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浑水摸鱼 (hun2 shui3 mo1 yu2) - Fishing in muddied waters
By Zhang Ciyun |
November 16, 2008, Sunday
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The title of this stratagem means muddying the water so the fish will get confused and become easier to catch.
In a chaotic and confusing situation, this means to win over uncommitted forces involved in the conflict. The presumption here is that all forces, and particularly those small ones when confused, would look for direction and alliance, just like when it?ˉs getting dark and people tend to go inside and find a bed to sleep.
When an army is in panic, officers and soldiers will become disconcerted and divided. They look at each other?ˉs face in an attempt to sense the thought behind it; they wink to someone or whisper into the ear of the one next to them. They begin to believe in rumors and disobey or ignore orders.
This is an indication of confusion and fear. But this is also the optimal time to persuade them to become an ally and to further press your advantage. Here?ˉs a story about how to take advantage of a confusing situation.
During the Eastern Han time (25-220 AD) before he became the emperor, Liu Xiu engaged in a series of battles with Wang Lang, the king of Handan. Wang was very powerful then and Liu could not fight him head on.
One day, Liu and a few his right-hand men arrived at the town of Jizhou. The place was in great confusion as local troops had started to mutiny and announce the switch of their allegiance to Wang Lang.
Liu and his men sneaked out of the town helter-skelter and fled to a courier station also under control of the mutineers. But they were very hungry and couldn?ˉt find food in any nearby places. So, Liu and his men decided to masquerade themselves as envoys of the king of Handan and ask the courier station for help.
The officer offered them food which Liu and his men wolfed down in a few seconds. The officer became suspicious of them and tested them out. He suddenly beat a big drum and shouted, ?°His Majesty the King of Handan descends.?±
Liu and his men were startled and jumped to their feet. but Liu urged them to calm down. He thought if the king arrived their fate would be sealed but if not he could take advantage of the confusing situation to survive. So, he answered, ?°Oh, let?ˉs all rise and meet our king.?±
Of course, the king didn?ˉt materialize and Liu and his men left the courier station safely.
In a chaotic and confusing situation, this means to win over uncommitted forces involved in the conflict. The presumption here is that all forces, and particularly those small ones when confused, would look for direction and alliance, just like when it?ˉs getting dark and people tend to go inside and find a bed to sleep.
When an army is in panic, officers and soldiers will become disconcerted and divided. They look at each other?ˉs face in an attempt to sense the thought behind it; they wink to someone or whisper into the ear of the one next to them. They begin to believe in rumors and disobey or ignore orders.
This is an indication of confusion and fear. But this is also the optimal time to persuade them to become an ally and to further press your advantage. Here?ˉs a story about how to take advantage of a confusing situation.
During the Eastern Han time (25-220 AD) before he became the emperor, Liu Xiu engaged in a series of battles with Wang Lang, the king of Handan. Wang was very powerful then and Liu could not fight him head on.
One day, Liu and a few his right-hand men arrived at the town of Jizhou. The place was in great confusion as local troops had started to mutiny and announce the switch of their allegiance to Wang Lang.
Liu and his men sneaked out of the town helter-skelter and fled to a courier station also under control of the mutineers. But they were very hungry and couldn?ˉt find food in any nearby places. So, Liu and his men decided to masquerade themselves as envoys of the king of Handan and ask the courier station for help.
The officer offered them food which Liu and his men wolfed down in a few seconds. The officer became suspicious of them and tested them out. He suddenly beat a big drum and shouted, ?°His Majesty the King of Handan descends.?±
Liu and his men were startled and jumped to their feet. but Liu urged them to calm down. He thought if the king arrived their fate would be sealed but if not he could take advantage of the confusing situation to survive. So, he answered, ?°Oh, let?ˉs all rise and meet our king.?±
Of course, the king didn?ˉt materialize and Liu and his men left the courier station safely.
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