Military Strategy Classics of Ancient China

by Shawn Conners

  18. Disband the Thieves by Capturing their Chief

  If the enemy's power base is destroyed, and his leaders captured, then the whole organization would be disintegrated. Just like a sea dragon having to fight on land, it will face severe difficulties.

  摧毁敌人的主力，擒住他的首领，就可以瓦解他的整体力量。就好像龙离开大海到陆地作战而面临绝境一样。

  In 757 AD, during the Anshi Rebellion, Tang Su Zhong, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, commanded General Zhang Xun to guard the city of Sui Yang from the rebels. Zhang Xun's army eventually had a fierce fight with the troops of the rebel General Yin Zi Qi.

  General Zhang Xun's army fought bravely and killed 5,000 enemy soldiers. The enemy camp was thrown into confusion. Nobody could locate General Yin Zi Qi. General Zhang Xun then hatched a plan to lure the rebel general from his hideout. He ordered his men to use fake arrows made of straw to shoot at the enemy. When the enemy soldiers saw this, they thought that they had defeated Zhang Xun's army and rushed to report to General Yin Zi Qi. Thus, they disclosed the location of the general. General Zhang Xun ordered his men to shoot at General Yin Zi Qi, who was wounded in his left eye. Although General Yin Zi Qi managed to escape after a fierce struggle, his troops were thoroughly defeated.

  唐朝安史之乱时，安禄山气焰嚣张，连连大捷，安禄山之子安庆绪派勇将尹子奇率十万劲旅进攻睢阳。御史中丞张巡驻守睢阳，见敌军来势汹汹，决定据城固守。敌兵二十余次攻城，均被击退。尹子奇见士兵已经疲惫，只得鸣金收兵。晚上，敌兵刚刚准备休息，忽听城头战鼓隆隆，喊声震天，尹子奇急令部队准备与冲出城来的唐军激战。而张巡”只打雷不下雨”，不时擂鼓，象要杀出城来，可是一直紧闭城门，没有出战。尹子奇的部队被折腾了整夜，没有得到休息，将士们疲乏已极，眼睛都睁不开，倒在地上就呼呼大睡。这时，城中一声炮响，突然之间，张巡率领守兵冲杀出来．敌兵从梦中惊醒，惊慌失措，乱作一团。张巡一鼓作气，接连斩杀五十余名敌将，五千余名士兵，敌军大乱。张巡急令部队擒拿敌军首领尹子奇，部队一直冲到敌军帅旗之下。张巡从未见过尹子奇，根本不认识，现在他又混在乱军之中，更加难以辨认。张巡心生一计，让士兵用秸杆削尖作箭，射向敌军。敌军中不少人中箭，他们以为这下玩了，没有命了。但是发现，自己中的是秸杆箭，心中大喜，以为张巡军中已没有箭了。他们争先恐后向尹子奇报告这个好消息。张巡见状，立刻辨认出了敌军首领尹子奇，急令神箭手、部将南霁云向尹子奇放箭。正中尹于奇左眼，这回可是真箭只见尹子奇鲜血淋漓，抱头鼠窜，仓皇逃命。敌军一片混乱，大败而逃。

  Chapter 4 – Stratagems of Confusion

  19. Remove the Firewood from Under the Cooking Pot

  Direct confrontation may not be advisable when facing a strong opponent. It may be better to use tactics to destroy his morale.

  直接面对敌人的锋芒，而是间接瓦解敌人的气势，也就是说以柔克刚的方法转弱为强。

  Towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the warlords were fighting amongst each other. At the northern part of China, the Hebei region, one warlord stood out: Yuan Shao. In the year 199 AD, Yuan Shao attacked Xu Chang with 100,000 troops. At that time, Cao Cao was at Guan Du with only 20,000 troops to defend against Yuan Shao. The stand-off between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao lasted for a long time, and supply provisions became an issue during the war. Yuan Shao sent for another 10,000 carts of provisions from his base and stationed it at Wu Cao.

  On hearing that Yuan Shao did not have enough troops to defend Wu Cao, Cao Cao immediately led 5,000 men disguised as Yuan Shao troops to Wu Cao. Under the cover of night, Cao Cao's troops surrounded Wu Cao, and before long, raided the supply depot and set fire to many of the provision there. Yuan Shao on hearing the attack, and knowing that his large troops needed large amounts of provisions, was lost for action. News of the attack also spread through the Yuan Shao camp, and the morale of the soldiers was affected. Cao Cao took this opportunity to deal a huge blow to the Yuan Shao troops. Yuan Shao was badly defeated and managed to escape back to Hebei with only 800 soldiers.

