Produce deceiving phenomena to hide the real intention to mislead the enemy, as you carry out your real mission safely and without being found.
2. 围魏救赵
“Encircle the Wei to save the Zhao”
The country Qi want to rescue country Zhao, which was being attacked heavily by the enemy country Wei. Sun-Pin, Qi’s King’s adviser and brilliant strategist, decided that instead of sending army to Zhao to fight Wei’s army, he send army to encircle Wei’s capital city, which is weakly guarded because Wei send most of its army to attack Zhao. This really pushed Wei’s button, and Wei has to withdraw her army back home to save its only capital.
The point is to avoid huge confrontation and attack the weak point.
3. 借刀杀人
“Borrow some one’s knife to kill your enemy”
If your enemy got other enemy besides you. Try to use/persuade the “other enemy” to defeat your enemy. An economic and little-energy-consuming way.
4. 以逸待劳
“Rest and waiting for the charging but tired enemy coming up attacking you”
Unless your strength is way stronger than your enemy, usually taking a defensive stance has better chance to win because you are not consumed as much as the offensive one charging at you.
5. 趁火打劫
“When the house is on fire, its good time to root”
When your enemy is in crisis or chaos, its good time to attack.
6. 声东击西
“make a lot noise to make the enemy know you are attacking the east side, than you actually attack the west side.”
It’s a widely used tactic in military with millions of examples can be cided.
7. 无中生有
“Produce things out of nothing”
This is usually talking about spreading rumors and propaganda. It can be very powerful and cost very little. Rumors and words out of mouth can kill people. Most recent example is the fall of Tiger Wood. Of course he deserves it.
8. 明修俴道，暗渡陈仓
“You openly building the road for launching the war, you secretly sneak through other road “Chen-Chang” to attack.”
Liu-Ban, who established the Han Dynasty, was going to attack his enemy Sian-Yu from Shi-Chuan province. In order to fool the enemy, he openly start building road from Shi-Chuan to the outside apparently preparing for the attack, which will take long time to finish. In secret, he swiftly attacked Sian-Yu from the other secret road “Chen-Chang”.
9. 隔岸观火
“Watching the enemy’s camp on fire from the other side of the river with easy”
When there is crisis, or situation is chaotic or complicated, you may want to choose to not be involved and take an easy stance, waiting for your chance.
10. 笑里藏刀
“In the smile, a knife is hidden”
Really evil people will be smiling at you while thinking about ways to ruin you.
An example is the Pirl Harbor. The day before the Pirl Harbor, the Japanese Foreign Minister was in Whasington, trying every way to convince the US that Japan finally have a change of her heart that they want to make peace and compromise with the US. So the US will be caught unprepared the next day.
11. 小不忍则乱大谋
“If you don’t swallow small things when situation needs you to, you will mass up the big strategic plan”
A life is meaningful when you have a mission, a goal to fight for. To achieve your long term goal, at times you have to tolerate dislikes, and swallow the unbearable. If you have real passion for your mission, you can do it! “大丈夫能曲能伸”
(A great man is able to curl up as well as strike out) is another way to say it.
12. 13. 打草惊蛇
“Beat the bush to disturb the snake out”
To understand your enemy or rival is important. Some times you produce a situation
so your rival/enemy will act (give a show), and you learn your enemy better. When you know your enemy better, you have better chance defeat him.
14, 15. 调虎离山
“Make the tiger leave the mountain”
When tiger is in a mountain, he is powerful. But if he is in a lane, he looses power and can be mocked by a dog. A way to defeat your enemy is to make him leave the ideal environment/place and he will loose his power or strength.
16. 欲擒故纵
“In order to seize /arrest him, you let him loose first”
Tricky people in power often play this trick. They pretend to be very agreeable, easy going and neglecting. He than watch all your wrong-doing. Than he will be able to use the evidence and acuse you.
17. 18. 擒贼擒王
“To seize the gang, seize the head of the gang first”
The leader of the enemy is the most critical one you want to wipe out in order to desolve your enemies.
19. 釜底抽薪
“Instead of putting out the fire on stove, you take away the wood burning in the stove”
To defeat your enemy, you don’t engage in direct confrontation, you take away your enemy’s power or the underline mechanism that makes your enemy powerful.
