36 stratagems

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The thirty-six stratagems ( Chinese  三十六計  /  三十六计 , Pinyin Sānshíliù jì , also 三 十六 策 , Sānshíliù cè ) are a collection of stratagems that are attributed to the Chinese general Tan Daoji († 436).

The 36 stratagems are common property in China. They are school reading material and are printed as cartoons.

Stratagems in China

Zhuge Liang

Chinese authors have named and systematized various outwitting techniques for over 2000 years. Stratagems already play an important role in Sunzi's work Sunzi Bingfa (Sūnzi bīngfǎ) on the art of war (around 500 BC). His core sentence is: "All acts of war are based on deception". The thirty-six stratagems , which are said to go back to General Tan Daoji († 436), are particularly well-known in China . They were written through the Sanshiliu Ji treatise . Miben Bingfa ( The 36 Stratagems - Secret Book of the Art of War , originated around 1500). The author is not known by name, but was probably influenced by Zhao Benxue , a military historian from the Ming period (1368–1644), or one of his students.

The 36 stratagems have been incorporated into a variety of stories on military, diplomatic, and private subjects. These include a. the stories about Zhuge Liang , Cao Cao and Liu Bei .

On trickery techniques outside of China, cf. see the section Stratagems in other cultures below .

The 36 stratagems

Deceive the emperor and cross the sea

character Pinyin meaning
瞞 瞒 man To deceive
天 天 tiān Heaven = emperor
過 过 guò cross
海 海 hǎi sea

The “accomplished fact” strategist (target camouflage and course disguise): The emperor is supposed to be tricked into crossing the sea against his will by inviting him to a house by the sea that is actually a ship. The allusion is to an event about the Tang Emperor Tang Gaozong , who wanted to attack the Koguryo Empire in the 7th century AD .

Siege Wei to save Zhao

character Pinyin meaning
圍 围 wéi besiege
魏 魏 Wèi White
救 救 jiù save
趙 赵 Zhào Zhao

Attack on an important or sensitive target of the opponent in order to distract from your own. The stratagem based on a real expedition of the realm Qi on the advice of the military strategist Sun Bin in the Warring States Period .

Wei was between the states of Qin and Qi . Zhao bordered on Qin , Wei, and Yan . Zhao was born in 354 BC. Attacked by Wei and called Qi for help. This did not send relief troops to Zhao, but instead attacked the unprotected capital of Wei. Wei's army was forced to break off the attack.

To kill with someone else's knife

character Pinyin meaning
借 借 jiè lend
刀 刀 dāo knife
殺 杀 shā kill
人 人 rén human

Stratagems for the use of allies who wage a proxy war, or for a like-minded person who is motivated to do a difficult task (see also "Getting chestnuts out of the fire").

Rested, await the exhausted enemy

character Pinyin meaning
以 以 yǐ in
逸 逸 yì Quiet
待 待 dài expect
勞 劳 láo exhaustion

In 342 BC BC Sun Bin made a sham retreat from the overwhelming forces of the enemy. In the beginning he left 100,000, then 50,000 and in the end only 30,000 fireplaces. The persecutors now believed that many soldiers had deserted and set out on the chase with a lightly equipped troop. But Sun Bin waited in an ambush and was able to destroy the enemy troops.

Taking advantage of a fire for a robbery

character Pinyin meaning
趁 趁 chèn exploit something
火 火 huǒ Fire
打 打 dǎ beat
劫 劫 jié rob

That means creating chaos and using it to attack, taking advantage of another's difficulties and using the chaos in the ranks of the enemy to defeat him.

Make noise in the east, attack in the west

character Pinyin meaning
聲 声 shēng noise
東 东 dōng east
擊 击 jī attack
西 西 xī west

With a mock attack, the enemy is made to reinforce his troops there and to withdraw resources from the point where the attack actually takes place.

Create something from nothing

character Pinyin meaning
無 无 wú have nothing
中 中 zhōng in
生 生 shēng bring forth
有 有 yǒu (to have something
  1. Non-stop false positives that lead to a decrease in attention.
  2. Use the pretense of an illusion to gain an advantage or change your mind.
  3. Defame , spread rumors, " make an elephant out of a mosquito ".

March in secret to Chencang

character Pinyin meaning
暗 暗 on secretly
渡 渡 you cross
陳 陈 chén 1st part of the place name
倉 仓 cāng 2nd part of the place name
  1. disguise the direction
  2. the unusual intention to hide criticism behind normal, harmless action.

Liu Bang , the founder of the Han dynasty , had a burnt wooden path through mountains laboriously repaired, which lulled his opponents into the certainty that the work would still take a while. In fact, Liu Bang took a different route and struck the surprised enemy.

