Strategies
Thirty-Six Stratagems: Mastering the Art of War and Strategy
For centuries, the Thirty-Six Stratagems have served as a powerful guide for navigating the complexities of human interaction, conflict resolution, and achieving strategic success in diverse fields. Originating from China's rich history, these stratagems offer timeless wisdom that transcends cultural and temporal boundaries, remaining relevant and applicable in the modern world.
Understanding the Thirty-Six Stratagems:
Chapter 1: Winning Stratagems
Deceive the heavens to cross the sea
Mask one's real goals from those in authority who lack vision by not alerting them to one's movements or any part of one's plan.
Besiege Wèi to rescue Zhào
When the enemy is too strong to be attacked directly, attack something they cherish. The idea is to avoid a head-on battle with a strong enemy, and instead strike at their weakness elsewhere. This will force the strong enemy to retreat in order to support their weakness. Battling against a tired and dispirited enemy will give a much higher chance of success.
Kill with a borrowed knife
Attack using the strength of another when in a situation where using one's own strength is not favourable. For example, trick an ally into attacking them or use the enemy's own strength against them. The idea is to cause damage to the enemy via a third party.
Wait at leisure while the enemy labors
It is advantageous to choose the time and place for battle while the enemy does not. Encourage the enemy to expend their energy in futile quests while one conserves their strength. When the enemy is exhausted and confused, attack with energy and purpose.
Loot a burning house
When a country is beset by internal problems, such as disease, famine, corruption, and crime, it is poorly-equipped to deal with an outside threat. Keep gathering internal information about an enemy. If the enemy is in its weakest state, attack them without mercy and annihilate them to prevent future troubles.
Make a sound in the east, then strike in the west
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 they least expect it. Create an expectation in the enemy's mind through the use of a feint. Manipulate the enemy to focus their resources somewhere before attacking elsewhere that is poorly defended. Tactically, this is known as an "open feint".
Chapter 2: Enemy Dealing Stratagems
Create something from nothing
A plain lie. Make somebody believe there was something when there is in fact nothing or vice versa.
Openly repair the gallery roads, but sneak through the passage of Chencang
Deceive the enemy with an obvious approach that will take a very long time, while ambushing them with another approach. It is an extension of the "Make a sound in the east, then strike in the west" tactic, but instead of merely spreading misinformation to draw the enemy's attention, physical decoys are used to further misdirect the enemy. The decoys must be easily seen by the enemy to draw their attention while acting as if they are meant to do what they are falsely doing to avoid suspicion.
Today, "sneaking through the passage of Chencang" also has the meaning of having an affair or doing something that is illegal.
Watch the fires burning across the river
Delay entering the field of battle until all other parties become exhausted by fighting amongst each other. Go in at full strength and finish them off.
Hide a knife behind a smile
Charm and ingratiate oneself with the enemy. When their trust is gained, move against them in secret.
Sacrifice the plum tree to preserve the peach tree
There are circumstances where short-term objectives must be sacrificed in order to gain the long-term goal. This is the scapegoat strategy where someone suffers the consequences so that the rest do not.
Take the opportunity to pilfer a goat
While carrying out one's plans, be flexible enough to take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself, however small, and avail oneself of any profit, however slight.
Chapter 3: Offensive Stratagems
Stomp the grass to scare the snake
Do something unaimed, but spectacular ("hitting the grass") to provoke a response from the enemy ("startle the snake") to have them give away their plans or position. Do something unusual, strange, and unexpected to arouse the enemy's suspicion and disrupt their thinking. It is more widely used as a warning: "[Do not] startle the snake by hitting the grass". An imprudent act will give one's position or intentions away to the enemy.
Borrow a corpse to resurrect the soul
Take an institution, a technology, a method, or even an ideology that has been forgotten or discarded and appropriate it for one's own purposes.
Lure the tiger down the mountain
Never directly attack an opponent whose advantage is derived from their position. Instead, lure them away from their position to separate them from their source of strength.
