三十六计-孙子兵法-国学经典(有声字幕)-解读古代兵法策略 1.3.2

The Thirty-Six Stratagems, or "San Shi Liu Ji," is a compilation of ancient Chinese military strategies believed to have originated during the Southern and Northern Dynasties and formally recorded during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This text encapsulates the military wisdom and extensive combat experience of ancient Han Chinese thought, representing one of the enduring cultural legacies of the Han people.

The Thirty-Six Stratagems serves as a significant contribution to the study of military strategy, summarizing the tactical approaches of ancient Han military theorists. To facilitate memorization, a scholar creatively constructed a poem using one character from each stratagem: "Golden jade Tanhui strategy, Borrowing to seize bandits, Fish in turbulent waters smile, Sheep and tiger set apart by peach and mulberry, Dark trees obscure past deeds, Empty cauldrons torment distant guests, Beautiful corpses on roof beams, Striking Wei to attack Guo."

The original text organizes these stratagems into six groups: Winning War Stratagems, Engaging Enemy Stratagems, Offensive War Stratagems, Mixed Conflict Stratagems, Combined Attack Stratagems, and Defeated War Stratagems. The first three groups contain strategies appropriate for advantageous positions, while the latter three focus on strategies for situations of disadvantage. Each group consists of six stratagems, totaling thirty-six.

Each stratagem name is followed by an explanation rooted in the principles of yin and yang as outlined in the "I Ching," interwoven with ancient military concepts such as rigidity and flexibility, offense and defense, and other opposing relationships. The discussions draw heavily on historical military examples from pre-Song Dynasty accounts and notable quotes from strategists like Sun Wu, Wu Qi, and Wei Liaozi. The text also includes an introduction and closing remarks.

In addition to the poetic representation of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, there is another playful poem that employs a similar structure while concealing its own commentary: "Lower strategies borrow gold and jade, Using fingers to seize bandits; Fish in troubled waters laugh; A goat strikes within peaches; Dark trees obscure foolish paths; Empty cauldrons torment distant guests; Roof beams house beautiful corpses; Wei's nation is annihilated."

In summary, both poems encompass each of the thirty-six strategies sequentially: Golden Cicada Escapes its Shell, Throwing Bricks to Attract Jade, Borrowing a Knife to Kill, Waiting for an Opportunity to Tire Out the Enemy, Seizing Bandits by Capturing Their Leader, Taking Advantage of Fire to Rob, Closing the Door to Capture Thieves, Fishing in Troubled Waters, Stirring Up Grass to Startle Snakes, Concealing Actions Underneath the Sky, Creating Discord Among Enemies, Hiding a Knife Behind a Friendly Smile, Taking Sheep Right Under Their Noses, Luring Tigers from Their Mountains, Swapping Peach for Plum Trees, Cursing the Mulberry While Scolding the Locust Tree, Watching the Flames from Afar, Blooming Flowers on Trees Above; Stealthily Crossing Chen Cang; Retreating is Perhaps Best; Pretending to be Crazy While Concealing Intentions; Wanting to Capture While Letting Go; Leaving by A Different Route is Superior; Emptying Cauldrons at the Bottom; The Empty City Tactic; Torturing One's Own Flesh; Allying with Distant Enemies While Attacking Neighbors; Turning Guests into Hosts; Pulling the Ladder from Underneath; Substituting Beams while Replacing Columns; Creating Interlinked Strategies; Employing Beautiful Women’s Tactics; Resuscitating the Dead with Borrowed Bodies; Observing Fire from Across the River; Rescuing Zhao by Attacking Wei; Using Deceitful Paths to Invade Guo.

Ultimately, these aphorisms encapsulate rich strategic concepts with profound implications for understanding ancient Chinese military philosophy.