The 36 Strategies! : 10 Questions

[Dominic Roche]

Dear Sifu,

This is another great story. I’ll attempt to answer the question in answer 7.

Dear Sigung,

Did Zhang Liang use the strategy by:

1. Advising Liu Bang to attend the feast.
2. Taking leave from the Emperor to retire to the countryside.

Shaolin Salute,
Dominic.

[Joan]

My Dear Family,

Thank you Kenya. I am glad that you found the answer in Sifu's answer. As Mark has mentioned earlier on the entire thread 'These are very deep insights. It is a Masterpiece'.

I will give the Answer to Question 5 before they all get mixed up

From Sifu:

The three times Wang Xi Fong used the strategy was as follows:

1. When Madame Jia joked about the urine of the Great Sage.

2. When the drumming stopped and she had to tell a humorous story.

3. When she purposely told a bad story so as not to appear better than Madame Jia.

Thank you for taking part. If you didn't get all 3, Q&A 5 will make more sense when you go back and read it again.

I will post the Answer to Question 7 tomorrow as well as Q&A 8.

Smile from the Heart,
Joan

[Steffen]

Dear Sitaigung,

thank you very much for these illuminating answers! I thoroughly enjoy reading them and the following "aha"-moments .

Thank you also to Sigupo Joan for posting this question-answer-series.

I will also take a guess at this question:

In this short story, Zhang Liang applied “Escape is a superior strategy” twice. Do you know when?

I think the two situations were:

1. Retreating safely from the feast, giving the excuse that Lui Bang was drunk
2. Retiring to the countryside

With a warm smile,
Steffen

[Joan]

Q&A 8 and answer to teaser in Q7.

My Dear Family,

Well done to all of you who had fun answering the question in Q&A 7

Question: In this short story, Zhang Liang applied “Escape is a superior strategy” twice. Do you know when?

Answer: Zhang Liang used this strategy twice as folows:

1. When he helped Liu Bang to escape.

2. When he escaped from Liu Bang as he retired to the countryside


So on to Q&A 8. Thank you for the question Andy, I hope you enjoy reading Sifu's once again illuminating answer.

Question 8

Is there any link between the 36 Strategies and the I-Ching? And if so, could you elaborate on the connection?

Sifu Andy Cusick


Answer

As it is often the case, the answer can be yes and no.

Yes, the 36 Strategies are linked to Yi Jing (I Ching) because many descriptions of the strategies come from Yi Jing. No, there is no connection because without knowing the Yi Jing, one can still apply well and benefit much from the 36 Strategies.

Descriptions in Yi Jing are used to explain many of the 36 strategies in a very concise manner. For example, the explanation of the eight strategy, “Escape via Chen Cang” was taken from the Yi hexagram in Yi Jing which symbolizes “Wind”. The explanation reads word by word as follows:

Make show as moving Benefit its silence, thus with purpose Development moves like wind.

Without background understanding, even those who knows Chinese, especially modern Chinese, may not know the meaning above. The figurative meaning is as follows.

You purposely reveal certain signals to your enemy. But your real intention is hidden and different. In this way you can attain your purpose. The development of your hidden plan is swift and inauspicuous like wind blowing through any holes.

The strategy originated from the story of Han Xin defeating Zhang Han in a critical battle. In 206 BC Hang Xin was a great strategist and general under Liu Bang, who later became the first Emperor of the famous Han Dynasty. Zhang Han was a general under Xiang Yu, who was a rival of Liu Bang after the fall of Shih Huang ti of the Qin Dynasty.

Han Xin led an army, the Han army, to meet a stronger army of Zhang Han, the Chu army. The Han army encamped at a place called Shu, which was surrounded by mountains. It was therefore difficult for the Chu army to attack them, but the Han army could leave the mountain to attack the Chu army.

Han Xin ordered his men to repair main roads leading to the Chu army to facilitate transportation in the attack. Zhang Han therefore strengthened the front line to meet the coming attack. The Chu army waited but the expected attack did not come. They waited but still the attack did not come. Eventually the Chu army relaxed their defence.

Then, unexpectedly, the Han army came from behind, not in front from where the roads had been repaired. The Chu army was devastated.

The Han army repaired the roads to give a false impression that they would attack from the front. Secretly they went on a detour via a small town called Chen Cang to attack from behind.