  东汉末年，军阀混战，河北袁绍乘势崛起。公元199年，袁绍率领十万大军攻打许昌。当时，曹操据守官渡（今河南中牟北），兵力只有二万多人。两军离河对峙。袁绍仗着人马众多，派兵攻打白马。曹操表面上放弃白马，命令主力开向延津渡口，摆开渡河架势。袁绍怕后方受敌，迅速率主力西进，阻挡曹军渡河。谁知曹操虚晃一枪之后，突派精锐回袭白马，斩杀颜良，初战告捷。

  由于两军相持了很长时间，双方粮草供给成了关键。袁绍从河北调集了一万多车粮草，屯集在大本营以北四十里的乌巢。曹操探听乌巢井无重兵防守，决定偷袭乌巢，断其供应。他亲自率五千精兵打着袁绍的旗号，衔枚急走，夜袭乌巢，乌巢袁军还没有弄清真相，曹军已经包围了粮仓。一把大火点燃，顿时浓烟四起。曹军乘势消灭了守粮袁军，袁军的一万车粮草，顿时化为灰烬，袁绍大军闻讯，惊恐万状，供应断绝，军心浮动，袁绍一时没了主意。曹操此时，发动全线进攻，袁军士兵已丧失战斗力，十万大军四散溃逃。袁军大败，袁绍带领八百亲兵，艰难地杀出重围，回到河北，从此一蹶不振。

  20. Fish in Troubled Waters

  When the enemy is in a state of confusion, one should take advantage, and gain control when he is weak and without proper direction. The best way to control the enemy is to let nature takes its course, as all men have to eat and rest.

  趁敌人内部纷乱之际，利用其虚弱而无主见的条件，迫使敌人随从我方的意志，就像人到了夜晚要入睡一样。

  During the first year of the Tang Dynasty, the Qi Dan people from the north continuously made incursions into the Tang Territories. The court of the Tang Dynasty appointed Zhang Shou Gui as the Governor of Youzhou to settle the problem of the Qi Dan's incursions. The Qi Dan general in charge of conquering Youzhou was Ke Tu Gan. Ke Tu Gan tried many times to take over Youzhou, but to no avail. So he decided, as a ruse, to ask for a truce and seek to be under the Tang Court. Zhang Shou Gui knew immediately it was a ruse, given the fact that the Qi Dan's strength was still strong. He decided to set a counter-ruse instead. The next day, Governor Zhang sent Wang Hui as an envoy to Ke Tu Gan's camp on the pretense of accepting the truce, but it was actually to seek out enemy information.

  At the camp, Ke Tu Gan threw a feast for Wang Hui, and all the Qi Dan generals were there. During the feast, Wang Hui noticed that not all the generals were hostile towards the Tang Court. Wang Hui also managed to find out there was a Qi Dan general called Li Guo Zhe who was at odds with Ke Tu Gan.

  After the feast, Wang Hui went to look for Li Guo Zhe. Pretending not to know the relationship between he and Ke Tu Gan, Wang Hui heaped praises on Ke Tu Gan in front of Li Guo Zhe. Li Guo Zhe was boiling inside when he heard the compliments, until he got so angry, he blurted out everything, including the fact that Ke Tu Gan was about to attack Youzhou with the new reinforcements.

  Wang Hui then tried to persuade Li Guo Zhe to switch sides, promising that the Tang Court would hire him and make full use of him. Li Guo Zhe was persuaded, and made his intention on switching sides known to Wang Hui. Wang Hui, on completing his mission, went back to Youzhou. The next evening, Li Guo Zhe led his own troops and stormed Ke Tu Gan's camp. Before he was able to react, Ke Tu Gan was killed by Li Guo Zhe. The camp was thrown into total chaos. The Tang troops took the opportunity to rout Qi Dan's troops and scored a decisive victory. Governor Zhang took the opportunity and was able to capture Qi Dan's King, thus completing his mission of stopping Qi Dan's incursions.

  唐朝开元年间，契丹叛乱，多次侵犯唐朝。朝廷派张守圭为幽州节度使，平定契丹之乱。契丹大将可突干几次攻幽�
��，未能攻下。可突干想探听唐军虚实，派使者到幽州，假意表示愿意重新归顺朝廷，永不进犯。张守圭知道契丹势力正旺，主动求和，必定有诈。他将计就计，客气地接待了来使。第二天，他派王悔代表朝廷到可突干营中宣抚，并命王悔一定要探明契丹内部的底细。王悔在契丹营中受到热情接待，他在招待酒宴上仔细观察契丹众将的一举一动。他发现，契丹全将在对朝廷的态度上并不一致。他又从一个小兵口中探听到分掌兵权的李过折一向与可突干有矛盾，两人貌合神离．互不服气。王悔特意去拜访李过折，装作不了解他和可突干之间的矛盾，当着李过折的面，假意大肆夸奖可突干的才干。李过折听罢，怒火中烧，说可突干主张反唐，使契丹陷于战乱，人民十分怨恨。并告诉王悔，契丹这次求和完全是假意，可突干已向突厥借兵，不日就要攻打幽州。王悔乘机劝说李过折，唐军势力浩大，可突汗肯定失败。他如脱离可突汗，建功立业，朝廷保证一定会重用他。李过折果然心动，表示愿意归顺朝廷。王悔任务完成，立即辞别契丹王返回幽州。第二天晚上，李过折率领本部人马，突袭可突干的中军大帐。可突干毫无防备，被李过折斩于营中，这一下，契丹营大乱。忠于可突干的大将涅礼召集人马，与李过折展开激战，杀了李过折。张守圭探得消息，立即亲率人马赶来接应李过折的部从。唐军火速冲入契丹军营，契丹军内正在火并，混乱不堪。张守圭乘势发动猛攻，生擒涅礼，大破契丹军。从此，契丹叛乱被平息。

