三十六计-孙子兵法解读国粹兵法策略 1.1.8

The "Thirty-Six Stratagems," also referred to as "Thirty-Six Strategies," is a collection of military strategies from ancient China. Its origins can be traced back to the Southern and Northern Dynasties, with the text being compiled during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This work distills ancient Han military philosophy and rich combat experience into a comprehensive guide, representing one of the significant intangible cultural heritages of the Han ethnic group.

Organized by the names of strategies, the book is divided into six categories: The Stratagems for Victory, The Stratagems for Engagement, The Stratagems for Attack, The Stratagems for Confusion, The Stratagems for Alliance, and The Stratagems for Defeat. The first three categories are designed for situations of advantage, whereas the last three are aimed at dealing with disadvantageous circumstances. Each category comprises six stratagems, totaling thirty-six in all.

The "Thirty-Six Stratagems" serves as a summary of ancient Han military tactics and is regarded as a valuable heritage within the study of military strategics. To facilitate memorization of these stratagems, one scholar creatively devised a poem using one character from each stratagem, subsequently forming a complete verse:

• 金玉檀公策
• 借以擒劫贼
• 鱼蛇海间笑
• 羊虎桃桑隔
• 树暗走痴故
• 釜空苦远客
• 屋梁有美尸
• 击魏连伐虢

Each line of this poem contains a character that corresponds to one of the thirty-six stratagems, which include:

• 金蝉脱壳 (Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell)
• 抛砖引玉 (Throwing a Brick to Attract Jade)
• 借刀杀人 (Killing with a Borrowed Sword)
• 以逸待劳 (Waiting at Ease for Those Weary)
• 擒贼擒王 (Capture the Bandit, Capture the Leader)
• 趁火打劫 (Looting While the Fire Burns)
• 关门捉贼 (Closing the Door to Catch the Thief)
• 浑水摸鱼 (Fishing in Troubled Waters)
• 打草惊蛇 (Scaring the Snake by Hitting the Grass)
• 瞒天过海 (Deceiving Heaven to Cross the Sea)
• 反间计 (Counteracting Schemes)
• 笑里藏刀 (Hiding a Dagger Behind a Smile)
• 顺手牵羊 (Leading Away a Goat Along with One’s Hand)
• 调虎离山 (Luring the Tiger Off Its Mountain)
• 李代桃僵 (Substituting Li for Tao’s Peach)
• 指桑骂槐 (Pointing at the Mulberry Tree and Cursing the Locust Tree)
• 隔岸观火 (Watching a Fire from Across the Shore)
• 树上开花 (Flowers Blooming On Trees)
• 暗渡陈仓 (Secretly Crossing Chencang)
• 走为上 (Retreat as the Best Strategy)
• 假痴不癫 (Feigning Madness but Not Insanity)
• 欲擒故纵 (Letting Loose in Order to Capture)
• 釜底抽薪 (Removing the Firewood from Under the Pot)
• 空城计 (The Empty City Stratagem)
• 苦肉计 (The Strategy of Self-Injury)
• 远交近攻 (Distant Alliances and Attacks on Neighbors)
• 反客为主 (Turning Guests Into Hosts)
• 上屋抽梯 (Removing the Ladder from Upstage)
• 偷梁换柱 (Stealing Beams and Changing Pillars)
• 无中生有 (Creating Something from Nothing)
• 美人计 (The Beautiful Woman Stratagem)
• 借尸还魂 (Borrowing a Corpse to Revive a Soul)
• 声东击西 (Making a Sound in the East While Attacking in the West)
• 围魏救赵 (Surrounding Wei to Rescue Zhao)
• 连环计 (Linked Stratagems)
• 假道伐虢 (Using False Paths to Attack Guo)