THE THIRTY-SIX STRATAGEMS

(Classic Chinese War Stratagems)

I. Stratagems when in Superior Position

瞒天过海

The perception of perfect preparation leads to relapsed vigilance. The sight of common occurrences leads to slackened suspicion. Therefore secret machinations are better concealed in the open than in the dark, and extreme public exposure often contains extreme secrecy.

瞞天過海

原文：備周則意怠；常見則不疑。陰在陽之內，不在陽之對。太陽，太陰。

解析：防備周全時，更容易麻痺大意；習以為常的事，也常會失去警戒。秘密潛在公開的事物裡，並非存在於公開暴露的事物之外。公開暴露的事物發展到極端，就形成了最隱秘的潛藏狀態。

围魏救赵

Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao/Surround one state to save another

It is wiser to launch an attack against the enemy forces when they are dispersed than to fight them when they are concentrated.

圍魏救趙

原文：共敵不如分敵；敵陽不如敵陰。

解析：直接攻打集中的強敵，不如先設計分散它再各個擊破；主動出擊攻擊敵人，不如等待敵人的弱點暴露後再相機殲敵。

借刀杀人

Kill with a borrowed knife

Your enemy's situation is clear but your ally's stand is uncertain. At this time, induce your ally to attack your enemy in order to preserve your strength. In dialectic terms, another man's loss is your gain.

借刀殺人

原文：敵已明，友示定，引友殺敵，不自出力，以《損》推演。

解析：在敵方情況已經明確，友軍態度尚未穩定時，應引導友軍與敵人拚殺，不必自己出兵攻打，以保存實力。這就是根據《易經。損》卦"損上益下"的原理推演出的，用別人的損失換取自己的利益的辦法。

以逸待劳

Wait at ease for the enemy

To weaken the enemy, it is not necessary to attack him directly. Tire him by carrying out an active defense, and in doing so, his strength will be reduced, and your side will gain the upper hand.

以逸待勞

原文：困敵之勢，不以戰；損剛益柔。

解析：迫使敵人處於困難的境地，不一定採取直接進攻的手段，可以根據剛柔互相轉化的原理，實行積極防禦，逐漸消耗、疲憊敵人，使之由強變弱，我方則由被動變主動。

趁火打劫

Loot a burning house

When the enemy falls into a severe crisis, exploit his adversity and attack by direct confrontation.

趁火打劫

原文：敵之害大，就勢取利。剛決柔也。

解析：當敵方出現危難時，應該趁機出擊，奪取勝利。這就是把握戰機，以強擊弱，克敵制勝的策略。

声东击西

Make a feint to the east while attacking in the west

You spread misleading information about your intentions or make false suggestions, in order to induce the opponent to concentrate his defenses on one front and thereby leave another front vulnerable to attack.

聲東擊西

原文：亂志亂萃，不虞，坤下兌上之象；利其不自主而取之。

解析：敵方已經混亂，對所發生的事情都感意外，難以判斷和應付，這是《易經。萃》卦所說的那種混亂潰敗的象徵。應當利用其失去控制力的時機去消滅它。

II. Stratagems for Confrontation

无中生有

Create something out of nothing

Design a counterfeit front to put the enemy off-guard. When the trick works, the front is changes into something real so that the enemy will be thrown into a state of double confusion. In short, deceptive appearances often conceal some forthcoming dangers.

無中生有

原文：誑也，非誑也，實其所誑也。少陰、太陰、太陽。

解析：製造假象欺騙敵人，但又不是弄假到底，而是巧妙地由假變真，由虛變實，以假象掩蓋真象，造成敵人的錯覺。

暗渡陈仓

Pretend to advance along one path while secretly getting along by a hidden path

You set up a false front, then penetrate the opponent's territory on other fronts while they are distracted by your false front.

暗渡陳倉

原文：示之以動，利其靜而有主，"益動而巽"。

解析：故意暴露我方正面攻擊的行動，利用敵人在此固守的時機，分兵迂迴敵後發動突然襲擊，出奇制勝。

隔岸观火

Watch the fire burning from the other side of the river

When a serious conflict breaks out within the enemy alliance, wait quietly for the chaos to build up. Because once its internal conflict intensifies, the alliance will bring destruction upon itself. As for you, observe closely and make preparations for any advantages that may come from it.

