of winning to 1 vs 4. In the 9th month of 506 BC (traditional Chinese calendar), Helü personally led a great host, embarked them on ships and sailed northward into the Huai river using Wu's canal- with him were Wu Zixu, Sun Tzu, and Helü's brother Fugai as sub commanders.

Transported by the Wu navy, they sailed along the Huai River and disembarked at Cai. There, the 30,000 Wu soldiers joined with the 20,000 of Tang and Cai's soldiers, After merging forces, they swiftly raced westward and carved a bloody path of destruction towards the Chu capital of Ying, seeking decisive battle. Like the previous years of hydra harassment. Wu used the same framework as the previous years in miniature. Helü, Wu Zixu, Sun Tzu, and Fugai would each attack like a hydra and cause great confusion to the Chu garrisons. Wu and Chu forces would engage in 5 great battles during this campaign and the Wu army resoundingly won the first 2 battles near Xiaobie (southeast of present-day Hanchuan.)

Music: In a Box

THE CHU ANVL & HAMMER DEPLOYS

Their gambit worked. The sudden appearance of the enemy so close to the Chu royal capital and from a totally unpredicted direction sent Chu into full alarm, and Chu deployed its massive army in response. It would be lead by 2 senior Chu ministers. The Prime Minister Nang Wa (also known as Zi Chang) and chief commander of the army Shen Yin Shu.

Having assessed the frontline's reports, the Chu commander Shen Yin Shu correctly deduced that the Wu forces were seeking decisive battle.  He guessed that the reason they even dared to commit so far into the heart of enemy territory, so dangerously overextending themselves in the domains of a vastly numerically superior foe (without a strong supply line,) and so close to the enemy's royal capital was because they had betted all of their chips on a decisive battle, But being the veteran commander he was- he did not plan to give Wu this. 

Instead, Shen Yin Shu knew well of the fact that his own Chu forces vastly outnumbers the invaders, and therefore could afford to divide up his forces in his fight with Wu. Thus he opted to divide the Chu army in 2. Shen Yin Shu devised a plan. Nang Wa would take up a long defensive line with the main army along the Han River while Shen would personally lead a swift and smaller force of chariots and fast moving troops, sneak through the northern river plains to circle behind the Wu invaders. After uniting with the Chu garrison in the north at Fangcheng they would destroy the Wu ships left on the Huai River banks (their supply line and escape route.) Then, after destroying the Wu rearguard and completely cutting Wu's escape route, he would form a mighty hammer and flank the Wu forces. 

When that happens, Nang Wa would cross the Han River and the two Chu forces would simultaneously attack the Wu army from both the front and the back. Nang accepted this plan, and Shen raced north for Fangcheng. Despite the actual soundness of the overall assessment and strategy,  Shen Yin Shu's plan did not come to fruition. For- like Wu Zixu had pointed out, the Chu leadership was divided.

To act as the Anvil to his Hammer would be Nang Wa 囊瓦 - the Chu Prime minister in charge of the Chu defenders. As Wu Zixu predicted, factionalism was rife in the Chu court, and the 2 ministers did not get along at all. After Shen's departure, another Chu minister Shi Huang (史皇) said to Nang Wa that the people of Chu hated Nang and loved Shen Yin Shu, and that if he followed Shen's plan then Shen would take all the credit for the victory and Nang would be doomed. Nang Wa had a change of heart and decided to cross the river and attack right away.

Boju was a series of darting maneuvers. The Wu- allied forces (blue) arrived by way of the Huai River from the northeast. After disembarking from Cai, the army raced diagonally south west towards the Chu capital of Ying. It was a major bluff, counting that Chu would respond with its army to protect the royal capital. The Chu (orange) formed 2 armies, 1 in the north led by Shen Yin Shu: they would act as the hammer and destroy Wu's rearguard and block their path of escape. While a defensive force led by Nang Wa, would act as the anvil and use the river as a defense to soak up whatever the Wu threw at them. When the time comes, they both would sandwich the Wu together like a trapdoor swung shut. 