20. 混水摸鱼
“catch the fish in the cloudy water”
Chaotic and disastrous situation is not always bad for a smart person. You can take the opportunity that every body is confused or too busy or neglecting to get what you want.
21. 金蝉脱壳
“The golden beetle peal her outfit shell/skin and come out as a new beatle”
This idiom is often used to describe some one who secretly working on getting out/escape by keeping the appearance unchanged on the surface to hide his real intention of escaping.
23. 远交近攻
“Make friends with distant country who has no major conflict of interest with you, so you gain more strength to attack the neighboring enemy”
A famous strategy used by many nations over and over. One example is when China had worse and worse relation with Soviet Union, Mao decided to open diplomatic road to the US. US feels the same need to defeat the Soviet communists. So came Nixon and Kissinger to China. This directly contribute to eventual collapse of Soviet Union.
26. 指桑骂楑
“finger point at plant Suan and actually hinting at cursing the plant kui”
A political/diplomatic trick. You appear to be criticizing some one, but every body knows you are actually hinting at criticizing some one else.
27. 假痴不癫
“pretend to become insane, schizophrenic”
During 春秋战国，孙膑 was persecuted by his own jealous schoolmate庞涓 in many different ways. He was trapped in the country Wei. Eventually he as to use the last trick: pretend to become totally insane/schizophrenic. He performed so well that he convinced 庞涓 that he is indeed insane. And 庞涓 no more keep an eye on him. And he got a chance to escape the country Wei. 孙膑 later became military adviser for the King of country Qi and defeated 庞涓。
28。过河拆桥
“After you crossed the river via the bridge, you destroy the bridge”
Some people can be so mean. After they finished using you, they may sell you for pennies.
31. 美人计
“The trick of using the beautiful women”
So many heroes in history can conquer any thing but can not conquer them selves against the temptation of beautiful woman.
During 春秋战国，the King of 越国 (very weak) bribed the King of 吴国 (very strong) with 3 things: 1. The most beautiful woman in Chinese history 西施，2.
biggest and tallest wood they found on earth as a gift to 吴国 so the King will building the largest mansion on earth, consuming all the materials of his country, and 3. Offering rice seeds to country Wu which had a poor harvest and no seed to plant for next year. But the seeds offered were cooked and only appear normal. The country Wu as a result had no harvest the next year. With these 3 simple tricks, 越国 made 吴国 weak, and conquered it the following year.
32. 空城计
“The trick of an empty town”
三国时代，诸葛亮 was famous for taking a lot of risks very smart and carefully. His name is now a synonym of wisdom in China.
Once he happen to have very small number of soldiers with him surveying a small town. It happen that 司马懿，曹操’s general was near by and got the news. The general’s army over number’s Zu-Ge-Lian’s and surrounded the town. It was very critical moment. Zu-Ge-Lian ordered to open all the gates of the town, asked all the people and soldiers be calm, sweeping floors and continue trading in the market. Zu-Ge-Liang then sat on the top of the wall of the front gate, playing music instrument 古筝 very calm and beautifully. 司马懿 got very suspicious that there must be an ambush in the town waiting for him, because he know that Zu-Ge-Liang has been always a very careful and calculated who many battles he has lost to. The general ordered an immediate retreat. Zu-Ge-Liang laughed and escaped in time.
33. 反间计
“The trick of making enemy suspicious among them sleves”
An example. 三国时代，周瑜 warmly entertained the messenger from 曹操，who is also his old classmate. Zhou-Yu pretend to be very drunk and invited the messiger to his own bed room to sleep. The messenger thought he got a chance. He found a letter from Zhou-Yu’s desk from 2 of Cao-Cao’s generals who are the best in battles on water. The letter said they will find a chance to kill Cao-Cao. It’s a fake letter and a set up. The messenger sneak back to Cao-Cao’s camp the same night. Cao-Cao saw the letter, got very angry and killed the 2 general of his own who are good in fight on water. This contributed to Cao-Cao’s big loss of the battle 赤壁大战。
36。走为上计
“Going away is now the best option”
At times in your life, there may be situations that when you lay out all the options, none is good enough, and escaping the whole situation/go away become the best choice.
When save your self become the best option, its called “留着青山在，不怕没材烧”
That’s all, my kids. I hope its cool. 作者: 歪弟 时间: 2011-4-16 22:47
