PART 4- CHAOS STRATEGIES 19 TO 24

36 STRATEGIES OF ANCIENT CHINA - SANGUO ONLINE COMMUNITY


"The Thirty-Six Strategies" is a a Chinese collection of 36 proverbs commented as militaristic tactics. Often attributed to Sun Tzu, this is generally rejected by scholars since Sun Tzu lived during the Spring and Autumn Period of China, while most of the 36 proverbs postdate that. It is believed by many to have been written by Zhuge Liang of the Three Kingdoms period.


This is a series of diverse strategies depending on the way the enemies present themselves, removing their strong support, creatinf illusions if you are weak, create confusions, using the resources of ally and friends, and be determined to achieve quick decisive and complete victory and not to prolong  and expose yourself to future counter attackes.

Chapter 4 - Chaos Strategies In Confused Situations



• Strategy 19 "釜底抽薪" – (Fu Di Chou Xin) Remove the firewood under the cooking pot. (Remove the stick from the axe.)


o When faced with an enemy too powerful to engage directly you must first weaken him by undermining his foundation and attacking his source of power.


• Strategy 20 "混水摸鱼" –(Hun Shui Mo Yu) Fish in disturbed waters.


o Before engaging your enemy's forces create confusion to weaken his perception and judgment. Do something unusual, strange, and unexpected as this will arouse the enemy's suspicion and disrupt his thinking. A distracted enemy is thus more vulnerable.


• Strategy 21 "金蝉脱壳" – (Jin Chan Tuo Qiao) Slough off the cicada's shell. (False appearances mislead the enemy.)


o When you are in danger of being defeated, and your only chance is to escape and regroup, then create an illusion. While the enemy's attention is focused on this artifice, secretly remove your men leaving behind only the facade of your presence.


• Strategy 22 "关门捉贼" – ( Guan Men Zhuo Zei) Shut the door to catch the thief.


o If you have the chance to completely capture the enemy then you should do so thereby bringing the battle or war to a quick and lasting conclusion. To allow your enemy to escape plants the seeds for future conflict. But if they succeed in escaping, be wary of giving chase.


• Strategy 23 "远交近攻" – (Yuan Jiao Jin Gong) Befriend a distant state while attacking a neighbor.


o 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.


• Strategy 24 "假道伐虢" – (Jia Dao Fa Guo) Obtain safe passage to conquer the Kingdom of Guo.


o 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.