Sun Bin

AncientGeneralChina-380 — -316

Sun Tzu descendant, author of military treatise, disabled.

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Quick Facts

Born

380 BCE

Died

316 BCE

Country

China

Era

Ancient

Occupation

General

Score Overview

Military (10%)80

Political (20%)25

Influence (20%)58

Legacy (20%)55

Leadership (15%)30

Strategy (15%)82

Total Score52.8

Sun Bin — Complete Timeline

360 BC

Suffering of mutilation as punishmentOther◆ Major

Sun Bin was framed for treason by his former classmate Pang Juan and sentenced to mutilation (removal of kneecaps) and facial tattooing. This disability forced him to hide and later flee to Qi, where he became a strategist.

PunishmentDisabilityPersonal

Impact: nationaltragic

354 BC

Defeat of Wei at the Battle of GuilingWar◆ Major

Sun Bin, as strategist for the state of Qi, advised attacking Wei's capital while Wei's army was besieging Handan. The Qi army defeated Wei at Guiling, forcing Wei to withdraw. This victory established Sun Bin's reputation.

BattleWarring StatesQiWei

Impact: regional

342 BC

Defeat of Wei at the Battle of MalingWar

Sun Bin used a ruse of decreasing campfires to lure Wei general Pang Juan into an ambush at Maling. The Qi army annihilated the Wei forces. Pang Juan committed suicide. This battle crippled Wei's power.

BattleWarring StatesAmbushQi Victory

Impact: regional

340 BC

Composition of the Sun Bin's Art of WarCultural◆ Major

Sun Bin wrote a military treatise titled 'Sun Bin's Art of War' (Sun Bin Bing Fa). The text was lost for over 2,000 years until its rediscovery in a Han dynasty tomb in 1972. It contains strategic and tactical principles.

Military TreatiseWritingStrategy

Impact: globalconstructive