Unfortunately for Nang Wa and his army: This was precisely what the Wu commanders wanted them to do. When Nang Wa's Chu army surged forward in an all out assault, the well trained Wu army- like in previous years, slipped away, feigning a disorganized retreat. The pursuit lasted for many miles, until the Chu army was lured them into a specifically chosen area called Boju, 

BOJU

Boju- located on the western foot of the Dabie Mountains 大别山 was specifically chosen because it was a broken hilly terrain. The hills eventually form into several valleys that all converge westward and merge into the Dabie Mountains. Using the predictable direction of these converging valleys, Wu was able to guarantee the direction of the Chu army's approach. The valleys into Boju also created great funnel shapes where it bottlenecked at several key passes. With the great Dabie Mountain behind them to secure their flank, and knowing in which direction the Chu pursuers will arrive, the much smaller Wu army turned around. This would be a death ground. A veritable Thermopylae where the Wu forces cannot be easily flanked nor could the Chu army use their overwhelming numerical advantage. All that remained was to fight facing only 1 direction- that of the coming enemy. 

Music: Destroying the Colossus

WU'S SUICIDAL VANGUARD 

Once Nang Wa's Chu army was channeled into the Boju valley, Helü's brother Fugai organized a strong vanguard of 5000 elite soldiers, consisting of the strongest and best runners in the Wu army to lead his attack. It was at this time the Wu forces suddenly turned back during their feint retreat and launched an all out counter against their pursuers. 

Chu forces were not prepared for this sudden (almost steppe- like) about- face, was instantly pushed back by Fugai's vanguard and broke apart in the face of the dedicated Wu sally. Shi Huang- the commander who convinced Nang Wa to launch the uncoordinated assault was killed in the battle and Nang Wa too fled the battle. 

Overmatched by this vanguard of elites, Nang Wa and the Chu army broke and soon turned into a panicked rout northward toward the Chu vassal kingdom of Zheng. Wu did not relent in its pursuit and chased Chu stragglers for hundreds of kilometers. 

THE RELENTLESS WU PURSUIT 

Fugai then pursued the Chu army to Qingfa River, waited until half of them had crossed the river, and then attacked and defeated them again. When the Chu survivors from this battle finally stopped, they believed that they were finally rid of their pursuers and began to properly rest. In their confidence, they expected that their Wu pursuers would be equally tired, so they pitched tents, and began cooking a meal. But to their horror, the seemingly tireless Wu army appeared again as they were eating.

The Wu army caught up with the Chu soldiers when they were having their meal. In panic, the Chu soldiers fled across the river without retrieving their items, the Wu troops ate their food, resumed the pursuit, and defeated them again at Yongshi River (雍澨, present-day Sima River in Jingshan County). 

Because many years of repressive Chu policies within the country, many Chu subjects welcomed the Wu army on the sides of the roads as they raced to the Chu capital. Half of Chu's territories were gone, and next on the chopping block was the capital itself. 

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CHU NORTHERN ARMY

By now, Shen Yin Shu's northern Chu army had returned after the south had been vanquished by the Wu forces at Yongshi, he then fought and was wounded three times in battle and was not able to salvage the Chu collapse. Not wanting to be captured alive, Shen ordered his officer Wu Goubi to kill him and bring his head home. After winning these five battles right in the vicinity of the Chu Capital, Nothing laid between Capital and the Wu forces. The Wu army then quickly raced toward the Chu capital. 

Music: Good Ol Days

Seeing the Wu army close in, King Zhao of Chu fled towards the vassal ally of Sui, after he instructed his ministers to do all they could- even be slain to slow down his own pursuers while he escape the city. As the Wu soldiers approached Ying's main gate, Chu defenders used a great elephant, wrapped its tail in grass, tallow and pitch, then positioned it behind the city's main gate. When the gate was breached, the defenders lit the "fuse" behind the elephant and sent the berserk animal to ran mad into the Wu soldier's ranks. This managed to stop the Wu soldiers for a time, but despite these last desperate theatrics, it was too late for Chu. On the 28th day of the 11th month of 506 BC, Helü took the Chu Capital of Ying after winning all 5 Battles with Chu. He would order a general sacking of the city. 