Watch the fire on the opposite bank

character Pinyin meaning
隔 隔 gé across from
岸 岸 on shore
觀 观 guān look at
火 火 huǒ Fire

Refrain from your own actions until the situation has developed to your own advantage, thereby preventing any action by the opponent that brings him an advantage.

Hide the dagger behind the smile

character Pinyin meaning
笑 笑 xiào laugh
裏 里 lǐ in
藏 藏 cáng hide
刀 刀 dāo knife

To lull the enemy into security through kindness, to attack him in the moment of weakness.

The plum tree withers instead of the peach tree

character Pinyin meaning
李 李 lǐ plum
代 代 dài represented
桃 桃 táo peach
僵 僵 jiāng get stuck
  1. to sacrifice oneself to save others
  2. to sacrifice the other to save yourself
  3. to sacrifice anyone to save a third party
  4. make a small sacrifice to gain something of value

Take the sheep away with a light hand

character Pinyin meaning
順 顺 shùn in the same direction
手 手 shǒu hand
牽 牵 qiān drag something behind you
羊 羊 yáng Sheep goat

Seize the opportunity. Achieve a maximum with little effort.

Hit the grass to scare the snake away

character Pinyin meaning
打 打 dǎ beat
草 草 cǎo grass
驚 惊 jīng frighten
蛇 蛇 shé Snake

"Knock on the bush" strategist. Lure the opponent out of the reserve, test the strength of the opponent. Also: to attract the attention of the opponent. Frightening the opponent by something unexpected, e.g. B. by a sham attack that leads him astray. If the opponent is briefly frightened, his resistance is undermined and his ability to react is reduced.

Borrow a corpse for the return of the soul

character Pinyin meaning
借 借 jiè borrow
屍 尸 shī body
還 还 huán Come back
魂 魂 hún soul

Relive something feared, loved, traditional for the purpose of intimidation or encouragement.

Lure the tiger from the mountain into the plain

character Pinyin meaning
調 调 diào switch
虎 虎 hǔ tiger
離 离 lí leave
山 山 shān mountain
  1. lure the tiger away from familiar terrain to make it easier to kill
  2. lure the tiger away in order to seize its easier to defend mountain
  3. weaken the tiger by removing its most important helpers
  4. catch the tiger's children when it is lured away

Corresponds to the German idiom “lead on ice”.

If you want to catch something, you have to let go of it first

character Pinyin meaning
欲 欲 yù want
擒 擒 qín to catch
故 故 gù intentionally
縱 纵 zòng set free

Infiltration of the opposing troops by released prisoners of war who have been treated kindly beforehand.

Throw down a brick to get jade

character Pinyin meaning
拋 抛 pāo throw
磚 砖 zhuān Brick
引 引 yǐn attract
玉 玉 yù jade

Sacrificing something small, thereby leading the enemy on the wrong track, and then seizing the great in the rear of the enemy.

Example: Using a targeted measure (e.g. dissemination of information, weak fortification of one's own fortress), tempt the enemy to take rapid action and then attack him from an ambush at his weakest point.

Also used as a politeness formula, for example in the sense of: I hope that my modest contribution (brick) leads to a lively discussion (jade).

Make the opponent harmless by capturing the leader

character Pinyin meaning
擒 擒 qín to catch
賊 贼 zéi

opponent

擒 擒 qín to catch
王 王 wáng Ruler

Chop off the snake's head. If the enemy commander is captured, the morale of the enemy drops and the battle is decided.

Secretly remove the firewood from under the boiler

character Pinyin meaning
釜 釜 fǔ Kettle
底 底 dǐ ground
抽 抽 chou pull it off
薪 薪 xīn firewood

Dig up the water; Deprive the enemy of his resources or the reason for the war in order to end the conflict early or even to avoid it.

Clouding the water to grab the fish

character Pinyin meaning
混 混 hún cloudy
水 水 shuǐ water
摸 摸 mō track down
魚 鱼 yú fish

To fish in troubled waters; Use disorientation to gain followers. Taking away the overview from the opponent in order to overwhelm him more easily in the blind state.

The cicada sheds its golden skin

Cicada larva
character Pinyin meaning
金 金 jīn gold
蟬 蝉 chán cicada
脱 脱 tuō move out
殼 壳 ké Shell

Leaving behind false externalities conceived for strategic purposes. Like the skin of the cicada , the facade remains intact, but the real action is now taking place elsewhere. Allegedly, the cicada larva, which lives underground, has a shiny golden shell. This cover is too dangerous for the adult animal living above ground, it strips it off and camouflages itself.

Close the door to catch the thief

character Pinyin meaning
關 关 guān conclude
門 门 men door
捉 捉 zhuō to catch
賊 贼 zéi Thief

The enemy is allowed to run into the void so that he can then be surrounded. Cut off every possible escape route for the enemy.

