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笑里藏刀 (xiao4 li3 cang2 dao1) - Strategy behind a smile
By Zhang Ciyun |
September 14, 2008, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
Smiles are usually friendly and charming. But they could also be deadly if someone follows this scheme and hides a lethal weapon behind a smile.
To defeat your enemy with a fatal strike, you need to get very close to him and smiles could help you get there. Charming and ingratiating smiles can relax your enemy's vigilance if not even win his full trust.
When your enemy is foiled enough by your smile to let you close to him, you produce the hidden weapon and slay him in a surprise attack.
Gongsun Yang, a famous statesman during the Warring States period (475-221 BC), knew very well how to apply this stratagem.
In order to expand its territory, the State of Qin named Gongsun Yang the general to lead an attack against the State of Wei. When the general and his troops arrived at Wucheng, a strategic town in Wei, he found the enemy had beefed up its defense and there was little chance to seize the town with an offensive.
Then he discovered that the Wei general guarding the town was an old acquaintance, so he decided to send him a very friendly letter, in which Gongsun Yang said how he cherished their friendship and expressed his "sincere" wish to make peace with Wei. At the same time, he ordered his vanguard troops to retreat.
The Wei general was very pleased to read the letter and when he learned that the Qin troops were withdrawing, he decided to accept Gongsun's invitation for a meeting.
When he arrived with 300 soldiers at the meeting place outside town, he saw Gongsun Yang was already there, unarmed. He began to truly trust Gongsun and did not suspect he was entering a trap. Barely had he sat down at the dinner table, he was seized by Qin soldiers lurking behind the walls. Gongsun Yang then took the town effortlessly.
So, next time your opponent approaches you with a charming smile, you know what to think of.
To defeat your enemy with a fatal strike, you need to get very close to him and smiles could help you get there. Charming and ingratiating smiles can relax your enemy's vigilance if not even win his full trust.
When your enemy is foiled enough by your smile to let you close to him, you produce the hidden weapon and slay him in a surprise attack.
Gongsun Yang, a famous statesman during the Warring States period (475-221 BC), knew very well how to apply this stratagem.
In order to expand its territory, the State of Qin named Gongsun Yang the general to lead an attack against the State of Wei. When the general and his troops arrived at Wucheng, a strategic town in Wei, he found the enemy had beefed up its defense and there was little chance to seize the town with an offensive.
Then he discovered that the Wei general guarding the town was an old acquaintance, so he decided to send him a very friendly letter, in which Gongsun Yang said how he cherished their friendship and expressed his "sincere" wish to make peace with Wei. At the same time, he ordered his vanguard troops to retreat.
The Wei general was very pleased to read the letter and when he learned that the Qin troops were withdrawing, he decided to accept Gongsun's invitation for a meeting.
When he arrived with 300 soldiers at the meeting place outside town, he saw Gongsun Yang was already there, unarmed. He began to truly trust Gongsun and did not suspect he was entering a trap. Barely had he sat down at the dinner table, he was seized by Qin soldiers lurking behind the walls. Gongsun Yang then took the town effortlessly.
So, next time your opponent approaches you with a charming smile, you know what to think of.
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