32
Stratagem of the open city gates. "Empty city."
Interpretation:
If there's nothing
And the weakness of the position is clear,
Create an even greater void. *
Let the enemy
Will get in big trouble
From my own difficulty.
* “Emptiness found in emptiness” is one of the traditional formulas of Taoist wisdom.
The ability to quickly turn weakness into strength can create a situation where the false becomes real. This allows you to mislead the enemy, but you need to be careful and not rush to take advantage of the maneuver.
And the weakness of the position is clear,
Create an even greater void. *
Let the enemy
Will get in big trouble
From my own difficulty.
* “Emptiness found in emptiness” is one of the traditional formulas of Taoist wisdom.
The ability to quickly turn weakness into strength can create a situation where the false becomes real. This allows you to mislead the enemy, but you need to be careful and not rush to take advantage of the maneuver.
Historical example:
The famous commander Zhuge Liang found himself in the city of Xicheng with a small detachment. Sima Yi, the commander of the kingdom of Wei, wanted to attack them with a huge army. There was no way to retreat or defend the city by force. Then Zhuge Liang announced to his warriors:
- I order all soldiers to hide in secluded places, not to make noise and not to move under pain of death. Take down the battle flags from the city walls and wait.
He then sent several soldiers, dressed in civilian clothes, to sweep the ground at the city gates. Zhuge Liang himself, in ceremonial attire, climbed the tower above the city gates. There he lit incense and began to calmly play the lute. When Sima Yi's vanguard approached the city, they were in confusion: the gates were wide open, peaceful people were sweeping the ground, and the commander himself was playing a light melody. The scouts spoke about a strange “empty city.”
Sima Yi did not believe his soldiers and galloped to the city walls. He saw Zhuge Liang singing at ease on the tower of the empty city. A terrible suspicion gripped the Wei commander. He ordered his troops to retreat. To criticism that the enemy does not have any troops to defend the city, Sima Yi replied:
− Zhuge Liang doesn’t like to play with fire. He is a very careful person. Most likely he has a cunning plan, and a fatal ambush awaits us behind the open gates.
So Zhuge Liang took advantage of his reputation and created a non-existent danger from the void. He was able to save the city and his squad even without the use of force.
- I order all soldiers to hide in secluded places, not to make noise and not to move under pain of death. Take down the battle flags from the city walls and wait.
He then sent several soldiers, dressed in civilian clothes, to sweep the ground at the city gates. Zhuge Liang himself, in ceremonial attire, climbed the tower above the city gates. There he lit incense and began to calmly play the lute. When Sima Yi's vanguard approached the city, they were in confusion: the gates were wide open, peaceful people were sweeping the ground, and the commander himself was playing a light melody. The scouts spoke about a strange “empty city.”
Sima Yi did not believe his soldiers and galloped to the city walls. He saw Zhuge Liang singing at ease on the tower of the empty city. A terrible suspicion gripped the Wei commander. He ordered his troops to retreat. To criticism that the enemy does not have any troops to defend the city, Sima Yi replied:
− Zhuge Liang doesn’t like to play with fire. He is a very careful person. Most likely he has a cunning plan, and a fatal ambush awaits us behind the open gates.
So Zhuge Liang took advantage of his reputation and created a non-existent danger from the void. He was able to save the city and his squad even without the use of force.