SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Chinese military strategy

  • Zhang Liang

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    Ana

    Zhang Liang (?–189 BCE) was a prominent statesman in the early Western Han dynasty. His courtesy name was Zifang, and he was from Chengfu, Yingchuan (in present-day southwestern Xiangcheng, Henan). His ancestors were nobles of the former state of Han, with five generations serving as Han ministers. Seeking revenge for the Qin conquest of…

  • Sun Tzu: Training palace maids into soldiers [Spring & Autumn]

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    Juan

    This article recounts the legendary test of discipline by Sun Tzu in the State of Wu. To prove his military philosophy – that “with true discipline, even women can fight” – Sun Tzu was given 150 palace maids to train. When the women, led by the King’s favorite concubines, treated the drills as a…

  • Sowing Discord [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    This article analyzes Cao Cao’s masterful psychological warfare during the Battle of Tong Pass in the Three Kingdoms era. It details how Cao Cao exploited the alliance between warlords Ma Chao and Han Sui through a series of calculated deceptions. By orchestrating a fake friendship, a staged meeting, and a forged letter filled with…