The 36 Chinese Stratagems

 

The 36 Chinese stratagems are not unique to China. Growing up in Vietnam as I did, or in other countries throughout Asia, children are exposed early to the strong influence of Chinese culture. Originally oriented toward the military, the 36 stratagems are now predominantly seen in association with Asian history, art and popular culture like movies and soap operas. Although it is considered the “wisdom of the East”, we often see a varied degree of the 36 stratagems universally applied, throughout the world’s history, in politics, economics, academics and human interactions.

 

For Westerners, there may be some constitutional or ethical concerns on the literal application of the 36 stratagems. Whether you use them or not, it is important that you are aware of them. In the globalized economy, being unaware of the mind-set and behavior of people around the world, puts you at a disadvantage. Being familiar with the 36 Chinese stratagems, however, will allow you to use them to your advantage, help you avoid falling into traps and give you a competitive edge.

 

The 36 stratagems are divided into 6 chapters, defined by 6 different military situations. They consist of only 138 Chinese characters, and are written in either three or four character idioms.

 

 

Chapter 1: Advantageous Stratagems (勝戰計)

• Deceive the heavens to cross the ocean (瞞天過海／瞒天过海, Mán tiān guò hǎi)

• Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao (圍魏救趙／围魏救赵, Wéi Wèi jiù Zhào)

• Kill with a borrowed knife (借刀殺人／借刀杀人, Jiè dāo shā rén)

• Wait at leisure while the enemy exhausts himself (以逸待勞／以逸待劳, Yǐ yì dài láo)

• Loot a burning house (趁火打劫, Chèn huǒ dǎ jié)

• Make a sound in the east, strike in the west (聲東擊西／声东击西, Shēng dōng jī xī)

 

Chapter 2: Opportunistic Stratagems (敵戰計)

• Create something from nothing (無中生有／无中生有, Wú zhōng shēng yǒu)

• Secret escape through ChenCang (明修棧道,暗渡陳倉／明修栈道,暗渡陈仓, Míng xiū zhàn dào, àn dù chén cāng)

• Watch the fires burning across the river (隔岸觀火／隔岸观火, Gé àn guān huǒ)

• Hide a dagger behind a smile (笑裏藏刀／笑里藏刀, Xiào lǐ cáng dāo)

• Sacrifice the plum tree to preserve the peach tree (李代桃僵, Lǐ dài táo jiāng)

• Steal a goat along the way (順手牽羊／顺手牵羊, Shùn shǒu qiān yáng)

 

Chapter 3: Offensive Stratagems (攻戰計)

• Hit the grass to scare the snake (打草驚蛇／打草惊蛇, Dá cǎo jīng shé)

• Borrow a corpse to resurrect a soul (借屍還魂／借尸还魂, Jiè shī huán hún)

• Lure a tiger to leave its mountain lair (調虎離山／调虎离山, Diào hǔ lí shān)

• Release the enemy to recapture him (欲擒故縱／欲擒故纵, Yù qín gū zòng)

• Toss out a brick to get a jade (拋磚引玉／抛砖引玉, Pāo zhuān yǐn yù)

• Disband the bandit by capturing their leader (擒賊擒王／擒贼擒王, Qín zéi qín wáng)

 

Chapter 4: Confusion Stratagems (混戰計)

• Remove the firewood from under the pot (釜底抽薪, Fǔ dǐ chōu xīn)

• Catch a fish in troubled water (渾水摸魚／浑水摸鱼 or 混水摸鱼, Hún shuǐ mō yú)

• Slough off the cicada's golden shell (金蟬脱殼／金蝉脱壳, Jīn chán tuō qiào)

• Shut the doors to catch the thief (關門捉賊／关门捉贼, Guān mén zhuō zéi)

• Befriend the far while attacking the near (遠交近攻／远交近攻, Yuǎn jiāo jìn gōng)

• Borrow a passage to conquer Guo (假道伐虢, Jiǎ dào fá Guó)

 

Chapter 5: Deception Stratagems (並戰計)

• Replace the beams with rotten timbers (偷梁換柱／偷梁换柱, Tōu liáng huàn zhù)

• Point at the mulberry tree while scolding the locust tree (指桑罵槐／指桑骂槐, Zhǐ sāng mà huái)

• Feign madness but remain smart (假痴不癲／假痴不癫, Jiǎ chī bù diān)

• Remove the ladder when the enemy has ascended to the roof (上屋抽梯, Shàng wū chōu tī)

• Deck the tree with false blossoms (樹上開花／树上开花, Shù shàng kāi huā)

• Make the guest become the host(反客為主／反客为主, Fǎn kè wéi zhǔ)

 

Chapter 6: Desperate Stratagems (敗戰計)

• The beauty trap (美人計／美人计, Měi rén jì)

• The empty city scheme (空城計／空城计, Kōng chéng jì)

• The double agent ploy (反間計／反间计, Fǎn jiàn jì)

• The self-injury scheme (苦肉計／苦肉计, Kǔ ròu jì)

• Linking stratagems (連環計／连环计, Lián huán jì)

• The retreat scheme (走為上／走为上, Zǒu wéi shàng)

 

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