Part II of the 36 Strategems of Ancient China

Part II of the 36 Strategems of Ancient China

(Adapted for Contemporary Readers)
By: Travis Anderson

19.Take away the firewood under the cauldron (take drastic measures to strike at source of a problem)
What does your rival need to function?  What keeps him coming back to fight you or oppose you?  Just as a cauldron needs firewood to function, you must find what your opponent needs to function and take that from him.

20 Fish in troubled water (try to take advantage of a disturbed situation to take in profits)

Predators look for weakened prey because there is nothing more to gain and everything to lose by going after someone at their best when you have to defeat them.  Sometimes they bring about their own weakness and disturbances…other times you must create these yourself (33).

21.Cast off the molted skin (escape unnoticed)
Robbers who are good at their trade wear reversible jackets.  Others wear highly visible outer clothes that they can discard in favor for more plain clothes underneath.  Do not think that all disguises work by making you blend in, some work by virtue of calling attention to them.  Cast these away and your odds of escape greatly increase.  

22.Close the gate to catch the thieves
The Great Wall of China, contrary to popular belief, was not designed to keep people out, but rather, to trap bandits and barbarians inside.  They could not carry their loot back over the walls, and any attempt to breach the walls would alert the government.  Rather than always hoping that you can keep them out, at times it’s best to let them in and trap them.

23.Befriend distant countries while attacking those nearby
“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” is the key here.  By having your enemy in between you and your allies, you prevent him from marching against you from fear of attack by your allies, and from attacking your allies from fear of attack by you.

24.Conquer Hao after obtaining permittance to cross another country (forge neutral alliances)
Do not burn your bridges in personal relationships.  You never know who’s help you’ll need later on, and if you alienate many as a habit, you’ll find yourself alone and without allies when you need them.

25.Steal the beams and pillars and replace them with rotten timbers
The greatest practices and policies do not arise out of nothingness.  They arise from the mind.  Find those minds within your rivals forces and entice them away or destroy them.  Then send in agents of your own to replace those minds they no longer have to confuse and weaken your rivals. (18, 33)

26.Revile the locust tree while pointing at the mulberry (scold one person through another)
When a minor rule has been broken, it is best not to admonish the individual directly.  In management, it is often better to call a meeting where many are present, including the guilty party and talk about what the person did as though the meeting was not directly about them.  “It has come to our attention that we’re running out of pens.  Everyone needs to be sure that they are returning them at the end of their shifts.“ They will get the message.

27.Pretend madness without loosing the balance
Never appear too smart-always appear a little foolish, a little dull.  In so doing, no one considers you a threat and you are free to plot your own methods.  The enemy should not know either your true intentions or your capabilities.

28.Take away the ladder when the enemy is in the second floor
This is also called “Death Ground”, where there is no way to go but forward.  Sometimes, you have to remove the ladder so that someone has no choice but to push harder than they normally would have-the only other option is to get fired/killed.  Do not make this a common strategy, as they’ll soon realize what you’re up to and that you aren’t sincere in your urging them forward.

29.False flowers on a tree (use decoys)
If you have little in the way of power, make it appear otherwise.  The reverse is also true-if you have much power, make it appear otherwise.  Control your enemy's vision of you, and you control much more.  He must think you strong when you are weak, and weak when you are strong.

30.Make the guest to the host ("cuckoo's egg strategy")
The true power rests behind the throne, speaking into the Kings ear.  You achieve this by being faithful to the powers that be, doing their bidding until you rise to the level of chief adviser, vice president, ect.  When the time comes, usurp power.

31.The stratagem of a beautiful woman.
The essence here is to use a decoy.  While the title itself refers to "woman" it can refer to anything he finds pleasing in order to distract his attention.

32. The stratagem of (open gates and) an emptied city (with soldiers waiting in ambush)
The Art of the Ambush is a refined one.  The Ambush brings out our worst and most primal fears-the sudden fear for one's life where one thought safety was assured.  In this case, the idea is to draw him in with the prospects of an easy victory or path, then turn his complacency into terror.

33. The stratagem of sowing the seeds of discord (among the enemies)
Sun Tzu advised, "When the enemy is united, divide him."  This strategy rests on your ability to find out who is part of your enemy forces either out of fear or  opportunism or if he has a grudge against others in the group.  If he is with them out of fear, show him how weak and helpless you are and he will leave the coalition.  If he is with them out of opportunism, offer him the world if he opposes them.  If he has a personal rivalry or grudge against others on his side, show him false evidence of betrayal by those he hates.

34. The stratagem of self-mutilation (in order to lure out the enemy)
Gangs have initiations for a reason.  By going through a hard or illegal act, you show that you are willing to cause harm on yourself.  This seals their trust for you, and traps you.  However, know that this can also be a way to gain the trust of others you wish to defeat.

35. The stratagem of combining rings (of various stratagems)
This isn't necessarily a strategy so much as it is a recommendation to combine-when possible-various strategies for maximum effect.  Because in truth, while battles may be one by a single strategy, it is often a combined group of strategies that win the war.  For example-

33, 9 and 5:
Cause discord (33), Watch and wait while they tear each other apart (9), move in and take advantage (5)

36. Sometimes the best stratagem is to run away
Perhaps they will write stories about your heroic last stand against impossible odds.  But you'll never get to read them.  Never fight on the terms of the enemy, and if you find yourself forced into doing so, withdraw.  This is why you must leave your plans flexible: you should put twice the planning into leaving as you do entering.  Nothing you can will matter if you are destroyed in the process.  The rare exception to this is Death Ground (28), where running becomes impossible.  Remember, martyrs inspire, but they don't win wars.