 Skeptics who identify issues with the traditionalist view point to possible anachronisms in The Art of War including terms , technology ( such as anachronistic crossbows and the unmentioned cavalry ) , philosophical ideas , events , and military techniques that should not have been available to Sun Wu . Additionally , there are no records of professional generals during the Spring and Autumn period ; these are only extant from the Warring States period , so there is doubt as to Sun Tzu 's rank and generalship . This caused much confusion as to when The Art of War was actually written . The first traditional view is that it was written in 512 BC by the historical Sun Wu , active in the last years of the Spring and Autumn period ( c . 722 @-@ 481 BC ) . A second view , held by scholars such as Samuel Griffith , places The Art of War during the middle to late Warring States period ( c . 481 @-@ 221 BC ) . Finally , a third school claims that the slips were published in the last half of the 5th century BC ; this is based on how its adherents interpret the bamboo slips discovered at Yin @-@ ch ’ <unk> @-@ shan in 1972 AD . These varying theories are evidence that the Art of War was a compilation by other military strategists in later years , instead of being written by the historical Sun Wu . 