During the Second World War in 1944 the allied forces used this strategy of Escape via Chen Cang to defeat the Nazis. The allied forces were concentrated in England to cross over to the European continent for their offensive. The most obvious landing would be at Calais, which was the closest to the English coast.

The allied forces held landing exercises opposite Calais. Secret intelligence was intercepted by the Nazis indicating that landing would be at Calais. The Nazi army accordingly focused their defence at Calais. They were taken by surprise when the historic landing was at Normandy.

This strategy, Escape via Chen Cang is similar to but not the same as Sound East Strike West. Can you tell the difference?

The explanation for the next strategy, Watch Fire from Other Shore, was also taken from the Yu hexagram in Yi Jing which symbolizes “Pleased”. as follows;

When yang in process disorder Yin should wait and avoid
Violence and disagreement Their momentum self destroy
Flow like pleased movement Pleased movement like flow

The figurative meaning is as follows:

When the enemies are fighting amongst themselves, you should stay low and avoid them.
The fighting and description among the enemies will lead them to destroy themselves.
Then you can move in without much effort and reap the benefit of your mission.

In 342 BC the Wei army attacked the state of Han. The King of Han appealed to the state of Qi to help. The King of Qi held an audience and sought the advice of his ministers. The ministers were busy deliberating the issue but could not come to a conclusion, except Sun Bin, the great strategist, kept quiet at a corner.

The King of Qi asked Sun Bin for his advice.

Sun Bin said, “The state of Wei thought themselves very powerful. Last year they attacked the state of Zhao. Now they attack the state of Han. Eventually they will attack us, the state of Qi. It is not right if we do not help our ally, the state of Han. “

“But not now. If we enter war now with Wei, we would weaken our army. The Han army is only at the start of a war, and is still strong. We shall reply to the King of Han that we shall support Han. This will give the Han army confidence. Let the armies of Han and Wei fight themselves. When they have worn themselves out, we can enter the war.”

The King of Han was happy that he had support from Qi. The Han army fought gallantly. But the Wei army was stronger. Both armies wore themselves out. When Han was about to be defeated, Qi sent its army and easily defeated Wei.

In modern times, a good example of this was found in the Sino-Japanese War which erupted in 1937. Chiang Kai Sheh’s nationalistic government asked the United States for help. But while supporting the Chinese, the United States reaped much reward from the its tremendous export to Japan.

For example, whereas its earlier exports averaged US$1.7 billion, in 1937 the United States exports to Japan reached US$2.9 billion, of which 60%. Consist of petroleum and steel, the very material needed for war. In 1938 the United States sold to Japnn airplanes worth US17,150,000 million, which exceeded the amount of the previous year by US$15,000,000 million.

This led the United States business circles to comment that all the planes used in the Sino-Japanese War were brought from the United States. For the first three years of the war, Japan used 40,000,000 ton of petroleum, of which 70% was from the United States. The Chinese Communist leader, Mao Tze Tung, commented that the United States was sitting on a mountain observing two tigers fighting.

But whom do you think was the eventual fisherman who took both the clam and the stork? There is a story of a fight between a clam and a stork. The stork pecked its beak into the clam attempting to eat it. The clam closed its shell tight so that the stork could not fly away. A fisherman came along and took both the clam and the stork away.

When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, the United States woke up from its mistake. When all the warring countries had worn themselves out after the Second World War, the Chinese Communist Party under Mao Tze Tung set up the People’s Republic of China in 1949. They benefited the most from the Sino-Japanese War between the the Chinese Nationalistic government and Japan.

End

Thank you once again Sifu.
With deepest respect,
Joan

Below a picture of Han Xin also a great strategist!

[Guest]

WOW!!! This is really amazing!

This strategy, Escape via Chen Cang is similar to but not the same as Sound East Strike West. Can you tell the difference?

My guess would be;

Escape via Chen Cang is manifested "in secret" , Sound East Strike West is manifested in the "open" .

With that I mean; Escape via Chen Cang would be executed with not much noise, Sound East Strike West would be executed with lot's of noise.

Best regards,
Tim

[Andy]

Dear Sije,

Thanks for enabling this series

Dear Sifu,

Thank you for your answers. The stories and examples were even more illuminating than I could have anticipated!

Best,

[Zhang Wuji]

Wow (this is like the go-to word in Shaolin Wahnam).

