The Chinese are scary. Don't believe me?
Read the 36 Strategies of the iChing.
Winning Stratagems - from the 36 Strategies - Chinese - Taught and Used today in 2013
(勝戰計)
Deceive the heavens to cross the ocean
(瞞天過海／瞒天过海, Mán tiān guò hǎi)
This stratagem means that you can mask your real goals, by using the ruse of a fake goal that everyone takes for granted, until the real goal is achieved. Tactically, this is known as an 'open feint'; in front of everyone, you point west, when your goal is actually in the east. The best hoax is to repeat it so often that people are convinced that the next move is also a hoax. When this happens, it is the best moment to carry out one's previously hidden true objective.
Besiege Wèi to rescue Zhào
(圍魏救趙／围魏救赵, Wéi Wèi jiù Zhào)
The idea here is to avoid a head on battle with a strong enemy, and instead strike at his weakness elsewhere. This will force the strong enemy to retreat in order to support his weakness. Battling against the now tired and low-morale enemy will give a much higher chance of success.
Kill with a borrowed knife
(借刀殺人／借刀杀人, Jiè dāo shā rén)
Trick an ally into attacking him, bribe an official to turn traitor, or use the enemy's own strength against him.The idea here is to cause damage to the enemy by getting a 3rd party to do the deed.
Wait at leisure while the enemy labors[edit]
(以逸待勞／以逸待劳, Yǐ yì dài láo)
. 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.
Loot a burning house
(趁火打劫, Chèn huǒ dǎ jié)
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. Keep gathering internal information about an enemy. If the enemy is currently in its weakest state ever, attack it without mercy and totally destroy it to prevent future troubles.
Make a sound in the east, then strike in the west
(聲東擊西／声东击西, Shēng dōng jī xī)
. 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 enemy's mind through the use of a feint. The idea here is to get the enemy to focus his forces in a location, and then attack elsewhere which would be weakly defended.
Enemy Dealing Stratagems[edit]
(敵戰計)
Create something from nothing
(無中生有／无中生有, Wú zhōng shēng yǒu)
A plain lie. Make somebody believe there was something when there is in fact nothing. One method of using this strategy is to create an illusion of something's existence, while it does not exist. Another method is to create an illusion that something does not exist, while it does.
Openly repair the gallery roads, but sneak through the passage of Chencang
(明修棧道,暗渡陳倉／明修栈道,暗渡陈仓, Míng xiū zhàn dào, àn dù chén cāng)
Instead of simply spreading misinformation to draw the enemy's attention, physical baits are used to increase the enemy's certainty on the misinformation. These baits must be easily seen by the enemy, to ensure that they draw the enemy's attention.
Watch the fires burning across the river
(隔岸觀火／隔岸观火, Gé àn guān huǒ)
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.
Hide a knife behind a smile
(笑裏藏刀／笑里藏刀, Xiào lǐ cáng dāo)
Charm and ingratiate yourself to your enemy. When you have gained his trust, move against him in secret.
Sacrifice the plum tree to preserve the peach tree
(李代桃僵, Lǐ dài táo jiāng)
There are circumstances in which you must sacrifice short-term objectives in order to gain the long-term goal. This is the scapegoat strategy whereby someone else suffers the consequences
Take the opportunity to pilfer a goat
(順手牽羊／顺手牵羊, Shùn shǒu qiān yáng)
Take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself, however small, and avail yourself of any profit, however slight.
Attacking Stratagems
(攻戰計)
Stomp the grass to scare the snake
(打草驚蛇／打草惊蛇, Dá cǎo jīng shé)
Do something unusual, strange, and unexpected as this will arouse the enemy's suspicion and disrupt his thinking. More widely used as "[Do not] startle the snake by hitting the grass". .
Borrow a corpse to resurrect the soul
(借屍還魂／借尸还魂, Jiè shī huán hún)
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.
Entice the tiger to leave its mountain lair
(調虎離山／调虎离山, Diào hǔ lí shān)
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.
