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The Thirty-Six Stratagems(三十六计 sān shí liù jì) 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 Ⅰ 胜战计 shèng zhàn jì Winning Stratagems
瞒天过海 mán tiān guò hǎi
Deceive the heavens to cross the ocean
Comment: 备周而意怠，常见则不疑，阴在阳之内，不在阳之对。太阳，太阴。
bèi zhōu ér yì dài, cháng jiàn zé bùyí, yīn zài yáng zhī nèi, bú zài yáng zhīduì. tài yáng, tài yīn.
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).
围魏救赵 wéi wèi jiù zhào
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.
借刀杀人 jiè dāo shā rén
Kill with a borrowed knife
Comment: Attack using the strength of another (in a situation where using one’s own strength is not favourable). Trick an ally into attacking him, bribe an official to turn traitor, or use the enemy’s own strength against him. Stratagem
以逸待劳 yǐ yì dài láo
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 chèn huǒ dǎ jié
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.
声东击西 shēng dōng jī xī
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 enemy’s mind through the use of a feint.
Chapter Ⅱ 敌战计 dí zhàn jì Enemy Dealing Stratagems
无中生有 wú zhōng shēng yǒu
Create something from nothing
Comment: A plain lie. Make somebody believe there was something when there is in fact nothing.
暗渡陈仓 àn dù chén cāng
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.
隔岸观火 gé àn guān huǒ
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 lǐ dài táo jiāng
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 xiào lǐ cáng dāo 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.
顺手牵羊 shùn shǒu qiān yáng
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 Ⅲ 攻战计 gōng zhàn jì Attacking Stratagems
打草惊蛇 dǎ cǎo jīng shé
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 enemy’s 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.
借尸还魂 jiè shī huán hún
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.
调虎离山 diào hǔ lí shān
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.
欲擒故纵 yù qín gù zòng
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 enemy’s morale will be defeated and he will surrender without a fight.
抛砖引玉 pāo zhuān yǐn yù
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").
擒贼擒王 qín zéi qín wáng
Defeat the enemy by capturing their chief
Comment: 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.
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 Ⅰ 胜战计 shèng zhàn jì Winning Stratagems
瞒天过海 mán tiān guò hǎi
Deceive the heavens to cross the ocean
Comment: 备周而意怠，常见则不疑，阴在阳之内，不在阳之对。太阳，太阴。
bèi zhōu ér yì dài, cháng jiàn zé bùyí, yīn zài yáng zhī nèi, bú zài yáng zhīduì. tài yáng, tài yīn.
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).
围魏救赵 wéi wèi jiù zhào
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.
借刀杀人 jiè dāo shā rén
Kill with a borrowed knife
Comment: Attack using the strength of another (in a situation where using one’s own strength is not favourable). Trick an ally into attacking him, bribe an official to turn traitor, or use the enemy’s own strength against him. Stratagem
以逸待劳 yǐ yì dài láo
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 chèn huǒ dǎ jié
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.
声东击西 shēng dōng jī xī
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 enemy’s mind through the use of a feint.
Chapter Ⅱ 敌战计 dí zhàn jì Enemy Dealing Stratagems
无中生有 wú zhōng shēng yǒu
Create something from nothing
Comment: A plain lie. Make somebody believe there was something when there is in fact nothing.
暗渡陈仓 àn dù chén cāng
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.
隔岸观火 gé àn guān huǒ
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 lǐ dài táo jiāng
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 xiào lǐ cáng dāo 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.
顺手牵羊 shùn shǒu qiān yáng
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 Ⅲ 攻战计 gōng zhàn jì Attacking Stratagems
打草惊蛇 dǎ cǎo jīng shé
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 enemy’s 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.
借尸还魂 jiè shī huán hún
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.
调虎离山 diào hǔ lí shān
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.
欲擒故纵 yù qín gù zòng
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 enemy’s morale will be defeated and he will surrender without a fight.
抛砖引玉 pāo zhuān yǐn yù
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").
擒贼擒王 qín zéi qín wáng
Defeat the enemy by capturing their chief
Comment: 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.