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锦囊妙计 (jin3 nang2 miao4 ji4) - A pouch of ploys
February 8, 2009, Sunday
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WHEN consulting someone for a solution to an urgent problem, Chinese tend to ask, "Do you have any jin3 nang2 miao4 ji4?" The phrase translates literally: "Do you have any brilliant ploys in a brocade pouch?"
The "brocade pouch" here does not refer to any ordinary bag made of brocade or one that could be purchased in a silk store. It was specially made nearly 1,800 years ago by Zhuge Liang, one of China's greatest strategists.
During the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280), Zhuge was the adviser to Liu Bei, ruler of the Kingdom of Shu Han. After Liu seized the strategic town of Jingzhou from the rival Kingdom of Wu, the Wu ruler sent an envoy to ask Liu to return the town. But, the mission failed and the envoy returned with an empty IOU.
The Wu ruler, Sun Quan, felt insulted and decided to entice the newly widowed Liu into his territory by offering him marriage to his younger sister. Sun intended to hold Liu hostage and force him to cede Jingzhou.
Seeing the invitation, Liu hesitated, fearing Sun's marriage offer was a mere trap. But Zhuge came to congratulate him. "Your Highness, you don't have to worry. I will ask General Zhao Yun to escort you to Wu and I will give him a brocade pouch containing instructions on how to cope with any possible emergencies."
After arriving in Wu, General Zhao, following the hidden instructions, first sent people out to spread the news about the marriage. When the royal union had become the talk of the town, the Wu ruler felt he had no choice but to permit his sister to marry Liu.
But Sun was not ready to give up. He ordered his aides to use fine wines, beautiful women and local entertainment to retain Liu as long as possible.
Again, following instructions in the brocade pouch, General Zhao sounded a false alarm to Liu by saying that troops from another kingdom, Wei, were about to attack the seized town. Liu then had the excuse to leave Wu with his new bride.
When Sun sent his men to stop Liu and his entourage from going home, General Zhao asked the bride to deal with the situation. Naturally, no officers under Sun dared to offend the bride since she was the sister of their ruler. This was also a ploy outlined by Zhuge in advance.
Finally, Liu returned to his kingdom with a beautiful wife and without having to yield the town of Jingzhou.
Today, this idiom often comes to mind when one looks for ways to deal with a sticky situation. After all, is there anyone who does not wish to have a brocade pouch with solutions to problems such as the one offered by Zhuge about 1,800 years ago?
The "brocade pouch" here does not refer to any ordinary bag made of brocade or one that could be purchased in a silk store. It was specially made nearly 1,800 years ago by Zhuge Liang, one of China's greatest strategists.
During the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280), Zhuge was the adviser to Liu Bei, ruler of the Kingdom of Shu Han. After Liu seized the strategic town of Jingzhou from the rival Kingdom of Wu, the Wu ruler sent an envoy to ask Liu to return the town. But, the mission failed and the envoy returned with an empty IOU.
The Wu ruler, Sun Quan, felt insulted and decided to entice the newly widowed Liu into his territory by offering him marriage to his younger sister. Sun intended to hold Liu hostage and force him to cede Jingzhou.
Seeing the invitation, Liu hesitated, fearing Sun's marriage offer was a mere trap. But Zhuge came to congratulate him. "Your Highness, you don't have to worry. I will ask General Zhao Yun to escort you to Wu and I will give him a brocade pouch containing instructions on how to cope with any possible emergencies."
After arriving in Wu, General Zhao, following the hidden instructions, first sent people out to spread the news about the marriage. When the royal union had become the talk of the town, the Wu ruler felt he had no choice but to permit his sister to marry Liu.
But Sun was not ready to give up. He ordered his aides to use fine wines, beautiful women and local entertainment to retain Liu as long as possible.
Again, following instructions in the brocade pouch, General Zhao sounded a false alarm to Liu by saying that troops from another kingdom, Wei, were about to attack the seized town. Liu then had the excuse to leave Wu with his new bride.
When Sun sent his men to stop Liu and his entourage from going home, General Zhao asked the bride to deal with the situation. Naturally, no officers under Sun dared to offend the bride since she was the sister of their ruler. This was also a ploy outlined by Zhuge in advance.
Finally, Liu returned to his kingdom with a beautiful wife and without having to yield the town of Jingzhou.
Today, this idiom often comes to mind when one looks for ways to deal with a sticky situation. After all, is there anyone who does not wish to have a brocade pouch with solutions to problems such as the one offered by Zhuge about 1,800 years ago?
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