PART 2- CONFRONTATION STRATEGIES 7 to 12

36 STRATEGIES OF ANCIENT CHINA - SAN GUO

"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 set of  deception strategies  enables one to maximise the  opportunities  and gains - with minimum efforts.
 
Chapter 2 - Enemy Dealing/ Confrontation Strategies



• Strategy 7 "无中生有" ( Wu Zhong Sheng You)- Create something from nothing.


o You use the same feint twice. Having reacted to the first and often the second feint as well, the enemy will be hesitant to react to a third feint. Therefore the third feint is the actual attack catching your enemy with his guard down.


• Strategy 8 "暗渡陈仓"( An Du Chen Cang) - Secretly utilize the Chen Chang passage. (Repair the highway to take the crude path.) e.g., the Allied invasion of Normandy and the Pas de Calais deception.


o Attack the enemy with two convergent forces. The first is the direct attack, one that is obvious and for which the enemy prepares his defense. The second is the indirect, the attack sinister, that the enemy does not expect and which causes him to divide his forces at the last minute leading to confusion and disaster.


• Strategy 9 "隔岸观火" (Ge An Guan Huo) - Watch the fires burning across the river.


o Delay entering the field of battle until all the other players have become exhausted fighting amongst themselves. Then go in full strength and pick up the pieces.


• Strategy 10 "笑里藏刀" (Xiao Li Cang Dao)- Knife sheathed in a smile.


o Charm and ingratiate yourself to your enemy. When you have gained his trust, you move against him in secret


• Strategy 11 "李代桃僵" (Li Dai Tao Jiang)- Plum tree sacrifices for the peach tree. (Sacrifice the silver to keep the gold.)


o 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 so that the rest do not.


• Strategy 12 "顺手牵羊" – (Shun Shou Qian Yang) Stealing a goat along the way (Take the opportunity to pilfer a goat.)


o 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.