Ally with the distant enemy to attack neighbors

character Pinyin meaning
遠 远 yuǎn remote
交 交 jiāo befriend
近 近 jīn close
攻 攻 gong attack

A general who feels threatened by multiple enemies can ally with a distant enemy to encircle the nearby enemy. This stratagem is also well known in other cultures. It is expressed, for example, in the Arabic proverb: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Borrow a way to attack Guo.

character Pinyin meaning
假 假 jiǎ borrow
道 道 dào path
伐 伐 fa attack
虢 虢 Guó State of Guo

In 658 BC BC Jin State requested Yu State to march through to attack Guo State . After two campaigns against Guo, the state of Jin also took the state of Yu, in which its soldiers were already located.

Steal the beams and replace them with rotten supports

character Pinyin meaning
偷 偷 tōu secretly
梁 梁 liáng Support beam
換 换 huàn To deceive
柱 柱 zhù pier

Without changing the facade of a house, steal the supporting beams and replace the support posts. Poaching top talent from others; present a sham.

Scold the acacia, pointing at the mulberry tree

character Pinyin meaning
指 指 zhǐ demonstrate
桑 桑 sāng Mulberry tree
罵 骂 mà rant
槐 槐 huái acacia

Hit the sack and mean the donkey. The acacia was the favorite tree of the emperors. The mulberry tree was important for the silk production of the common people. Criticism of superiors was made indirectly by complaining about other people on the same subject.

Acting madness without losing your balance

character Pinyin meaning
假 假 jiǎ to pretend
癡 痴 chī madness
不 不 bù Not
癲 癫 diān getting crazy)

The general allows his enemy to consider himself incapable of letting time pass, which he uses to improve his starting position.

Lure onto the roof and then pull the ladder away

character Pinyin meaning
上 上 shàng on
屋 屋 wū top, roof
抽 抽 chou move away
梯 梯 tī ladder

Offering an easy target for the enemy and luring him into an area from which there are few opportunities to escape. These escape routes must then be cut off so that the trap closes.

Decorate drought trees with artificial flowers

character Pinyin meaning
樹 树 shù tree
上 上 shàng on
開 开 kāi to open
花 花 huā blossom

Artificial flowers make a withered tree appear healthy and strong. Deceiving the enemy with regard to one's own troop strength and armament, e.g. B. by dummies. Make your army look bigger and stronger.

Reverse the role of the guest to that of the host

character Pinyin meaning
反 反 fǎn against
客 客 kè guest
為 为 wéi do
主 主 zhǔ host

Usurp the opponent's position. After successfully defending against an attack, ushering in a counterattack and forcing the opponent to defend in a terrain that is unfamiliar to him, but also "from hunter to hunted". In essence, it is a matter of reversing the - reactive - role of the "guest" into the - active - role of the host in order to gain the ability to act, to convert a weak position into a strong one and to turn the opponent into a defensive or reactive role for him to force.

The ruse of the beautiful woman

character Pinyin meaning
美 美 měi beautiful
人 人 rén human
計 计 jì Cunning

This stratagem stands for information acquisition or corruption. Mostly it means using a woman to influence an important personality. The singer Sima Xiangru said:

"One look - and entire cities fall, a second look - and empires collapse."

The most famous case is the case of Diaochan , one of the four beautiful women of ancient China. In Luo Guanzhong's novel The Tale of the Three Kingdoms , Diaochan participates in a conspiracy led by officer Wang Yun to get the warrior Lü Bu to murder his master and adoptive father, Dong Zhuo .

Resolve a conflict through the prospect of marriage and form a coalition based on common interests.

In the world of espionage, the process is called the " Romeo variant ". An intimate relationship should help "skim off" the target person. It is important to obtain information that the person concerned expresses under the protection of the intimacy of a relationship.

The ruse of the open city gates

character Pinyin meaning
空 空 kōng empty
城 城 chéng city
計 计 jì Cunning

Fake an ambush that disguises your weakness. Zhuge Liang had moved to Xicheng with 5,000 soldiers when the enemy general Sima Yi was advancing against the city with an army of 150,000. Zhuge Liang opened the four city gates and sat on the city wall with a zither. Sima Yi refrained from attacking because he feared a trap. He judged Zhuge Liang to be so cautious that he would never have taken such an overt risk. After the enemy withdrew, Zhuge Liang said, "If we had given up the city and fled, we would certainly not have got very far."

The ruse of sowing discord

character Pinyin meaning
反 反 fǎn against
間 间 jiān between
計 计 jì Cunning

In Sunzi's Art of War (孫子兵 法 Sūnzǐ bīngfǎ) the special meaning of double agents is emphasized (1st alt.). See chapter 'The sword in its scabbard': According to Sunzi, the highest level of military leadership is attacking / thwarting the opponent's strategy, followed by splitting the opponent's alliances as the second best option, the third best alternative would be the (direct) attack by the opponent and the worst the military solution would be to besiege the enemy strongholds. The stratagem of "sowing discord" is based on Sunzi's solution to split the opponent's alliances. (2nd alt)

Playing two opposing parties off against each other in order to then benefit from them yourself.