I have read the 36 strategies and of course, living where I do, encounter expressions about them in colloqial conversation. But Sifu explains and illustrates the strategies in a way that probably never occurs to the average native Chinese. Even for those of us who have studied them, the focus was on historical events thousands of years ago. I love how Sifu seamlessly combines lessons from China's past and today's modern business wisdom.

[Joan]

Dear Wuji, Andy, Tim and Steffan,

Thank you for reading and for your great comments.

Wow (this is like the go-to word in Shaolin Wahnam).

I have read the 36 strategies and of course, living where I do, encounter expressions about them in colloqial conversation. But Sifu explains and illustrates the strategies in a way that probably never occurs to the average native Chinese. Even for those of us who have studied them, the focus was on historical events thousands of years ago. I love how Sifu seamlessly combines lessons from China's past and today's modern business wisdom.

Thank you Wuji, It is why I was so happy when Sifu agreed to the 10 Questions on the 36 strategies. I can't even imagine what the course will be like Sifu has such a great ability to make everything so clear.

Below please find Question 9 posed by Sifu Roland of Switzerland. Thank you for another great question Roland. You will all love reading this and don't forget to attempt the teaser at the end.

Thank you again Sifu.

Question 9

Which of the Thirty Six Strategies do you personally find the most beneficial and effective in term of profundity in simplicity, in order to enrich private and business life?

Sifu Roland


Answer

The strategy I find most beneficial and effective is the first one, Deceive Heaven to Cross Sea. It is simple. Basically it consists of making a feint move to accomplish a desired result. Actually all other strategies are covered in this strategy. All other strategies consist of making feint moves to accomplish desired results. Hence it is very profound.

A special feature of this strategy is that the deception does not appear to be very special. In fact it looks common, so that the enemy will not suspect the deception. Kungfu classics are a good example. A lot of secrets are hidden in the open, but unless they are initiated, people will not realize these secrets.

Hiding secrets in the open is found not just in classics but also in practice. Wuzuquan and Xingyiquan are good examples. When I first learned Wuzuquan more than 40 years ago I did not know how to use its patterns for combat. I believe many Wuzuquan practitioners today, despite having practiced for many years, are in a similar situation. But I am sure those who attended the recent Wuzuquan course in Penang are amazed that the patterns from San Zhan, the fundamental set of Wuzuquan, can be used to counter any attack! It is an excellent example of profundity in simplicity.

Another excellent example of profundity in simplicity is Xingyiquan, known to be the kungfu for generals. I knew for a long time that of all the kungfu styles, Xingyiquan is the closest to Western Boxing, and thus will be very helpful to those who want to win free sparring competitions as most competitors today fight like Boxers and also that most competitions follow rules closely related to Western Boxing.

But in terms of techniques, I did not know what a Xingyiquan practitioner would do if an opponent went beyond the simple techniques found in Boxing and Kick-Boxing and used sophisticated techniques like those found in the Shaolin Seventy Two Chin-Na Techniques or the little know felling techniques of Taijiquan. I reckon that the Xingyiquan practitioner would compensate his lack of extensive techniques with his tremendous force, for which Xingyiqaun as well as Wuzuquan are famous. (In my case, it was not a big concern because I could always fall back on my Shaolin and Taijiquan counters.)

Yet, as in the case of Wuzuquan earlier, when I went deeper in both the practice and philosophy of Xingyiquan in preparation for teaching the course at the UK Summer Camp, I found to my delight that even leaving aside internal force, simple looking Xingyiquan techniques do have counters for sophisticated attacks! Xingyiquan is not just bulldozing into opponents, as many people mistakenly think, but incorporates covering opponents adequately in its apparently straight-in advance. It was an aha experience for me to discover why this simple-looking style is regarded as kungfu for generals.

I am not sure whether the early Wuzuquan and Xingyiquan masters used this strategy of Deceiving Heaven to Cross Sea to hide secrets in the open. Personally I do not think so. The profundity in the apparently simple-looking arts evolved spontaneously. But I am sure that knowing this strategy by reading the answer here, or better still attending the course in Ireland, will enhance our ability to go deeper and obtain more benefits not just in kungfu and chi kung but in whatever we do when most other people merely skim the surface.

