The precise date of The Art of War’s composition is uncertain. Traditional accounts associate the work with Sun Tzu and the late Spring and Autumn period (770–476 bce), but some scholars believe that it was composed or developed during the subsequent Warring States period (475–221 bce). It may also preserve older teachings that were transmitted and edited over time. Manuscripts discovered at Yinqueshan in present-day Shandong province demonstrate that a version closely resembling the text known today existed by the late 2nd century bce.
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