隔岸觀火

原文：陽乖序亂，陰以待逆。暴戾恣睢，其勢自斃。順以動豫，豫順以動。

解析：在敵方內部分裂，秩序混亂時，我應靜待其形勢繼續惡化。敵人橫暴凶殘，互相仇殺，勢必自取滅亡。按照《易經。豫》卦原理，順應敵情發展，坐收漁利。

笑里藏刀

Conceal a dagger in a smile

You conceal your hostility by assuming outward friendliness. You ingratiate yourself with enemies, inducing them to trust you. When you have their confidence, you can move against them in secret.

笑裡藏刀

原文：信而安之，陰以圖之；備而後動，勿使有變，剛中柔外也。

解析：使敵人想信我方重於友誼，而使之麻痺鬆懈，暗中積極策劃破敵之計，經過充分準備後突然行動，不讓敵人有所察覺，內藏殺機，外示柔順。

李代桃僵

Sacrifice the plum for the peach/Ready to make sacrifice for the ultimate gain

When loss is inevitable, sacrifice the part for the benefit of the whole.

李代桃僵

原文：勢必有損，損陰以益陽。

解析：當戰局發展到必然要受損失的時候，就要犧牲局部，去換取全局的利益。

顺手牵羊

Lead away a goat in passing: picking up something in the sly

Exploit any minor lapses on the enemy side, and seize every advantage to your side. Any negligence of the enemy must be turned into a benefit for you.

順手牽羊

原文：微隙在所必乘；微利在所必得。少陰，少陽。

解析：發現敵人微小的漏洞，必須乘機利用；發現我方微小的利益，必須力爭獲得。變敵方的小失誤為我方的小勝利。
III. Stratagems for Attack

打草惊蛇

Beat the grass to startle the snake

When opponents are reserved and unfathomable, you create some sort of stir to see how they will react.

打草驚蛇

原文：疑以叩實，察而後動；復者，陰之媒也。

解析：有懷疑就應弄清實情，等情況偵察清楚後再行動；反覆偵察，是瞭解敵情，發現暗藏敵人的手段。

借尸还魂

Raise a corpse from the dead

Don’t use what everyone else is using, but use what others’ aren’t using.  This can mean reviving something that has dropped out of use through neglect, or finding uses for things that had hitherto been ignored or considered useless.

借屍還魂

原文：有用者，不可借；不能用者，求借。借不能用者而用之，匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我。

解析：有所作為的，難以控制，不可加以利用；無所作為的，多依賴別人，會求助於我，完全可以控制和利用。利用無所作為的，不是我受別人支配，而是我去支配別人。

调虎离山

Lure the tiger out of the mountain

You don't go into the powerful opponents' territory, but induce them to come out of their stronghold.

調虎離山

原文：待天以困之，用人以誘之。"往蹇來返"。

解析：等到自然條件變化給敵人造成困難，利用人為的假象去引誘敵人。向前進攻有危險，就設法把敵人引出來消滅。

欲擒故纵

Let the enemy off in order to snare him

Press the enemy forces too hard and they will strike back fiercely. Let them go and their morale will sink. Follow then closely, but do not push them too hard. Tire them out and sap their morale; capture them when they are in panic and flee helter-skelter.

欲擒故縱

原文：逼則反兵；走則減勢，緊隨勿迫。累其氣力，消其鬥志，散而後擒，兵不血刃。需，有孚，光。

解析：逼敵過甚，會遭到反撲；讓它逃跑，則可以削弱它的氣勢，只須緊跟隨在後面，消耗敵之體力，達到兵不血刃而勝。這是《易經·需》的原理。

抛砖引玉

 Toss out a glazed tile to draw a jade/Cast a brick to attract a gem

Present something of superficial or apparent value to induce another party to produce something of real worth.

拋磚引玉

原文：類以誘之，擊蒙也。

解析：用非常相似的事物去誘惑敵人，使其懵懵懂懂地上當受騙。

擒贼擒王

To catch rebels, nab their king first

When confronted with a massive opposition, you take aim at its central leadership and focus your resources on capturing the enemy chief.