There is a lot of depth and benefit in the kungfu and chi kung we practice. For those who have not practiced Wuzuquan or Xingyiquan, let us take an example of Single Tiger Emerges from Cave from Shaolin Kungfu and Immortal Waves Sleeves from Taijiquan, and Lifting the Sky from chi kung.

The form is simple, and most other people merely practice their form. Any benefit they get is incidental. For us in Shaolin Wahnam, not only we know that the form is only a means to obtain benefit, but we get benefit deeper than what its surface suggests.

Single Tiger Emerges from Cave or Immortal Waves Sleeves is not only a counter where we can use minimum force against maximum strength, but is also applicable against any attack, be in striking, kicking, felling or chin-na! Lifting the Sky not only generates an energy flow, but gives us benefit ranging from just being relaxed to expanding into the Cosmos.

The past masters did not use the strategy, Deceiving Heaven to Cross Sea, but understanding the strategy enables us to see depth beyond surface.

An American businessman used this strategy to save a lot of money, as well as make a lot of money – legally. He probably had not heard of Deceive Heaven to Cross Sea, but what he did was applying its philosophy.

To protect local industry, the United States imposed a lot of tax on foreign imports. A lot of American women loved elegant French gloves but they were expensive because of heavy import tax.

A smart American businessman thought of a way to save a lot of tax and also make a lot of sales. He bought 100,000 pairs of these expensive, elegant gloves from France. But he did a strange thing. He unpacked them and sent only the left gloves to the United States, with a clear indication they were left gloves.

When the 100,000 pieces of left gloves arrived at United States, he did not claim them from the customs and therefore did not pay any import tax. As it was the practice, unclaimed items after some time were auctioned away. No one would bid for only left gloves without the right gloves. So this businessman could buy back his left gloves at a very low price.

The customs officials were alerted. They kept a close track on this businessman. They paid special attention to any future consignment of right gloves. Soon a consignment of 50,000 pairs of gloves arrived. They were normal, with left and right gloves. But the custom officials were careful. They still checked the consignment thoroughly to see if any right gloves were hidden. But they found nothing wrong. The businessman dutifully paid the tax and claimed the gloves.

The businessman sold the expensive, elegant French gloves below normal price. As it was a bargain, many people bought the gloves and the businessman made a fortune.

The customs officials continued to look out for any consignment of right gloves. The police and immigration also helped to ensure that no right gloves were smuggled in. But nothing of that sort happened.

Did the businessman get the right gloves, and if so, how did he get them? I would let you have fun working out the answer, which will be provided later.

END

Expensive French Satin Evening Gloves

[Leo Shaolin]

Thank you again Sifu and Sije for the opportunity and the illuminating answers and fascinating stories.

As the gloves are interchangeable, the businessman received 50,000 right gloves at the first shipping already. The "right" gloves were hidden in the open and the customs officials were too dazzled by the strange declaration to realize it.

I am very looking forward to the course. There are only a few weeks left!

Best wishes,
o\

Leo

[Joan]

Question/Answer 10!

My Dear Family and Virtual Kwoon readers,

I will leave the 'gloves' teaser open for a few more days, just in case you would like to have a go at it. Thank you Leo for your answer

So on to Question 10 posted by Sifu Andrea, Switzerland. I am sure you will all enjoy Sifu's answer once more. Thank you Sifu.

Question 10

The 36 Strategies seem to be war tactics to overcome an enemy (win-loose). Can we use them, when our aim is to create a win-win outcome in a private or business conflict?

Sifu Andrea, Switzerland


Answer

Although the 36 strategies originated from warfare, we can use them to create a win-win outcome in private or business conflict. This is in fact a main reason why Joan is organizing the Thirty Six Strategies Course in Ireland.

While most of the 36 strategies were used by strategists in the past in a war situation to defeat an enemy, thus resulting in a win-lose outcome, there were also occasions when a win-win outcome resulted. Two good examples are how the strategies From Nothing is Born Something, and Empty City Strategy originated.

During the Warring State Period between the 5th and 3th century BC, a strategist, Zhang Yi, attempted to seek a career with the King of Chu. But the King was not interested in him.

“If You Majesty do not find my service useful, I beg Your Majesty’s permission to leave Chu so that I can go to the state of Jin,” Zhang Yi said.

“Yes, you can leave any time you like.”

“Although Your Majesty may not want me, I have great love for Chu. Is there anything Your Majesty would like me to bring from the state of Jin?”

