The exact dates of sun tzu's life are not known with certainty, although they are traditionally believed to be around the fifth century BCE. Some scholars are not even sure that Sun Tzu was a single individual: They believe instead that the classic work, The Art of War, may be a compendium of the work of several authors. In any event, The Art of War is a summary of the Chinese perspective on some of the longstanding issues in intelligence analysis, including deception, surprise, uncertainty, indicators, calculation of risk, and anticipation of events.

As was the case in the West, the earliest Chinese works on intelligence analysis are preoccupied with military issues. Sun Tzu wrote before the unification of China and during a time when governments had to deal with shifting alliances and constant conflict. Rulers often faced the prospect of defeat and perhaps the extinction of a dynasty or even the state itself. As a result, a high value was assigned to guidance that could lead to success in war. Sun Tzu's views are expressed in a series of pungent aphorisms, sometimes embodying paradox, such as how to win a battle without fighting. The Art of War addresses a wide range of strategic and tactical issues, but gives special attention to intelligence.