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空城计 (kong1 cheng2 ji4) - An empty fortress strategy
February 8, 2009, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WHEN the enemy is overwhelming in numbers and there is little chance to withstand a siege, the best option is to make yourself utterly defenseless by removing all your forces. This unusual move might confuse your enemy into believing you have set up a trap and, with luck, they may back off.
Zhuge Liang, a famous Chinese strategist who was prime minister of the Kingdom of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280), is perhaps best known for applying this "ploy of an empty fortress."
After losing the strategic town of Jieting to the rival Kingdom of Wei in a previous battle, Zhuge withdrew to Xicheng, a city of only about 5,000 people.
In order to build up his defense, he sent half of his men to find food and fodder.
But the Wei troops were in hot pursuit. Learning that the enemy army of more than 150,000 men was about to attack, soldiers and civilians in Xicheng started to panic, believing they had little chance to fend off the enemy.
Zhuge, however, told them to calm down. "Don't worry," he said. "I'll think of a way to trick the enemy into retreat."
Zhuge ordered his soldiers to remove all fighting flags from the city walls and go into hiding. Then he asked a dozen old men to open the four city gates and calmly sweep the roads outside. Zhuge himself climbed one of the gate towers with two attendants, set up a table with a lute and started burning incense.
When the enemy's advance troops arrived, they were surprised to see the city gates open, some old men casually sweeping the roads and the famous strategist playing the lute calmly atop the city wall with two attendants by his side.
They rushed to tell their commander Sima Yi, another famous strategist in Chinese history, about this unusual scene.
Sima went to look for himself, seeing Zhuge with all smiles as he played above an open gate leading to empty streets in the city. He summed up the situation, then ordered his troops to retreat.
One of his sons asked: "Dad, why did you decide to retreat from an empty city? Zhuge must be putting on a show to confuse us."
"No," Sima answered. "Zhuge is a cautious man, not a risk taker. So, I believe he has set up a trap to lure us to attack."
Zhuge later left Xicheng, leading his followers to safety.
Zhuge Liang, a famous Chinese strategist who was prime minister of the Kingdom of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280), is perhaps best known for applying this "ploy of an empty fortress."
After losing the strategic town of Jieting to the rival Kingdom of Wei in a previous battle, Zhuge withdrew to Xicheng, a city of only about 5,000 people.
In order to build up his defense, he sent half of his men to find food and fodder.
But the Wei troops were in hot pursuit. Learning that the enemy army of more than 150,000 men was about to attack, soldiers and civilians in Xicheng started to panic, believing they had little chance to fend off the enemy.
Zhuge, however, told them to calm down. "Don't worry," he said. "I'll think of a way to trick the enemy into retreat."
Zhuge ordered his soldiers to remove all fighting flags from the city walls and go into hiding. Then he asked a dozen old men to open the four city gates and calmly sweep the roads outside. Zhuge himself climbed one of the gate towers with two attendants, set up a table with a lute and started burning incense.
When the enemy's advance troops arrived, they were surprised to see the city gates open, some old men casually sweeping the roads and the famous strategist playing the lute calmly atop the city wall with two attendants by his side.
They rushed to tell their commander Sima Yi, another famous strategist in Chinese history, about this unusual scene.
Sima went to look for himself, seeing Zhuge with all smiles as he played above an open gate leading to empty streets in the city. He summed up the situation, then ordered his troops to retreat.
One of his sons asked: "Dad, why did you decide to retreat from an empty city? Zhuge must be putting on a show to confuse us."
"No," Sima answered. "Zhuge is a cautious man, not a risk taker. So, I believe he has set up a trap to lure us to attack."
Zhuge later left Xicheng, leading his followers to safety.
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