To eliminate the threat posed by Liu Bei and Lü Bu’s control of Xuzhou, Cao Cao adopted a step-by-step strategy proposed by Xun Yu. First, he used the “Feeding Two Tigers to Fight” stratagem, petitioning the court to appoint Liu Bei as Governor of Xuzhou while secretly ordering him to execute Lü Bu. This plot was seen through by Liu Bei. Subsequently, Xun Yu proposed the “Driving the Tiger to Swallow the Wolf” stratagem.
The “Driving the Tiger to Swallow the Wolf” Stratagem
The envoy told Cao Cao that Xuande had not killed Lü Bu. Cao Cao consulted Xun Wenruo. “Your plan didn’t work,” Cao said. “What next?” “I have another,” Wenruo answered, “called ‘Drive the Tiger to Swallow the Wolf.’ Have Yuan Shu notified that Liu Bei has secretly petitioned the throne for authority to take control of his district Nanjun. Yuan Shu should attack Bei. When that happens, openly mandate Liu Bei to subdue Yuan Shu. With Shu and Bei locked in struggle, Lü Bu will waver.”
— Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 14
This stratagem was an advanced version of the “Feeding Two Tigers to Fight.” Its core logic was to proactively create an external contradiction by introducing Yuan Shu—the “Tiger”—into the Xuzhou battlefield, forcing the two factions of Liu Bei and Lü Bu to be passively drawn into the conflict. The ultimate goal was to have the three parties exhaust each other, allowing Cao Cao to profit without lifting a finger.
Implementation and Outcome
After the “Driving the Tiger to Swallow the Wolf” stratagem was implemented, it progressed entirely according to Xun Yu’s design. This ploy triggered a war between Liu Bei and Yuan Shu. Lü Bu seized the opportunity to capture Xuzhou, resulting in all three factions suffering significant losses. Cao Cao succeeded in throwing Xuzhou into chaos at “zero cost,” weakening his opponents and consolidating his own advantage.
Historical Parallels
However, the “Driving the Tiger to Swallow the Wolf” stratagem carries high risks. The operator needs superb skill and method; otherwise, the harm caused by the “tiger” can far exceed that of the “wolf,” leading to endless future troubles.
- For example, in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, General-in-Chief He Jin summoned Dong Zhuo to the capital to fight the eunuch faction. After He Jin was killed by the Ten Regular Attendants, Dong Zhuo entered the capital, brought havoc to the court, disrupted state affairs, and caused widespread discontent among the officials and the people. This contributed to the rise of warlords and the eventual collapse of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
- Another instance involves Liu Zhang, the Governor of Yi Province (Yizhou), who sought to use Liu Bei’s strength to resist Zhang Lu and Cao Cao. Unexpectedly, after Pang Tong’s stratagem, Liu Bei turned and attacked Liu Zhang. Liu Zhang was forced to surrender and was exiled to Jing Province (Jingzhou).
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