擒賊擒王

原文：摧其堅，奪其魁，以解其體，龍戰於野，其道窮也。

解析：摧毀敵人的主力，捉住它的首領，以瓦解它的整體力量。就像龍在陸地作戰，其本領無從施展而陷入絕境一樣。

IV. Stratagems for Confused Situations

釜底抽薪

Take away the fire from under the cauldron

When confronted with a powerful enemy, do not fight them head-on but try to win by undermining the enemy's resources and morale.

釜底抽薪

原文：不敵其力，而消其勢，兌下乾上之象。

解析：兩軍對壘，不直接抗擊敵人的鋒芒，而是設法從根本上削弱它的氣勢，即用以柔克剛的手段制服敵人。

混水摸鱼

Fish in troubled waters

You use confusion to your advantage, to take what you want. It may specifically mean taking advantage of a general or particular loss of direction in order to gather followers from among the uncommitted or disenfranchised.

混水摸魚

原文：乘其陰亂，利其弱而無主。隨，以向晦入宴息。

解析：趁敵人內部發生混亂，利用它力量虛弱，沒有主見的時候，使它順從我，就像人隨從天時變化而作息一樣自然。

金蝉脱壳

The cicada sheds its skin

This means leaving behind false appearances created for strategic purposes. Like the cicada shell, the facade remains intact, but the real action is now elsewhere.

金蟬脫殼

原文：存其形，完其勢；友不疑，敵不動。巽而上蠱。

解析：保存我方陣地原有的形狀和氣勢，使友軍不生懷疑，敵軍不敢妄動，而我軍卻暗中轉移主力，去打擊別處的敵人。

关门捉贼

Bolt the door to catch the thief

When dealing with a small and weak enemy, surround and destroy him. If you let him retreat, you will be at a disadvantage in pursuing him.

關門捉賊

原文：小敵困之。剝，不利有攸往。

解析：對弱小的敵人，要包圍起來殲滅。而零散的小股敵人，雖然勢單力薄，但機動靈活，狡詐難防，不宜急追遠趕。

远交近攻

Befriend a distant state while attacking a neighbor

It is more advantageous to conquer the nearby enemies, because of geographical reasons, than those far away. So ally yourself temporarily with your distant enemies in spite of political differences.

遠交近攻

原文：形禁勢格，利從近取，害以遠隔。上火下澤。

解析：當作戰目標受地理條件所限時，攻打近敵有利，攻打遠敵有害。對遠隔的敵人，如有利於已，也可以暫時聯合。

假途伐虢

Borrow a route to conquer Guo/Borrow the right of way to attach the neighbor

You secure the temporary use of another party's facilities in order to move against a mutual enemy. After having used these facilities to prevail over the enemy, you then turn and use them against the party from whom you borrowed them.

假道伐虢

原文：兩大之間，敵脅以從，我假以勢。困，有言不信。

解析：地處於兩個大國中間的小國，當敵方威脅它屈從的時候，我方應立即出兵求援，藉機擴展勢力，對於正處困境的國家，只口頭許諾而無實際行動，是不會取得它的信任的。

V. Stratagems for Gaining

偷梁换柱

Replace the beams and pillars with rotten timber

You try to recruit top talent from among allies, inducing them to join your concern.

偷梁換柱

原文：頻更其陣，抽其勁旅，待其自敗，而後乘之。曳其輪也。

解析：頻繁變更敵人的陣容，用以抽換它的主力，等待它自行失敗，然後乘機制服它。這就像拖住了大車的輪子，也就控制了它的運行一樣。

指桑骂槐

Point at the mulberry only to curse the locust

You criticize indirectly, getting your point across without confrontation.

指桑罵槐

原文：大凌小者，警以誘之。剛中而應，行險而順。

解析：強大的懾服弱小的，須以警戒的方法來誘導。剛強適度，可以獲得擁戴；堅毅果敢，可以令人信服。

假痴不癫

Feigning foolishness

At times, it is better to pretend to be foolish and do nothing than to brag about yourself and act recklessly. Be composed and plot secretly, like thunder clouds hiding themselves during winter only to bolt out when the time is right.