In order to capture, one must let loose
Cornered prey will often mount a final desperate attack. To prevent this, let the enemy believe they still have a chance for freedom. Their will to fight is hampered by their desire to escape. The enemy's morale will be depleted and they will surrender without a fight when the illusion of escape is revealed.
Tossing out a brick to lure a jade gem
Bait someone by making them believe they gain something or to just make them react to it ("toss out a brick") to obtain something valuable from them in return ("get a jade gem").
Defeat the enemy by capturing their chief
If the enemy's army is strong but is allied to the commander only by money, superstition, or threats, target the leader. If the commander falls, the rest of the army will disperse or join one's side. If they are allied to the leader through loyalty, beware, as the army can continue to fight on after their death out of vengeance.
Chapter 4: Mixed Warfare Stratagems
Remove the firewood from under the pot
Take out the leading argument or asset of someone; "steal someone's thunder". This is the essence of the indirect approach: instead of attacking enemy's fighting forces, direct attacks against their ability to wage war. Literally, take the fuel out of the fire.
Disturb the water and catch a fish
Create confusion and exploit it to further one's own goals.
Slough off the cicada's golden shell
Mask oneself. Either leave one's distinctive traits behind and become inconspicuous or masquerade as something or someone else. This strategy is mainly used to escape from a stronger enemy.
Shut the door to catch the thief
To capture one's enemy, or more generally in fighting wars, to deliver the final blow to the enemy, plan prudently for success; do not rush into action. Before "moving in for the kill", first cut off the enemy's escape routes and any routes from external aid.
Befriend a distant state and strike a neighbouring one
Invading nations close to oneself carries a higher chance of success. The battlefields are close to one's domain and as such is easier for one's troops to receive supplies and defend the conquered land. Make allies with nations far away from oneself, as it is unwise to invade them.
Obtain safe passage to conquer the State of Guo
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 them in the first place.
Chapter 5: Combined Stratagems
Replace the beams with rotten timbers
Disrupt the enemy's formations, interfere with their methods of operations, and change the rules that they are used to following. In this way the supporting pillar, the common link that makes a group of men an effective fighting force, is removed.
Point at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree
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
Pretend to be incompetent to create confusion about one's intentions and motivations. Lure the opponent into underestimating one's ability until they drop their guard.
Remove the ladder when the enemy has ascended to the roof
With baits and deceptions, lure the enemy into treacherous terrain and cut off their lines of communication and escape routes. To save themselves, they must fight both one's own forces and the elements of nature.
Decorate the tree with false blossoms
Tying silk blossoms on a dead tree gives the illusion that the tree is healthy. Using artifice and disguise, make something worthless appear valuable and vice versa.
Make the host and the guest exchange roles
Usurp leadership in a situation where one is normally subordinate. Infiltrate one's target. Initially, pretend to be a guest to be accepted, but develop from inside and become the owner later.
Chapter 6: Defeat Stratagems
The beauty trap (Honeypot)
Send the 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. Second, the group of men will begin to have issues if the desired women court another man, thus creating conflict and aggressive behavior. Third, other females at court, motivated by jealousy and envy, begin to plot subversions that further exacerbate the situation.
The empty fort strategy
When the enemy has stronger forces and one expects to be overrun at any moment, act calmly and taunt the enemy, so that the enemy thinks they are walking into an ambush. This stratagem is only successful if in most cases one has a powerful hidden force and the stratagem is seldom used.
Let the enemy's own spy sow discord in the enemy camp
Undermine the enemy's ability to fight by secretly causing discord between them and their friends, allies, advisors, family, commanders, soldiers, and population. While they are preoccupied with settling internal disputes, their ability to attack or defend is compromised.
Inflict injury on oneself to win the enemy's trust
Pretending to be injured has two advantages: first, the enemy is lulled into lowering their guard since as they no longer consider one to be an immediate threat. Second, ingratiating oneself with the enemy by pretending the injury was caused by a mutual enemy conserves one's strength while one's enemies fight each other.
