Why do scholars debate whether Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War?

Scholars debate the authorship of The Art of War primarily because the historical identity of Sun Tzu is difficult to confirm. While the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian of China) by Sima Qian traditionally attributes the work to a general serving the state of Wu during the late Spring and Autumn period, Sun Tzu does not appear in some other early accounts from that era.12

Because of this, researchers propose several alternative theories regarding the text's origins:

• Evolutionary Composition: The work may not be the product of a single author but rather a collection of teachings from a historical military thinker that were transmitted, compiled, and edited by followers over a long period.12
• Chronological Discrepancies: While traditionally placed in the 5th century BCE, many scholars believe the text was more likely written or developed during the subsequent Warring States period, when warfare grew in scale and complexity.13
• Textual Transmission: Archaeological evidence, such as the bamboo slips found at Yinqueshan, confirms that a version of the text existed by the 2nd century BCE, but the process of its refinement remains a subject of ongoing study.42