In 506 BC, Chu- once the greatest of the Spring & Autumn world was in ruins. Half of its territories were lost to Wu invaders. The great Chu army, its royal capital were both destroyed and even King Zhao of Chu was put to flight from his seat of power. Overnight- Wu had became the greatest power of the realm. In a declarative move, King Helü sacked the Chu capital of Ying.

One of those who entered- or returned to the panicked Chu royal capital was none other than Wu Zixu: the fugitive warrior and the architect of Wu's rise himself. However for him, on some level this was a hollow victory. Though he returned in triumph, vindicated by his actions as a masterful statesman, the object of his vengeance were out of his grasp. King Zhao had fled to Sui and King Ping- who had ordered the execution of his father and brother had long died.

Music: Bleeding Earth

WU ZIXU"S VENGEANCE:「鞭墓」或「挞墓」

 According to one version of Wu Zixu's reaction, after having heard that King Ping had long died and King Zhao had fled the royal capital, Wu Zixu broke down and wept. What happened next was one of the most famous episodes in the annals of Chinese history.

There exists 2 account of Wu Zixu's punishment of Chu's cankered rulers, one was much more dramatic than the other.  1 version, recorded in the Yuejueshu 越绝书 or "End of the kingdom of Yue" recorded that Wu ordered 6 thousand soldiers and charioteers to take a whip and whip Ping's tomb mound, cursing that Ping had unjustly damned innocent men to their deaths. The 2nd version, stated in Sima Qian's "Record of the Grand Historian" mentioned that Wu Zixu ordered King Ping to be dug out of his tomb, pried out of his coffin, exposed to the elements - Wu Zixu then personally whipped Ping's corpse 300 times. 

Although the vengeance- fueled version certainly makes a more satisfying and entertaining story, it is also more unlikely. Because by the time Wu had conquered half of Chu, King Ping had already been dead for 10 years, For someone as highly informed and highly involved as the Prime Minister it would be extremely unlikely that Wu would be surprised by any of it. Not only that, but after 10 years Ping's corpse would have long decomposed into bones. Version 1 presents a much more likely scene of disrespectful but meaningful justice. 

HELÜ'S TRIUMPHAL ASCENSION RUINED

What was then said of King Helü, by now the post powerful man in the realm was not flattering. It was recorded that Helü became very covetous and indulged in the looting of the Chu capital. A noticeable instance in Han dynasty's "Biographies of Exemplary Women" described Helü attempting to rape King Zhao's Dowager Queen- a daughter of the Duke Ai of Qin (if you recall, the one King Ping lusted after- and for whom Wu Zixu's family was slaughtered.)  Helü continue to pursue her until she protected herself with a dagger and ordered that the harem's women seal the building from Helü's men. This was done, and Helü did not press the matter further. Helü was also recorded to have taken advantage of Chu women with his brothers and nephews.

QIN INTERVENES AND BLOWS FUGAI OFF

After the fall of Ying, Shen Baoxu, an official of Chu and a long time former friend of Wu Zixu, went to the State of Qin to plead for assistance. At first the Qin ruler Duke Ai refused to help, but after Shen spent seven days crying endlessly in the palace courtyard, Duke Ai was moved by his devotion and agreed to send 40,000 troops to assist Chu.

Qin had always been one of the most militaristic societies in all of the realm and spent centuries of endless fighting against invading barbarians to the West. When the Qin army approached the Chu heartlands they fought Helü's brother Fugai and won several battles. At the same time, Fugai, after having been repeatedly defeated by Qin, sensed that Wu's expedition might be destroyed by Qin- hastily ran back to Wu with his division of the Wu army. Once he returned to Wu, he launched a coup against Helü and made himself King. 

Despite Wu's meteoric rise and great personal gains under the command of Helü's brother Fugai, when he met several defeats before Qin's intervention, the disheartened Fugai turned traitor and raced back to Wu and declared himself King. This act forced Helü's to also race back and wrestle his throne back, leaving Wu Zixu (and Sun Tzu, according to Sima Qian) to monitor the Chu heartlands with the last main Wu army. They decided to pull out after Helü had retaken his throne. Boju had been a dream.