“The state of Chu has everything. We have a lot of gold and silver, pearls and ivory. We do not need anything from Jin.”

“Don’t Your Majesty want beautiful women? The women of Jin are the most beautiful in the world. They are like fairies. They have rosy cheeks and pearly skin. When they speak, they sound like crystal bells. When they walk, they are like breeze blowing through willows.”

The King was excited. “Bring me some if you can.”

Zhang Yi purposely let out the news that he was to go to the state of Jin to find beautiful women for the Chu King. The Chu King had two beautiful concubines. They were alarmed that the Jin women Zhang Yi brought back from Jin might replace them. So they sent a lot of gold and silver to Zhang Yi to appease him.

Zhang Yi sought an audience with the Chu King to arrange for a date of his departure for Jin.

“Your Majesty,” Zhang Yi said. “The road to Jin is long, but I shall get the most beautiful women for Your Majesty. It would help me a great deal if Your Majesty could hold a banquet with your most beautiful women present so that I could have a basis for comparison.”

“That is right,” the King said, “I shall ask my two beautiful concubines to be present. People say they are the most beautiful women in the whole state of Chu.”

A banquet was held, and the two beautiful concubines sat on each side of the King. Zhang Yi rose and knelt before the King.

“Your Majesty, please punish me.”

“Punish you? Why?”

I lied,” Zhang Yi answered.

“You lied?”

“In all my travels I have seen many beautiful women, including the beautiful women of Jin. But I have never seen anyone more beautiful than your two concubines. My trip to Jin is not necessary. Your Majesty, you have not just the most beautiful women in the whole of Chu, you have the most beautiful women in the whole world.”

The King was very happy. He appointed Zhang Yi as a minister who proved himself to be very useful to the state. Zhang Yi received not only favours from the King but also a lot of gold and silver continuously from the two concubines. This strategy made everyone happy.

Although this strategy happened during a warring period, it was not used in warfare but in private life for the King and the concubines, and in business for Zhang Yi.

The origin of the Empty City Strategy occurred in warfare.

In the Three Kingdom Period, about the 2nd and 3rd century CE, Zhu Ge Liang, who is more known than Sun Tzu as a great strategist in Chinese societies though Sun Tzu is better known in the West, was defending the city of Yang Ping with only 10,000 soldiers. Cao Cao’s army under general Si Ma Yi was advancing with 200,000 soldiers.

Zhu Ge Liang ordered all the people and his soldiers to leave the city. He opened all the gates into the city and sat on top of the city wall playing a Chinese piano and enjoying wine. When Si Ma Yi arrived he was very surprised to find the city empty, with Chu Ge Liang alone confidently enjoying himself.

Si Ma Yi stayed outside the city for a while, deciding what to do. Finally he gave the order to retreat.

His son, Si Ma Zhao, came forward and asked, “The city is empty. Why don’t we just enter to capture it?”

“Don’t you know that Zhu Ge Liang is a great strategist? He must have laid an ambush inside the city. Don’t fall into his trap!” Si Ma Yi replied.

In the West, this strategy would be called a bluff

Although Si Ma Yi missed the opportunity to capture the city and more significantly capture a great strategist, no one was killed, or even injured. It allowed Si Ma Yi to live long enough to become the eventual victor of the three kingdoms and start the subsequent Jin Dynasty.

The strategy From Nothing is Born Something is frequently used in business circles. Innovative people can make a fortune using this strategy by creating a demand for their product or service when there was originally none. Good examples are the yoyo, pet rocks and digital dogs. Their inventors, who are certainly very smart entrepreneurs, have created something out of nothing and made a big fortune. Everyone wins in the application of this strategy here.

Another good example is the auctioning of antiques and collectors’ items. Auctioneers are very skillful in applying this strategy though they may not have heard of the name of the strategy. Successful buyers are happy with their purchase though the price they have paid may be ridiculously beyond its practical usefulness. The result is a win-win outcome.

We must, however, be careful of unscrupulous people using this strategy to cheat. Many of you would have the experience of receiving e-mails from charlatans claiming to be agents or authorities telling you that you had won a fabulous prize or asking you to supply your bank particulars so that large sums of money could be temporarily transferred into your bank account to be channeled out later but a huge commission would be given to you. Some might think they had nothing to lose as they would receive money first. These are international scams. Victims would be asked to pay large administrative fees or be arrested and blackmailed to pay large ransoms.