Chain stratagems
In important matters, one should use several stratagems applied simultaneously after another as in a chain of stratagems. Keep different plans operating in an overall scheme; if any one strategy fails, apply the next strategy.
If all else fails, retreat
If it becomes obvious that one's current course of action will lead to defeat, retreat and regroup. When one's side is losing, three choices remain: surrender, compromise, or escape. Surrender is complete defeat, compromise is half defeat, but escape is not defeat. As long as one is not defeated, there is still a chance. This is the most famous of the stratagems and is immortalized in the form of a Chinese idiom: "Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing is best".
The Thirty-Six Stratagems are not merely a collection of military tactics; they encompass a broader philosophy of strategy, encompassing diplomacy, deception, psychology, and adapting to ever-changing circumstances. Each stratagem presents a concise yet profound principle, offering practical guidance on outmaneuvering opponents, seizing opportunities, and achieving victory.
The Six Categories:
The Thirty-Six Stratagems are organized into six categories, each focusing on a specific strategic approach:
1. Winning Strategies: These stratagems focus on directly engaging the enemy and achieving victory through superior tactics and strength. Examples include "Surround Wei to Rescue Zhao" and "Lure the Tiger out of the Mountain."
2. Engaging Strategies: These stratagems emphasize the importance of initiating action and creating favorable conditions for victory. Examples include "Cross the Sea to Attack Wu" and "Make a Sound East and Attack West."
3. Attacking Strategies: These stratagems focus on directly confronting the enemy and exploiting their weaknesses to gain an advantage. Examples include "Kill with Borrowed Knife" and "Strike the Snake and Kill Seven Inches of It."
4. Conciliatory Strategies: These stratagems emphasize the importance of negotiation and compromise to achieve peaceful resolutions and avoid unnecessary conflict. Examples include "Befriend a Distant State While Attacking a Neighbor" and "Sow Discord to Reap the Benefits."
5. Weakening Strategies: These stratagems focus on weakening the enemy's position through subtle manipulation and psychological tactics. Examples include "Empty City Strategy" and "Steal the Beams and Replace the Pillars."
6. Miscellaneous Strategies: These stratagems encompass various tactics for adapting to different situations and achieving unexpected outcomes. Examples include "Make the Best of a Bad Situation" and "Feign Madness to Escape Calamity."
Beyond the Battlefield:
The Thirty-Six Stratagems are not just for military leaders and strategists. Their principles can be applied to a wide range of fields, including:
• Business: Negotiating contracts, outmaneuvering competitors, and achieving market dominance. • Politics: Gaining political power, influencing public opinion, and winning elections. • Personal Life: Building and maintaining relationships, resolving conflicts, and achieving personal goals. • Creative Fields: Developing innovative ideas, overcoming creative blocks, and achieving artistic success.
Understanding and applying the Thirty-Six Stratagems can empower individuals to:
Think strategically: Develop a deeper understanding of conflict dynamics and develop effective solutions.
Adapt to change: Remain flexible and adjust their approach as circumstances evolve.
Seize opportunities: Identify and capitalize on favorable situations to advance their goals.
Anticipate their opponents' moves: Gain insights into their opponent's thinking and develop effective counter-strategies.
Achieve victory: Overcome obstacles and achieve their desired outcomes in various aspects of life.
Learning and Implementing the Thirty-Six Stratagems:
The Thirty-Six Stratagems offer a wealth of knowledge and wisdom, but mastering them requires dedicated study and thoughtful reflection.
Conclusion:
The Thirty-Six Stratagems are more than just a collection of historical anecdotes; they represent a timeless framework for navigating the complexities of human interaction and achieving strategic success. By understanding and applying these principles, individuals can develop a more strategic mindset, gain a competitive edge, and ultimately achieve their desired outcomes in various spheres of life. As you embark on this journey of exploration, remember that the true power of the Thirty-Six Stratagems lies in their enduring wisdom and their ability to empower you to navigate the ever-changing landscape of life with confidence and success.
