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Topic: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?  (Read 3420 times)

Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Thirty-Six Stratagems


Chapter 1: Winning Stratagems

Deceive the heavens to cross the ocean
Besiege Wèi to rescue Zhào
Kill with a borrowed sword
Wait at leisure while the enemy labors
Loot a burning house
Make a sound in the east, then strike in the west

Chapter 2: Enemy Dealing Stratagems

Create something from nothing
Openly repair the gallery roads, but sneak through the passage of Chencang
Watch the fires burning across the river
Hide a knife behind a smile
Sacrifice the plum tree to preserve the peach tree
Take the opportunity to pilfer a goat

Chapter 3: Attacking Stratagems

Stomp the grass to scare the snake
Borrow a corpse to resurrect the soul
Entice the tiger to leave its mountain lair
In order to capture, one must let loose
Tossing out a brick to get a jade gem
Defeat the enemy by capturing their chief

Chapter 4: Chaos Stratagems

Remove the firewood from under the pot
Disturb the water and catch a fish
Slough off the cicada's golden shell
Shut the door to catch the thief
Befriend a distant state while attacking a neighbor
Obtain safe passage to conquer the State of Guo

Chapter 5: Proximate Stratagems

Replace the beams with rotten timbers
Point at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree
Feign madness but keep your balance
Remove the ladder when the enemy has ascended to the roof
Deck the tree with false blossoms
Make the host and the guest exchange roles

Chapter 6: Desperate Stratagems

The beauty trap (Honeypot)
The empty fort strategy
Let the enemy's own spy sow discord in the enemy camp
Inflict injury on oneself to win the enemy's trust
Chain stratagems
If all else fails, retreat

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #1 –
I would assume so. Business literature, how to succeed in business, is always popular, and traditional military strategy literature is still in fashion.

The collection(s) in question would probably be no exception.

The four-character literary style reminds me of Norse kennings in that you often need cultural knowledge to get what is talked about.

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Sparta on
Chain stratagems
If all else fails, retreat

Wise but with no honor.
Sun Tzu?
A matter of attitude.

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #3 –
Honour and victory in war are not related. Under "desperate strategems" you'd find
Quote
Send your enemy beautiful women to cause discord within his camp. This strategy can work on three levels. First, the ruler becomes so enamoured with the beauty that he neglects his duties and allows his vigilance to wane. Second, other males at court will begin to display aggressive behaviour that inflames minor differences hindering co-operation and destroying morale. Third, other females at court, motivated by jealousy and envy, begin to plot intrigues further exacerbating the situation.

To continue quoting Wikipedia,
Quote
The Thirty-Six Stratagems have variably been attributed to Sun Tzu from the Spring and Autumn Period of China, or Zhuge Liang of the Three Kingdoms period, but neither are regarded as the true author by historians. Instead, the prevailing view is that the Thirty-Six Stratagems may have originated in both written and oral history, with many different versions compiled by different authors throughout Chinese history. Some stratagems reference occurrences in the time of Sun Bin, approx. 150 years after Sun Wu's death.[4]

The original hand-copied paperback that is the basis of the current version was believed to have been discovered in China's Shaanxi province, of an unknown date and author, and put into print by a local publisher in 1941. The Thirty-Six Stratagems only came to the public's attention after a review of it was published in the Chinese Communist Party's Guangming Daily newspaper on September 16, 1961. It was subsequently reprinted and distributed with growing popularity.

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #4 –
Quote
Send your enemy beautiful women to cause discord within his camp.

Send them your Helens and Lavinias and there's no need to go to war. :P

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Frenzie on

Quote
Send your enemy beautiful women to cause discord within his camp.

Send them your Helens and Lavinias and there's no need to go to war. :P

Why do you think that so many royal marriages were done at the Middles Ages?
You can't imagine the amount of Spanish Queens we got in exchange for the Portuguese ones we sent them... :)

It didn't work too well, we needed to keep on fighting for eight consecutive centuries. The queens they sent weren't pretty enough.
A matter of attitude.

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #6 –
I forgot to say that I like Sun Tzu.

I find him a minimalist. That's good.
A matter of attitude.

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #7 –
if that strategy is applied in economy ( well, there is no War in China for today )

how is exactly economy in China ?

Afaik it's communisty style .

is it the government own all property ?

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Belfrager on

I forgot to say that I like Sun Tzu.

I find him a minimalist. That's good.
Me too. There is a reason in my opinion why The Art of War is a classic and these stratagems are not. Beyond the terse, focused language, the book gives sensible advice for what to achieve and how to achieve it, as well as what to avoid.

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Sparta on

how is exactly economy in China ?

Afaik it's communisty style .

is it the government own all property ?


It is a fairly capitalist society, in some sectors a hyper-capitalist society. However, the state owns the land. In urban areas sections of this land is auctioned off to developers for a period of 70 or 50 years lease for residential or commercial use respectively, in other words a form of rent. Properties built on the land belong to the buyer. In Singapore the lease term is 99 years. Since the 40 (old terms)/50/70/99 years haven't run out yet, China came late to capitalism, and Singapore isn't 99 years old, we wouldn't know what happens next. In China the growing expectation is a modest re-registration fee.

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #10 –
Very clever regime. They well knew they could not advance the material well-being of such a vast population by just dishing out those infamous wee red books.
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #11 –
RJ , that are ancient China War strategies .

probably some regime also use that  --> Borrow a corpse to resurrect the soul

for political purpose .

but , that's still the facts if that stratagems is  ancient Strategies 
beside Art of war in spring and autumn  era +500 BC , Zhuge liang Style --> Empty fort  ( Three Kingdom era ) +  200 , and another variants .
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also , i guess in western there are  almost same war strategies with that ancient China methods .

Deceive the heavens to cross the ocean ---> Disinformation

that's just one example .

another things   that perhaps  have similarity are :

Blitzkrieg , The Big lie technique ( NAZI style ) , character assasination technique , divide et impera .

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some probably still applicable until today ,

i/e
Blitzkrieg

in Economy = fast food
in sport = Football ( soccer ) Counter attack

Disinformation , the big lie technique , character assasination , divide et impera , etc .

used  in Political Area , especially during Campaign .
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just one thing , please go to Psychiatrist /psychologist before thingking to use that in nowadays world .

bc some strategies also the same symptomps of Psychopathy .  :left:

Re: Jax, Thirty-Six Stratagems is this kind of stuff still Mainstream in China ?

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Belfrager on

I forgot to say that I like Sun Tzu.

I find him a minimalist. That's good.


Some tidbits:
Quote

Thus, though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.
There is no instance of a country having benefitted from prolonged warfare.

Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.

Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline, simulated fear postulates courage; simulated weakness postulates strength.

Do not interfere with an army that is returning home.

There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must be not attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.

Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat.