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偷梁换柱 (tou1 liang2 huan4 zhu4) - Swapping good wood for bad
By Zhang Ciyun |
December 21, 2008, Sunday
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If you replace the beams and pillars of a house with rotten timber, it's bound to eventually collapse. If you can manipulate the battle plan of your rivals to negate or remove their strongest force, they will crumple by themselves, providing an opportunity for you to take control.
The fall of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) is perhaps one of the best examples of this strategy.
After Qin Shi Huang unified China for the first time in its history and became the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, he was confident his reign would last a long time. Therefore, he believed there was no urgency to name an heir.
However, there were two political blocs in the imperial court alternately supporting his elder son, Fu Su, and his young son, Hu Hai, as potential heirs. Fu Su, backed by the Meng Tian bloc, was a kind-hearted and upright man who enjoyed a good reputation. The young son, supported by the Zhao Gao bloc, was a spoiled brat who indulged in sensual pleasures.
In his heart, the emperor favored the elder son and intended to nominate him as heir prince. He therefore sent him to the northern border to gain practical experience in the army.
However, in 210 BC the emperor suddenly fell ill and, fearing that he might not recover, asked his prime minister to draft a secret decree to call back his elder son and name him as heir.
At that time, Zhao Gao, the supporter of the young son, was in charge of officiating and dispatching imperial decrees.
So, he deliberately slowed the process and held on to the secret decree until the emperor passed away a few days later.
Then Zhao went immediately to see the prime minister, telling him that he hadn?ˉt sent out the decree and that he wanted to make a deal.
"Now, just you and me can decide which son will be the next emperor," Zhao said.
"If the elder son comes back, he will very likely name his long-time supporter Meng Tian as prime minister. But if you work with me and we put the young son in the throne, I can promise that you will remain in office."
The prime minister agreed to Zhao?ˉs plot and they faked a decree ordering the death of the elder son and announcing the young son as the next emperor.
However, under the rule of the fatuous Hu Hai, the Qin Dynasty crumbled a few years later.
The fall of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) is perhaps one of the best examples of this strategy.
After Qin Shi Huang unified China for the first time in its history and became the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, he was confident his reign would last a long time. Therefore, he believed there was no urgency to name an heir.
However, there were two political blocs in the imperial court alternately supporting his elder son, Fu Su, and his young son, Hu Hai, as potential heirs. Fu Su, backed by the Meng Tian bloc, was a kind-hearted and upright man who enjoyed a good reputation. The young son, supported by the Zhao Gao bloc, was a spoiled brat who indulged in sensual pleasures.
In his heart, the emperor favored the elder son and intended to nominate him as heir prince. He therefore sent him to the northern border to gain practical experience in the army.
However, in 210 BC the emperor suddenly fell ill and, fearing that he might not recover, asked his prime minister to draft a secret decree to call back his elder son and name him as heir.
At that time, Zhao Gao, the supporter of the young son, was in charge of officiating and dispatching imperial decrees.
So, he deliberately slowed the process and held on to the secret decree until the emperor passed away a few days later.
Then Zhao went immediately to see the prime minister, telling him that he hadn?ˉt sent out the decree and that he wanted to make a deal.
"Now, just you and me can decide which son will be the next emperor," Zhao said.
"If the elder son comes back, he will very likely name his long-time supporter Meng Tian as prime minister. But if you work with me and we put the young son in the throne, I can promise that you will remain in office."
The prime minister agreed to Zhao?ˉs plot and they faked a decree ordering the death of the elder son and announcing the young son as the next emperor.
However, under the rule of the fatuous Hu Hai, the Qin Dynasty crumbled a few years later.
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