The other strategy, Empty City Strategy, is also often used in private and in business with a win-win outcome. However, the result could be disastrous if the plan did not go through.

Many kungfu masters (more correctly kungfu gymnastics masters) use this strategy without being aware of it. They know they would have a difficult time fighting Karate and Taekwondo black-belts. To cover their inadequacy they use their reputation as well as the belief that kungfu can be deadly. They give an impression that if they were to fight they could kill their opponents.

Indeed some years ago a grandmaster on our Shaolin Wahnam Discussion Forum used this trick. His views on our forum, which were incorrect, were systematically refuted by us. In the end he challenged our instructor who was debating with him to a sparring match. He thought, wrongly, that his title as a grandmaster would scare our instructor.

But we knew he could not fight well. How did we know if we had not sparred with him? We knew from the posts he put up on our forum. In fact, judging from the way the public debate went, we also knew that he would challenge us to a sparring match. Our instructor promptly took up the challenge, which must have surprised him. He backed out with an excuse.

For us the result was a win-win outcome. Although we could beat him, otherwise we would not fight, we prefer not to have the fight at all.

In the 1970s there was a housing boom in Malaysia. Some developers who did not have sufficient funds to build houses, still went ahead using this strategy. They had luxurious offices and attractive marketing material to impress buyers, who took loans from banks to pay progressively as the houses were being built. Hence, with the progressive payments from the buyers, the developers who would otherwise not have sufficient capital, could successfully build the houses. It was a win-win outcome. Everyone was happy. The purchasers had their houses, the banks had business, and the developer made huge profits.

Later, this scheme could not work. Despite attractive marketing, there were insufficient buyers to provide working capital. Many developers abandoned their projects and ran away, and the poor buyers who earlier invested their money lost their savings. The scheme could not work not because it was ineffective but because of changing conditions. There was over-building and an economic depression.

The Yi Jing, from which the Thirty Six Strategies drew much of its philosophy, emphasizes that situations are constantly changing. When employing any strategy, one must remember these changes.

END

Below picture of Zhu Ge Liang- a very famous strategist during the Three Kingdoms period.

[Joan]

Escape via Ceng Cang and Sound East Strike West!

My Dear Family and Virtual Kwoon readers,

Sifu has very kindly sent me the answer to the question on the difference between the two strategies Escape via Ceng Cang and Sound East Strike West.

Thank you Sifu.

Here is the answer to the difference between the two strategies, Escape via Ceng Cang and Sound East Strike West, is as follows.

There is one action, or attack, in Escape via Chen Cang, where as there are two in Sound East Strike West. In the first, false signals are given, in the second a feint attack is made.

This corresponds to Tim Hoorens’ excellent answer that “Escape via Chen Cang is manifested in secret, Sound East Strike West is manifested in the open”.

END

Well done Tim

Smile from the Heart,
Joan

[Joan]

A Bonus!

My Dear Family and Virtual Kwoon readers,

We have arrived to the last Question/Answer on The 36 Strategies. I hope you have all enjoyed reading Sifu's wisdom and hope with all my heart that you will be able to join a 36 strategy course, if not in Ireland, then somewhere soon.

Sifu's knowledge and transmission is superb and even from this thread we have all gained so much.

Dear Sifu, I thank you for agreeing to do this. You are always so amazingly generous with your time and knowledge, a true inspiration to all of us. This thread has been fascinating and I have learned so much. I can't wait for the course and for your beautiful presence in magical Killarney.

I would also like to thank Sifu Markus Kahilla, who gave me the inspiration to ask Sifu following the success of the Legacy of Bodhidharma thread. That was a very heart touching and special thread for me. Thank you Markus

Thank you all for reading and for taking part. It has been wonderful to see the 'views' increase daily

Question 11 (A Bonus)!

Can we use the 36 Strategies in non-conflict situations? Can we for instance use them to enhance our scholarly pursuits to become better poets, better artists, etc?

Kevin


Answer

Yes, the 36 strategies can be used in non-conflict situations.

Yes, these strategies can be used to enhance scholarly pursuits in becoming better poets, artists, etc.

Let us examine some examples of two strategies, Beauty Strategy and Double-Cross Strategy.