  21. Shed the Skin of the Cicada

  Preserve the original formation and stance, such that the allies will not suspect and the enemy will not be aroused to action. But in actual fact, one is secretly diverting main forces to attack other targets.

  保留阵地原有外形，保持原有气势，使友军不怀疑，使敌人不敢轻举妄动。我方却秘密转移主力，攻打其他目标。

  During the Three Kingdoms Period, Zhuge Liang died during the sixth Shu's expedition against the Northern Territories. Before Zhuge Liang died, he passed instructions to his disciple Jiang Wei on how to retreat the troops, so that they would not be attacked by the Wei soldiers. When Zhuge Liang died, Jiang Wei ordered that no funeral should be held, and for the Shu soldiers to make a retreat. Sima Yi, on hearing that the Shu troops were retreating, personally led his troops to chase after the Shu army.

  Before the retreat, Jiang Wei had sculptors carve out a wooden statue of Zhuge Liang, dressed the statue up and placed the statue on Zhuge Liang's chariot. Jiang Wei then ordered General Yang Yi to get a small army to await Sima Yi's troops.

  Sima Yi, from afar, saw that the retreat was orderly and Zhuge Liang was among the troops. Knowing Zhuge Liang's character and intelligence, Sima Yi did not want to take chances, so he ordered his troops to head back to camp. On seeing the movement of the Wei army, Jiang Wei then ordered the main troops to increase their retreating speed and managed to reach Hanzhong safely. When the news of Zhuge Liang's death reached Sima Yi, it was all too late.

  三国时期，诸葛亮六出祁山，北伐中原，但一直未能成功，终于在第六次北伐时，积劳成疾，在五丈原病死于军中。为了不使蜀军在退回汉中的路上遭受损失，诸葛亮在临终前向姜维密授退兵之计。姜维遵照诸葛亮的吩咐，在诸葛亮死后，秘不发丧，对外严密封锁消息。他带着灵柩，秘密率部撤退。司马懿派部队跟踪追击蜀军。姜维命工匠仿诸葛亮摸样，雕了一个木人，羽扇纶巾，稳坐车中。并派杨仪率领部分人马大张旗鼓，向魏军发动进攻。魏军远望蜀军，军容整齐，旗鼓大张，又见诸葛亮稳坐车中，指挥若定，不知蜀军又耍什么花招，不敢轻举妄动。司马懿一向知道诸葛亮”诡计多端”，又怀疑此次退兵乃是诱敌之计，于是命令部队后撤，观察蜀军动向。姜维趁司马懿退兵的大好时机，马上指挥主力部队，迅速安全转移，撤回汉中。等司马懿得知诸葛亮已死，再进兵追击，为时已晚。

  22. Shut the Door to Catch the Thief

  The best way to capture a weak enemy is to have him surrounded. It is not advisable to pursue a weak enemy because it is agile in movement. This will only exhaust one's strength and make one vulnerable.

  对于弱小之敌，应包围起来歼灭。小股敌人力量虽弱，但行动灵活，不宜穷追不舍。

  During the Warring States period, The Qin army set out to attack the State of Zhao and they were stopped at Chang Ping. The Zhao general in charge of defense was General Lian Po. General Lian Po saw that the Qin army was large, so he ordered his troops to stay in defense position, and avoid fighting the Qin army head-on. There was no fighting for four months. The Lord of Qin was getting impatient, so he sought the advice of his advisors. Fan Sui suggested sowing discord between the Lord of Zhao and the General Lian Po. Lord of Zhao fell for the plot and ordered that General Zhao Kuo to take over for General Liao Po, who was believed to be a prodigy in war strategies then, but lacked experience severely.