假癡不癲

原文：寧偽作不知不為，不偽作假知妄為；靜不露機，雲雷屯也。

解析：寧可假裝不知道而不行動，不可假裝知道而妄動；暗中策劃而不露聲色，就像冬天的雷電蓄力待發一樣。

上屋抽梯

Remove the ladder after the ascent

You maneuver enemies into a point of no return by baiting them with what look like advantages and opportunities.

上屋抽梯

原文：假之以便，唆之使前，斷其援應，陷之死地。遇毒，位不當也。

解析：故意給敵人可乘之機，誘使其深入我方並切斷它的前應後援，使之陷入絕境，其遭致禍患，是貪求不應得之利的結果。

树上开花

Putting fake blossoms on the tree

You dazzle and deceive the eyes of opponents by showy displays.

樹上開花

原文：借局布勢，力小勢大。鴻漸於陸，其羽可用為儀也。

解析：借助其它條件佈成有利的陣勢，使弱小的兵力顯示出強大的氣勢。就像長空列陣的雁群憑藉羽翼和隊形來助長氣勢一樣。

反客为主

Host and guest reversed

Even though you are a guest, you exercise enough influence on the host so that you are making key decisions to put the host under your control.

反客為主

原文：乘隙插足，扼其主機，漸之進也。

解析：趁著有空隙就插足進去，循序漸進，控制它的首腦機關，從而掌握主動權。

VI. Stratagems for Desperate Situations

美人计

Beauty trap stratagem

This refers to using the charms of women to influence key figures in an adversary organization. Setting traps to exploit the enemy’s commanders’ indulgence of sensual pleasures in order to weaken their fighting spirit.

美人計

原文：兵強者，攻其將；將智者，伐其情。將弱兵頹，其勢自萎。利用禦寇，順相保也。

解析：對兵力強大者，要制服其將帥；對將帥足智多謀者，要削弱其鬥志。將帥鬥志衰弱，士卒士氣消沉，部隊就會喪失戰鬥力。利用敵人的弱點進行分化瓦解，就能順勢保存自己的實力。

空城计

Empty city stratagem

In spite of the inferiority of your forces, deliberately make your defensive line defenseless in order to confuse the enemy. The enemy may assume you are setting up an ambush, leading them to flee of their own accord.

空城計

原文：虛者虛之，疑中生疑；剛柔之際，奇而復奇。

解析：兵力虛弱卻更顯示出虛弱的樣子，使敵人加重疑惑；在敵強我弱的情況下，巧妙地運用這一策略就更加奇妙莫測。

反间计

Sow discord in the enemy's camp

You compromise insiders of other organizations to get them to work for you.

反間計

原文：疑中之疑。比之自內，不自失也。

解析：在欺騙敵人的手段中又佈置一層"迷霧"，順勢利用敵壘內的間諜輔助我做工作，就可以有效地保全自己，爭取勝利。

苦肉计

Inflict injury on oneself to win the enemy's trust

Inflict minor or non-fatal injury on oneself to gain the enemy’s trust.  This is a technique particularly for undercover agents: you make yourself look like a victim of your own people, in order to win the sympathy and confidence of enemies.

苦肉計

原文：人不自害，受害必真；假真真假，間以得行，童蒙之吉，順以巽也。

解析：人們通常不會自己傷害自己，真真假假使敵方信以為真，離間計就能夠實現了，利用敵人的弱點，如同對付無知幼童，順著他的意思，他就任你擺佈。

连环计

Interlocking stratagems

When facing a more powerful enemy, you don't oppose by force, and don't concentrate all your resources on only one avenue of strategy; you keep different plans operating simultaneously in an overall scheme.

連環計

原文：將多兵眾，不可以敵，使其自累，以殺其勢。在師中吉，承天寵也。

解析：敵人兵力強大，不可和它硬拚，應當運用計謀，使它們自相牽制，消弱其戰鬥力。將帥英明，指揮正確，克敵制勝就像有天助一般。

走为上计

When retreat is the best option

When overwhelmed, you don't fight; you surrender, compromise, or flee. Surrender is complete defeat, compromise is half defeat, flight is not defeat. As long as you are not defeated, you have another chance to win.

 走為上計

原文：全師避敵，左次無咎，未失常也。

解析：在敵強我弱的情況下，為保存自己，主動退卻，待機破敵。這種以退為進的用兵方法，並不違背正常的用兵法則。