In order to capture, one must let loose
(欲擒故縱／欲擒故纵, Yù qín gū zòng)
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 enemy's morale will be defeated and he will surrender without a fight.
Tossing out a brick to get a jade gem
(拋磚引玉／抛砖引玉, Pāo zhuān yǐn yù)
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").
Defeat the enemy by capturing their chief
(擒賊擒王／擒贼擒王, Qín zéi qín wáng)
If the enemy's 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.
Chapter 4: Chaos Stratagems
(混戰計)
Remove the firewood from under the pot
(釜底抽薪, Fǔ dǐ chōu xīn)
Take out the leading argument or asset of someone; "steal someone's thunder". This is the very essence of indirect approach: instead of attacking enemy's fighting forces, the attacks are directed against his ability to wage war.
Disturb the water and catch a fish
(渾水摸魚／浑水摸鱼 or 混水摸鱼, Hún shuǐ mō yú)
Create confusion and use this confusion to further your own goals.
Slough off the cicada's golden shell
(金蟬脱殼／金蝉脱壳, Jīn chán tuō qiào)
Mask yourself. Either leave flamboyant traits behind, thus going incognito; or just masquerade yourself and create an illusion to fit your goals and distract others.
Shut the door to catch the thief
(關門捉賊／关门捉贼, Guān mén zhuō zéi)
Before you "move in for the kill", first cut off your enemy's escape routes, and cut off any routes through which outside help can reach them.
Befriend a distant state while attacking a neighbor
(遠交近攻／远交近攻, Yuǎn jiāo jìn gōng)
It is known that nations that border each other become enemies while nations separated by distance and obstacles make better allies. When you are the strongest in one field, your greatest threat is from the second strongest in your field, not the strongest from another field.
Obtain safe passage to conquer the State of Guo
(假道伐虢, Jiǎ dào fá Guó)
Borrow the resources of an ally to attack a common enemy.
Once the enemy is defeated, use those resources to turn on the ally that lent you them in the first place.
(並戰計)
Replace the beams with rotten timbers
(偷梁換柱／偷梁换柱, Tōu liáng huàn zhù)
Change the rules in which they are used to follow, go contrary to their standard training. In this way you remove the supporting pillar, the common link that makes a group of men an effective fighting force.
Point at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree[edit]
(指桑罵槐／指桑骂槐, Zhǐ sāng mà huái)
To discipline, control, or warn others whose status or position excludes them from direct confrontation; use analogy and innuendo. Without directly naming names, those accused cannot retaliate without revealing their complicity.
Feign madness but keep your balance
(假痴不癲／假痴不癫, Jiǎ chī bù diān)
Hide behind the mask of a fool, a drunk, or a madman to create confusion about your intentions and motivations. Lure your opponent into underestimating your ability until, overconfident, he drops his guard. Then you may attack.
Remove the ladder when the enemy has ascended to the roof
(上屋抽梯, Shàng wū chōu tī)
With baits and deceptions, lure your enemy into treacherous terrain. Then cut off his lines of communication and avenue of escape. To save himself, he must fight both your own forces and the elements of nature.
Deck the tree with false blossoms
(樹上開花／树上开花, Shù shàng kāi huā)
Tying silk blossoms on a dead tree gives the illusion that the tree is healthy. Through the use of artifice and disguise, make something of no value appear valuable; of no threat appear dangerous; of no use appear useful.
Make the host and the guest exchange roles
(反客為主／反客为主, Fǎn kè wéi zhǔ)
Usurp leadership in a situation where you are normally subordinate. Infiltrate your target. Initially, pretend to be a guest to be accepted, but develop from inside and become the owner later.
(敗戰計)
The beauty trap (Honeypot)
(美人計／美人计, Měi rén jì)
Send your enemy beautiful women to cause discord within his camp. This strategy can work on three levels. First, the ruler becomes so enamoured with the beauty that he neglects his duties and allows his vigilance to wane.