  When General Zhao Kuo took over, he took an offensive position instead. Now Qin General Bai Qi pretended to lose to General Zhao Kuo on the first few battles. This made Zhao Kuo very haughty, so much so, that he sent a letter to the Qin army and proposed a final battle where winner takes all. This fitted the plan of General Bai Qi very well, and Bai Qi ordered several troops to surround the Zhao's camp. The next day, Zhao Kuo rode out of the camp with his main troops. Being arrogant, Zhao Kuo did not detect that the Qin army was luring them deeper into Qin's territory, away from their camp. When they reached the Qin camp, the Qin army 'hid' inside their camp and refused to come out and engage the Zhao's army. The stalemate went on for a few days, then news traveled to Zhao Kuo, that the Zhao's camp had been taken over by the Qin troops, and their supply route had been cut off. With the Zhao's supply route cut off, the Qin army had the Zhao's army surrounded for forty six days. During this time, the Zhao army had to kill each other for food and Zhao Kuo made unsuccessful attempts to break through the tight barricade. In the end, Zhao Kuo died during the last attempt and with the general dead, the 400,000 troops surrendered to Qin army. But alas, the Zhao army was too large an army for Qin to take it as its own, so all of them were buried alive. The State of Zhao never recovered from this bitter defeat.

  战国后期，秦国攻打赵国。秦军在长平（今山西高平北）受阻。长平守将是赵国名将廉颇，他见秦军势力强大，不能硬拼，便命令部队坚壁固守，不与秦军交战。两军相持四个多月，秦军仍拿不下长平。秦王采纳了范睢的建议，用离间法让赵王怀疑廉颇，赵王中计，调回廉颇，派赵括为将到长平与秦军作战。赵括到长平后，完全改变了廉颇坚守不战的策略，主张与秦军对面决战。秦将白起故意让赵括尝到一点甜头，使赵括的军队取得了几次小胜。赵括果然得意忘形，派人到秦营下战书。这下正中白起的下怀。他分兵几路，指挥形成对赵括军的包围圈。第二天，赵括亲率四十万大军，来与秦兵决战。秦军与赵军几次交战，都打输了。赵括志得意满，哪里知道敌人用的是诱敌之计。他率领大军追赶被打败了的秦军，一直追到秦壁。秦军坚守不出，赵括一连数日也攻克不了，只得退兵。这时突然得到消息：自己的后营已被秦军攻占，粮道也被秦军截断。秦军已把赵军全部包围起未。一连四十六天，赵军绝粮，士兵杀人相食，赵括只得拼命突围。白起已严密部署，多次击退企图突围的赵军，最后，赵括中箭身亡，赵军大乱。可惜四十万大军都被秦军杀戮。这个赵括，就是会”纸上谈兵”，在真正的战场上，一下子就中了敌军”关门捉贼”之计，损失四十万大军，使赵国从此一蹶不振。

  23. Befriend the Far and Attack the Near

  Sometimes, it is more beneficial to attack a nearby enemy than a distant one because of geographic constraints. So it is advisable to form an alliance with a distant enemy to destroy the near
by one.

  地理位置受到限制，形势发展受到阻碍，攻击近处之敌对自己有利，攻击远处之敌对自己有害。火焰是向上蹿，水是向下流的，天地万物的发展变化莫不如此。

  During the end of the Warring States Period, there were only seven states left. The Qin states had very notable growth, both military and economically, after it adopted the teaching of Shang Yang in its state administration. In 270 BC, Lord Zhao of Qin wanted to annex the State of Qi. Fan Sui suggested the “befriend the far and attack the near” strategy. Fan Sui said, “The State of Qi is strong and it is far away from Qin. If we were to attack it, we need to pass by the State of Han and Wei. If we send too few troops, we will not be able to win. If we send in too many troops, we cannot concretely annex the land we conquer. Why not attack the nearby States of Han and Wei instead? To prevent the State of Qi from forming an alliance with State of Han and Wei, we proposed an alliance with Qi first.” Lord Zhao agreed with Fan Sui and carried out his plan. With that, this became the main focus of Qin's foreign policy for the next forty years. Thus the State of Qin was later able to annex the other six states and united ancient China.

  战国末期，七雄争霸。秦国经商鞅变法之后，势力发展最快。秦昭王开始图谋吞并六国，独霸中原。公元前270年，秦昭王准备兴兵伐齐。范睢此时向秦昭王献上 “远交近攻”之策，阻秦国攻齐。他说：齐国势力强大，离秦国又很远，攻打齐国，部队要经过韩、魏两国。军队派少了，难以取胜；多派军队，打胜了也无法占有齐国土地。不如先攻打邻国韩、魏，逐步推进。为了防止齐国与韩、魏结盟，秦昭王派使者主动与齐国结盟。其后四十余年，秦始皇继续坚持”远交近攻”之策，远交齐楚，首先攻下韩、魏，然后又从两翼进兵，攻破赵、燕，统一北方；攻破楚国，平定南方；最后把齐国也收拾了。秦始皇征战十年．终于实现了统一中国的愿望。