If two people quarrel, the third is happy .

The ruse of self-mutilation

character Pinyin meaning
苦 苦 kǔ bitter
肉 肉 ròu flesh
計 计 jì Cunning

Hurting yourself to arouse compassion and feign weakness. Injury yourself to pass it on to your opponent.

The chain strategy

character Pinyin meaning
連 连 lián connect
環 环 huán Chain link
計 计 jì Cunning

Link two or more stratagems.

Running away is the best method

character Pinyin meaning
走 走 zǒu go away
為 为 wéi do
上 上 shàng on
策 策 cè method

Running away in time is the best when it becomes apparent that there is no hope. When the other 35 lists fail, the 36th list, escape, is the best strategy. This stratagem is usually represented with 三十六計 ， 走 為 上策.

Surrendering is total defeat, comparison is half defeat. Escape offers the chance to win later after all. The withdrawal was then just a tactical move.

Stratagems in other cultures

In antiquity there were probably a number of writings with stratagem collections. However, all but two of them have been lost. The older of the two was written by the Roman statesman and general Sextus Iulius Frontinus (* around 40, † 103) as an adviser for officers. The second put together the Greek rhetorician (speaker) and lawyer Polyänus (* around 100).

Tricks from European prince mirrors can be read as stratagems, such as the advice from Machiavelli's Der Fürst . Likewise, Arthur Schopenhauer 's tricks of his eristic dialectic can be understood as stratagems. The hand oracle and art of sophistication by Baltasar Gracián , congenially translated by Schopenhauer, contains many of the stratagems in his concise and short form. Harro von Senger , who translated the 36 stratagems extensively into German, points to Reineke Fuchs (see also Reynke de vos ) von Johann Wolfgang von Goethe as an example of European stratagems.

In the Arab world there are half a dozen papers dealing with lists in the (currently used) Islamic law . There is also a more general work called Raqa'iq al-hilal fi daqa'iq al-hiyal from the 15th century. Another comes from the Sicilian Ibn Zafer from the 12th century.

It is contrasted with the Indian textbook Arthashastra by Kautilya (4th century BC).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ With this tactic, for example, William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings in 1066
  2. ↑ http://en.chinaculture.org/chineseway/2014-07/08/content_547162.htm , accessed on April 5, 2019

literature

  • Marco Althaus: Strategies for Campaigns. Classic lessons and modern targeting. In: Marco Althaus (Ed.): Campaign! New strategies for election campaigns, PR and lobbying. (= Media practice. 1). Münster 2001, pp. 11-44.
  • Sextus Iulius Frontinus : lists of war. Latin and German by Gerhard Bendz. 2nd Edition. Berlin 1978.
  • Yuan Gao: Lure the tiger out of the mountains. 36 wisdoms from ancient China for today's managers. Droemer Knaur, Munich 1995.
  • Robert Greene : Power - The 48 Laws of Power. dtv, ISBN 3-423-36248-0 .
  • Julia Kotzschmar, Josef K. Pöllath: Stratagems. Create something from nothing. Marixverlag, Wiesbaden 2010, ISBN 978-3-86539-235-0 .
  • Gianluca Magi: 36 stratagems for success and prosperity: the tried and tested Chinese art of strategy. Kailash, Munich 2009.
  • Adam Matuschczyk: Creative stratagems: creative and systemic thinking when dealing with social conflicts. Cardinal, Hanover 2009.
  • Polyaenus : Strategems of war. Edited and translated by Peter Krentz and Everett L. Wheeler. 2 volumes. Chicago 1994.
  • Harro von Senger : Stratagems, The famous 36 stratagems of the Chinese - long guarded as secret knowledge, presented for the first time in the West. Joke, ISBN 3-502-15660-3 .
  • Harro von Senger: Stratagems. Life and survival lists from three millennia. 10th edition. Scherz, Bern / Munich / Vienna 2000.
  • Harro von Senger: 36 stratagems for managers. Piper, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-492-24649-4 .
  • Harro von Senger: The keyboard of the 36 stratagems. Think in terms of opposites. Hanser, Munich 2013, ISBN 978-3-446-43684-8 .
  • Haichen Sun: The Wiles Of War: 36 Military Strategies from Ancient China. Foreign Languages ​​Press, Beijing 1993.
  • Stefan H. Verstappen: The Thirty-Six Strategies of Ancient China. China Books & Periodicals, San Francisco 1999.

See also

Web links