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Art of War – Chapter 3.2
Sun Tzu ranks warfare tactics: defeating enemies’ strategies tops the list, followed by breaking alliances and field battles. Sieging cities is the worst choice, for it costs massive time, manpower and causes heavy troop losses.
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Tù Sǐ Gǒu Pēng (兔死狗烹)
Basic Information Chinese Idiom: 兔死狗烹Pinyin: tù sǐ gǒu pēngLiteral Meaning: After all hares are hunted down, the hunting hounds are boiled and eaten.Figurative Meaning: Once a goal is accomplished, those who were used to achieve it are abandoned or even eliminated. It mainly refers to persecuting loyal and meritorious people. Cultural Background This idiom…
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Niǎo Jìn Gōng Cáng (鸟尽弓藏)
Basic Information Chinese Idiom: 鸟尽弓藏Pinyin: niǎo jìn gōng cángLiteral Meaning: When all birds are gone, the bows are put away.Figurative Meaning: Abandon or betray those who have offered help once the goal is achieved. Historically, it particularly referred to rulers dismissing or even killing meritorious officials after seizing power. Cultural Background This idiom is…
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Han Xin’s Northern Campaign: Conquering Five States
Han Xin launched a brilliant northern campaign, conquering five states via ingenious tactics like the back-water battle and river diversion. This campaign isolated Xiang Yu, shifted the war tide and laid the foundation for the Western Han Dynasty.
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Yú zhě qiān lǜ, bì yǒu yī dé (愚者千虑，必有一得)
Basic Information Chinese Idiom: 愚者千虑，必有一得Pinyin: yú zhě qiān lǜ, bì yǒu yī déLiteral Meaning: A foolish person who thinks a thousand times will eventually come up with something worthwhile.Figurative Meaning: Even ordinary or less intelligent people can offer valuable ideas or insights after repeated thinking. Nobody is completely useless.