The Beauty Strategy originated from the story of Dian Chan, regarded as one of the four most beautiful women in China. At the beginning of the Three Kingdom Period, 2nd and 3rd century CE, the premier, Dong Zhuo, became very powerful and ruthless, especially after adopting Lu Bu, regarded as one of the best warriors in history, as his god-son.

A patriot, Si Tu Wang Yun, decided on a strategy to eliminate the ruthless premier. He invited Dong Zhuo to his residence for dinner, and had his beautiful maid, Diao Chan, whom he treated like his daughter, to serve Dong Zhuo. As expected, Dong Zhuo was enticed by the beauty of Diao Chan. Si Tu Wang Yun offered to present Diao Chan to Dong Zhuo.

On a separate occasion, Si Tu Wang Yun invited Lu Bu to his residence, and as if by chance Lu Bu found Diao Chan sobbing. She told Lu Bu that she was given to Dong Zhuo as a concubine against her wish. She used her charms to entice Lu Bu and asked him for help. She promised to marry him if he could help her. Lu Bu, like many heroes in history, could not resist the entrapment of a beauty. They exchanged gifts of betrothal.

A series of events aggravated discord between the god-father and god-son. Eventually, by a skillful arrangement of events, Dong Zhuo found Diao Chan in the arms of Lu Bu. Dong Zhuo was jealous and furious. He drew his sword and wanted to kill Lu Bu. Lu Bu ran, but killed Dong Zhuo with his crescent-moon spear instead. Diao Chan kept her promise. She married Lu Bu, the most beautiful woman becoming the wife of the most formidable fighter of the time.

The Beauty Strategy can also be used beneficially, and in a non-conflict manner. A beauty, Li Xiang Yu, was a great inspiration to the Southern Tang Emperor, Li Hou Zhu, in the 10th century. Southern Tang was a small kingdom under the suzerainty of the Song Dynasty. Li Hou Zhu, which literally means Li the Last Emperor, was a great poet rather than a capable ruler. He created a new poetry form, called ci, which for a better term may be called poetic prose.

Many of his poetic works are still widely read and admired today. Some of the lines of his famous work, Yu Mei Ren or the Beauty Yu, have become common quotations in Chinese today, like the lines below in Cantonese (which I believe is closest to how they originally sounded), Mandarin and English.

Choon fa chow yue ho shi liu, Wong shi zi tor siu
Chun hua qiu yue he shi liao, Wang shi zhi duo shao
Spring flowers autumn moon when will they end, How much of the past is known

Meng khun nang yau kei tor sau, Ka yew yeit kong choon shue heong toong lau
Wen jun neng you ji duo chou, Qia shi yi jiang chun shui xiang dong liu
Asking my lord how much worry you still can hold. Just like a stream of spring water eastward flow

The beauty who inspired the poet or artist needed not be a lover. She could be a sister or even a stranger. The English poet laureate, William Wordsworth was much inspired by his sister, Dorothy. He wrote about her in the poem Tintern Abbey as follows

In thy voice I catch
The language of my former heart, and read
My former pleasures in the shooting lights
Oh thy wild eyes. Oh! yet a little while
May I behold in thee what I was once,
My dear, dear Sister!

Leonardo Da Vinci who lived in the Renaissance period of 16th century and regarded as a genius without parallel, was inspired by a stranger to paint Mona Lisa, acclaimed to be the best known and most visited work of art in the world. It is priceless and is now exhibited in Musee du Louvre in Paris.

The origin of the Double-Cross Strategy shows the ingenious skill of Zhou Yu, a great general and strategist of the Three Kingdom Period (2nd and 3rd century) who turned a spy’s maneuver against himself and his boss without their knowing. You may have seen this event in the outstanding movie, Red Cliff, which showed majestic warring scenes in classical China as well as incredible application of strategies.

Cao Cao led a huge navy to attack the state of Wu. The Wu general, Zhou Yu, was alarmed when he learned that Cao Cao’s navy was commanded by two capable admirals, Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, who recently surrendered to Cao Cao. Just then, a messenger entered to inform him that his childhood friend, Jiang Gan, wanted to see him. “Aha,” Zhou Yu murmured to himself, “the problem is solved.”

