Domain

Explanation

What stratagems? Strategies?

• According to Webster's dictionary,
• A strategy 策略 is a plan or sequence of actions based on science and management by using stratagem
• A stratagem 計 is:

1. Trick, scheme or plan 計劃 for deceiving the enemy
2. Trick or scheme 計謀 for achieving certain purpose

• Hence, the stratagem is the underlying idea, concept & fundamental, while the strategy is the actual practical implemented version of the intended stratagem
• In other words, the stratagem embodies the underlying intention or motive, whereas the strategy is what U actually do to accomplish it
• In engineering or science, the stratagem can be any abstraction, theory, model or prototype, while the strategy can be any experiment, simulation, testing, construction or operation

36?

• Through millennia of wars and civilisation, through numerous changes of dynasties, rebellions, uprising and chaos, through livelihood & culture, the Chinese people have evolved various tactics for survival & prosperity
• The main guiding principle in the application of tactics is flexibility 以柔制剛
• Yet amidst all flexibility, a number of stratagems have consistently been realised through the ages
• According to the author, an unknown (really) scholar of the late Ming 明 or early Qing 清 dynasty compiled a small book with a prologue and a total of 36 stratagems (of course)
• "Why 36?" U may ask
• superficially, this may be from coincidence
• But, on deeper thought, especially regarding the ancient Chinese philosophy, the Book of Changes 易經 & Geomancy 風水學,
• To the Chinese, stratagem belongs to the Yin 陰, which is represented by hexagram of six rows of dual line segments
• The product of the two columns of six line segments is none other than 36

三十六計

• These are the commonest guiding ideals behind tactics, pioneered and excelled in military context through the ages
• In modern times, these ideals have evolved to remain fundamental to daily situations - conflicts, livelihood, studies, play
• Technology is powerful, but limited to closed-form systems
• To achieve what technological superiority cannot is the ideal
• The classic 36 stratagems are a compilation of extremely condensed texts, the longest of which is only 32 Chinese characters
• As a simple guide, the 36 stratagems are split into 6 groups of six:

1. Stratagems when in superior positions
2. Stratagems for confrontation
3. Stratagems for attack
4. Stratagems for confused situations
5. Stratagems for gaining ground
6. Stratagems for desperate situations

總說

• 六六三十六, 數中有術,
• 術中有數. 陰陽燮理,
• 機在其中. 機不可設,
• 設則不中.

勝戰計

• 瞞天過海: 備周則意怠, 常見則不疑, 陰在陽之內, 不在陽之對, 太陽, 太陰.
• 圍魏救趙: 共敵不如分敵, 敵陽不如敵陰.
• 借刀殺人: 敵已明, 友未定, 引友殺敵, 不自出力, 以損推演.
• 以逸待勞: 困敵之勢, 不以戰; 損剛益柔.
• 趁火打劫: 敵之害大, 就勢取利, 剛決柔也.
• 聲東擊西: 敵志亂萃, 不虞, 坤下兌上之象, 利其不自主而取之.

敵戰計

• 無中生有: 誑也, 非誑也, 實其所誑也. 少陰, 太陰, 太陽.
• 暗渡陳倉: 示之以動, 利其靜而有主, 益動而巽.
• 隔岸觀火: 陽乖序亂, 陰以作逆, 暴戾恣睢, 其勢自斃. 順以動豫, 豫順以動.
• 笑里藏刀: 信而安之, 陰以圖之; 備而後動, 勿使有變. 剛中柔外也.
• 李代桃僵: 勢必有損, 損陰以益陽.
• 順手牽羊: 微隙在所必乘, 微利在所必得. 少陰, 少陽.

攻戰計

• 打草驚蛇: 疑以叩實, 察而後動; 復者, 陰之媒也.
• 借尸還魂: 有用者, 不可借; 不能用者, 求借. 借不能用者而用之, 匪我求童蒙, 童蒙求我.
• 調虎離山: 待天以困之, 用人以誘之, 往蹇來返.
• 欲擒故縱: 逼則反兵; 走則減勢. 緊隨勿迫, 纍其氣力, 消其鬥志, 散而後擒, 兵不血人. 需, 有孚, 光.
• 拋磚引玉: 類以誘之, 擊蒙也.
• 擒賊擒王: 摧其堅, 奪有魁, 以解其體. 龍戰於野, 其道窮也.

混戰計

• 釜底抽薪: 不敵其力, 而消其實, 兌不乾上之象.
• 混水摸魚: 乘其陰亂, 利其弱而無主. 隨, 以向晦入宴息.
• 金蟬脫殼: 存其形, 完其勢; 友不疑, 敵不動. 巽而止蠱.
• 關門捉賊: 小敵困之, 剝, 不利有攸往.
• 遠交近攻: 形緊勢格, 利從近取, 害以遠隔. 上火下澤.
• 假道伐虢: 兩大之間, 敵脅以從, 我假以勢. 困, 有言不信.

亞戰計

• 偷梁換柱: 頻更其陣, 抽其勁玈, 待其自敗, 而後乘之. 曳其輪也.
• 指桑罵槐: 大凌小者, 警以誘之. 剛中而應, 行險而順.
• 假痴不癲: 寧偽作不知不為, 不偽作假知妄為. 靜不露機, 云雷屯也.
• 上屋抽梯: 假之以便, 唆之使前, 斷其援應, 陷之死地. 遇毒, 位不當也.
• 樹上開花: 借局布勢, 力小勢大. 鴻漸於陸, 其羽可用為儀也.
• 反客為主: 乘隙插足, 扼其主機, 漸之進也.

敗戰計

• 美人計: 兵強者, 攻其將; 將智者, 伐其情. 將弱兵頹, 其勢自萎. 利用禦蔻, 順相保也.
• 空城計: 虛者虛之, 疑中生疑; 剛柔之際, 奇而復奇.
• 反間計: 疑中之疑. 比之自內, 不自失也.
• 苦肉計: 人不自害, 受害必真; 假真真假, 間以得行. 同蒙之吉, 順以巽也.
• 連環計: 將多兵重, 不可以敵, 使其自纍, 以殺其勢. 在師中吉, 承天寵也.
• 走為上計: 全師避敵. 左次無咎, 未失常也.

Medical analogy

• An analogy to the above 36 stratagems can be drawn to our bodies
• Our bodies exhibit Fight-or-Flight physiology when confronted with uncertainties, risks or simple unknowns
• The first 35 stratagems refers to Fight - which is more difficult, but has more to gain
• Only the last stratagem 走為上計 refers to Flight - which has often been cited as the easiest, but has more to lose
• Fight or Flight, do we have a choice?