Thirty-Six Stratagems (1)

The Thirty-Six Stratagems is a Chinese essay used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in politics， war， as well as in civil interaction， often through unorthodox or deceptive means. No one really knows who the author was; instead， the prevailing view is that the Thirty-Six Stratagems may have originated in both written and oral history， with many different versions compiled by different authors throughout Chinese history.

The Thirty-Six Stratagems has six chapters containing six stratagems each. The first three chapters generally describe tactics for use in advantageous situations， whereas the last three chapters contain stratagems that are more suitable for disadvantageous situations. They are in the form of four-character idioms. Each proverb is accompanied by a short comment， no longer than a sentence or two， that explains how said proverb is applicable to military tactics. These 36 Chinese proverbs are related to 36 battle scenarios in Chinese history and folklore， predominantly of the Warring States Period and the Three Kingdoms Period.

The Culture column of this issue will share with you the first three chapters of the essay， （to encourage you to win）， and then the rest three chapters in July issue， （in case you stand in disadvantageous situation in a battle）.

Chapter 1 勝戰計 Winning Stratagems

瞞天過海

Deceive the heavens to cross the ocean

Comment： 備周而意怠，常見則不疑，陰在陽之內，不在陽之對。太陽，太陰。

Prepare too much and you lose sight of the big picture; what you see often you do not doubt. Yin （the art of deception） is in Yang （acting in open）. Too much Yang （transparency） hides Yin （true ruses）.

圍魏救趙

Besiege the state of Wèi to rescue the state of Zhào

Comment： When the enemy is too strong to be attacked directly， then attack something he holds dear. Know that he cannot be superior in all things. Somewhere there is a gap in the armour， a weakness that can be attacked instead.

借刀殺人

Kill with a borrowed knife

Comment： Attack using the strength of another （in a situation where using ones own strength is not favourable）. Trick an ally into attacking him， bribe an official to turn traitor， or use the enemys own strength against him. Stratagem

以逸待勞

Leisurely await for the laboured

Comment： It is an advantage to choose the time and place for battle. In this way you know when and where the battle will take place， while your enemy does not. Encourage your enemy to expend his energy in futile quests while you conserve your strength. When he is exhausted and confused， you attack with energy and purpose.

趁火打劫

Loot a burning house

Comment： When a country is beset by internal conflicts， when disease and famine ravage the population， when corruption and crime are rampant， then it will be unable to deal with an outside threat. This is the time to attack.

聲東擊西

Make a sound in the east， then strike in the west

Comment： In any battle the element of surprise can provide an overwhelming advantage. Even when face to face with an enemy， surprise can still be employed by attacking where he least expects it. To do this you must create an expectation in the enemys mind through the use of a feint.

Chapter 2 敵戰計 Enemy Dealing Stratagems

無中生有

Create something from nothing

Comment： A plain lie. Make somebody believe there was something when there is in fact nothing.

暗渡陳倉

Openly repair the gallery roads， but sneak through the passage of Chencang

Comment： Advancing secretly by an unknown path. Deceive the enemy with an obvious approach that will take a very long time， while surprising him by taking a shortcut and sneak up to him. As the enemy concentrates on the decoy， he will miss you sneaking up to him.

隔岸觀火

Watch the fires burning across the river

Comment： Delay entering the field of battle until all the other players have become exhausted fighting amongst themselves. Then go in at full strength and pick up the pieces.

李代桃僵

Sacrifice the plum tree to preserve the peach tree

Comment： Palming off substitute for the real thing. There are circumstances in which you must sacrifice short-term objectives in order to gain the long-term goal. This is the scapegoat stratagem whereby someone else suffers the consequences so that the rest do not.

笑里藏刀

Hide a knife behind a smile

Comment： Charm and ingratiate yourself to your enemy. When you have gained his trust， move against him in secret.

順手牽羊

Take the opportunity to pilfer a goat

Comment： While carrying out your plans be flexible enough to take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself， however small， and avail yourself of any profit， however slight.

Chapter 3 攻戰計 Attacking Stratagems

打草驚蛇

Stomp the grass to scare the snake

Comment： Do something unaimed， but spectacular （“hitting the grass”） to provoke a response of the enemy （“startle the snake”）， thereby giving away his plans or position， or just taunt him. Do something unusual， strange， and unexpected as this will arouse the enemys suspicion and disrupt his thinking. More widely used as“[Do not] startle the snake by hitting the grass”. An imprudent act will give your position or intentions away to the enemy.

借尸還魂

Borrow a corpse to resurrect the soul

Comment： Take an institution， a technology， a method， or even an ideology that has been forgotten or discarded and appropriate it for your own purpose. Revive something from the past by giving it a new purpose or bring to life old ideas， customs， or traditions and reinterpret them to fit your purposes.

調虎離山

Entice the tiger to leave its mountain lair

Comment： Never directly attack an opponent whose advantage is derived from its position. Instead lure him away from his position thus separating him from his source of strength.

欲擒故縱

In order to capture， one must let loose

Comment： Cornered prey will often mount a final desperate attack. To prevent this you let the enemy believe he still has a chance for freedom. His will to fight is thus dampened by his desire to escape. When in the end the freedom is proven a falsehood the enemys morale will be defeated and he will surrender without a fight.

拋磚引玉

Tossing out a brick to get a jade gem

Comment： Bait someone by making him believe he gains something or just make him react to it （“toss out a brick”） and obtain something valuable from him in return （“get a jade gem”）.

擒賊擒王

Defeat the enemy by capturing their chief

Comment： If the enemys army is strong but is allied to the commander only by money， superstition or threats， then take aim at the leader. If the commander falls the rest of the army will disperse or come over to your side. If， however， they are allied to the leader through loyalty then beware， the army can continue to fight on after his death out of vengeance.