Jiang Gan was a spy sent by Cao Cao to find out military information of the state of Wu. He was nervous at first, worrying that Zhou Yu would know his intention. But to his surprise, Zhou Yu was very happy to see him, treating him as in the old times, and even showing him around his military base. They talked about everything except military matters, and after much drinking and merry making, Zhou Yu was drunk, but he managed to tell Jiang Gan that just as of old times he must spend the night and share the room with him. Jiang Gan grabbed the opportunity.

Zhou Yu slept soundly. Jiang Gan crept out of bed to examine Zhou Yu’s military documents. He was shocked to find a letter from Cai Mao and Zhang You, written in clumsy writing characteristic of the two rough warriors. The letter read as follows.

“Circumstances forced us to surrender to Cao Cao. We manage to cheat Cao Cao, and now have him in the middle surrounded by our boats. When the time is ripe, we shall present his head to General.”

Jiang Gun left in the middle of the night with the letter and showed it to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was furious. Immediately he ordered Cai Mao and Zhang You to appear before him.

“I want to attack Wu now,” Cao Cao said.

“It is not a wise thing to do, my Lord,” they replied. “Our soldiers are not used to fighting on water yet. We have to train them first.”

“By that time you’ll have my head for Zhou Yu.” In his haste and anger, Cao Cao executed the two capable admirals.

Without capable leadership on water warfare, Cao Cao’s navy was almost wiped out in the Battle of Red Cliff by fire attack from Zhu Ge Liang, whose master, Liu Bei, allied with the King of Wu.

Zhu Ge Liang, who later outwitted Zhou Yu, did not have an army. Even the arrows he used in the fire attack against Cao Cao were “borrowed’ from the enemy. The Battle of Red Cliff is an example I often mention for our instructors and students to win free sparring competitions – even if our opponents were stronger than us, but actually they aren’t. The strategy is to fight in a way our opponents are not used to, i.e. using our combat sequences. If needed, we can also use arrows borrowed from them to burn their ships, i.e. use their jabs, kicks and shoots to defeat them.

The Double-Cross Strategy is often used by modern poets and artists. Though business consultants, research scientists and marketing agents may not paint pictures or write poetry, their work is poetic and artistic. They are privy to corporate secrets, and it demands high moral values to resist selling these secrets to competitors who offer high prices.

Even when they do not reveal these secrets to other people, the work they have developed for their clients, for which they are handsomely paid, can be used for further clients, albeit in different forms. This may not be called double-crossing, but the underlying philosophy is similar, i.e. using the secret of one party for another party for one’s benefit.

We can go a step further from here. In the Double-Cross Strategy, one party is harmed. It is a win-lose outcome. Having understood its underlying mechanics, we can transform an otherwise immoral strategy into a moral strategy where everyone benefits in a win-win outcome.

In fact this happens frequently in information technology. A lot of computer software is invented based on previous success, and we all benefit. This is what we do in Shaolin Wahnam. A lot of secrets are hidden in kungfu and chi kung classics. We digest them, and share them with our Family members in particular and with the world in general for everybody’s benefit. The Thirty Six Strategies Course is a formal attempt in this direction, understanding and applying classical strategies in a poetic and artistic way to enrich our daily life.

END

Below The poet Li Hou Zhu

[JasD]

Wow, looks like a lot of interesting info in this thread,
Thank you Sije Joan for arranging it and thank you Sifu for taking the time to give us this taster.

Best

Jas

[Dominic Roche]

Dear Sifu,

This is another wonderful answer for us to enjoy. I love the story of Zhou Yu inviting his childhood friend Jiang Gan to stay the night. It is a wonderful scene in the movie and very interesting as it unfolds.

It is incredible to see how much these strategies can enhance our lives and the lives of others. I look forward to this course with great excitement.

Thank you Sigung for passing on your incredible knowledge and for giving us this wonderful opportunity to enhance our lives with these great strategies.

Thank you Sifu for sharing all these wonderful answers with us and for making it possible to learn from Sigung.

Shaolin Salute,
Dominic.

[Kevin_B]

Superb. Absolutely superb thread.

Thank you Sigung for taking the considerable time to pen such poetic answers to all the questions. It is hugely appreciated by all visitors to the Wahnam Virtual Kwoon. It has been quite a unique thread.

Thank you Sifu for starting the thread and for all your extremely hard work in making Valentine's 2013 happen. It is hugely and very deeply appreciated by all of us relishing the week in Killarney.

Not too long to go now!

All the best,

Kevin