[Chinese Idioms And Fables] Thirty-Six Strategies 34: The Strategy Of Injuring Yourself

Pretending to be injured has two possible applications. In the first, the enemy is lulled into relaxing his guard since he no longer considers you to be an immediate threat. The second is a way of ingratiating yourself to your enemy by pretending the injury was caused by a mutual enemy.

[Chinese Idioms And Fables] Thirty-Six Strategies 33: The Strategy Of Sowing Discord

Undermine your enemy's ability to fight by secretly causing discord between him and his friends, allies, advisors, family, commanders, soldiers, and population. While he is preoccupied settling internal disputes his ability to attack or defend, is compromised.

[Chinese Idioms And Fables] Thirty-Six Strategies 32: The Strategy Of Open City Gates

When the enemy is superior in numbers and your situation is such that you expect to be overrun at any moment, then drop all pretence of military preparedness and act casually.

[Chinese Idioms And Fables] Thirty-Six Strategies 31: The Strategy Of Beautiful Women

Send your enemy beautiful women to cause discord within his camp. This strategy can work on three levels.

[Chinese Idioms And Fables] Thirty-Six Strategies 30: Exchange The Role Of Guest For That Of Host

Defeat the enemy from within by infiltrating the enemy's camp under the guise of cooperation, surrender, or peace treaties. In this way you can discover his weakness and then, when the enemy's guard is relaxed, strike directly at the source of his strength.

[Chinese Idioms And Fables] Thirty-Six Strategies 29: Deck The Dead Tree With Silk Blossoms

Tying silk blossoms on a dead tree gives the illusion that the tree is healthy. Through the use of artifice and disguise make something of no value appear valuable; of no threat appear dangerous; of no use, useful.

[Chinese Idioms And Fables] Thirty-Six Strategies 28: Lure Your Enemy Onto The Roof, Then Take Away The Ladder

With baits and deceptions lure your enemy and draw the opponent into a trap. Then cut off his lines of communication and avenue of escape.

[Chinese Idioms And Fables] Thirty-Six Strategies 27: Feign Madness, But Keep Your Balance

The man who survived danger by pretending to be insane or mentally deficient. It's not fun to be thought of as stupid, but it is safer than to be reckoned intelligent and therefore dangerous.

[Chinese Idioms And Fables] Thirty-Six Strategies 26: Point At The Mulberry, But Curse The Locust Tree

To discipline, control, or warn others whose status or position excludes them from direct confrontation; use analogy and innuendo.

[Chinese Idioms And Fables] Thirty-Six Strategies 25: Replace The Beams With Rotten Timbers

One way of making for the enemy's weak points is to give the enemy weaknesses that he does not recognize...