This sudden and alarming betrayal forced Helü to also personally race back to Wu with his own section of the Wu army. Placing Sun Tzu and Wu Zixu to hold off Qin near Ying. Although Helü eventually managed to defeat his brother back in Wu. Wu Zixu realized that he was powerless to hold the Chu Capital with his forces alone, so far and so outnumbered in the heart of the enemy's territory. He too ordered a ordered retreat back to Wu. By 505 BC the borders of Chu and Wu largely returned to those before that of the decisive Boju Campaign. 

Music: Cue from a Scene

SUN TZU DISSAPEARS- OR DIES

There would be very little records about Sun Tzu after this period. One version about the master maintained that he returned with Wu Zixu back to Wu and devoted the rest of his times writing his master treatises. If we go by the 3rd version regarding Sun Tzu's life- in which he was a far less prominent figure in the conflicts, he would document the wisdom he glimmed from the conflict and translate all of them inside his book- the master would continue to serve Wu until 496 BC- as tradition believed, when he died in his late 40s.

An alternative version stated that Sun Tzu secretively left Wu service and disappeared. He saw what Helü was at Ying and was disgusted by his patron's conduct- and more: the ramification of such a man becoming the Hegemon of the realm. Remember, to Sun Tzu, wars were serious matters and must be carried out with the utmost sobriety. Those who wield wars bears enormous responsibility to both their own state and even his enemies, when wars are left in the hands of a gluttonous, destructive, and irresponsible ruler like Helü who knows how many Yings would be repeated across the realm? Thus, Sun Tzu disappeared from Wu and spend the rest of his life writing his masterpiece in exile.  

Sun Tzu as an allegorical figure: One of the reasons that many historians after Sima Qian called into question of his version of "Sun Tzu" is that Sun Tzu's story (like the story of Laozi and other sagely masters during this era) reads almost like an allegory. From nowhere, the master spontaneously appeared- (inserted between the ranks of truly historical figures) as if carried by a nimbus to a troubled court, taught them sagely wisdom, intervened on the side of an embattled upstart that utterly destroyed its foe- the greatest state of the age to prove his point. Then he just happen to disappear from the conflict right before any bad thing could befall him or see his view points discredited- thus rendered him totally blameless of Wu's coming calamities. An ironclad narrative that is more God than human.

THE FALL OF WU BEGANS

It is also here, that the fortune of the Fugitive Warrior himself- and the likely doppelganger of Sun Tzu began to wane. Though unbeknownst to all who were freshly flushed from the victory at Boju, Wu Zixu would one day die a grim and wrongful death under the hand of the Wu monarch, and the state of Wu- his child of war would not survive after his passing. The destroyer was none other than the next Hegemon of the Spring and Autumn era.

Music: A Defiant End

Though unbeknownst to all- Wu's fortunes would began to fall right after their astonishing victory at Boju. Helü's success was such that he would be included among the 5 great Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn era- as an example of unparalleled power in the eastern coastal region of China. 506 BC had been an amazing year for him, and although much of his territorial gains were reset after Fugai's betrayal, Helü was both feared and respected throughout the realm. Chu had been thoroughly humbled, and Wu was in a strong position to resist further Chu aggression in the west. With the west of Wu settled, Helü then turned his mighty attention to his south, nothing stood in his way, except a tiny backwater called Yue.

Masters of the eastern coast. The states of Wu (Yellow) and Yue (Red) largely shared the same culture and customs. They both produced exceptional metalwork and naval ships. Despite this cultural affinity, Wu looked down upon Yue as inferiors to be mocked and barbarians to be bullied.

Little did this Hegemon know, that the next Hegemon of this era stirred in that backwater, and would take Helü's life on their 1st meeting. Join us the next time for the story of the final Hegemon of the Spring and Autumn era: of the King who was made into a slave, then became the master of this age.

→ ☯ [PLEASE SUPPORT ME @ PATREON] ☯ ←

Thank you to my Patrons who has contributed $10 and above: You made this happen!

➢ ☯ MK Celahir

➢ ☯ Muramasa

➢ ☯ Thomas Vieira

➢ ☯ Kevin

➢ ☯ Vincent Ho (FerrumFlos1st)

➢ ☯ BurenErdene Altankhuyag

➢ ☯ Stephen D Rynerson

➢ ☯ Michael Lam

➢ ☯ Peter Hellman

➢ ☯ SunB