三十六计

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三十六计 [2025/08/13 01:06] – created xiaoer三十六计 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1
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-====== sānshíliùjì: 三十六计 - The Thirty-Six Stratagems ====== +
-===== Quick Summary ===== +
-  * **Keywords:** Thirty-Six Stratagems, 36 stratagems, san shi liu ji, 三十六计, Chinese strategy, Chinese military tactics, Sun Tzu Art of War, ancient Chinese wisdom, cunning plans, deception, business strategy. +
-  * **Summary:** The **三十六计 (sān shí liù jì)**, or the **Thirty-Six Stratagems**, is a famous collection of ancient Chinese proverbs used to illustrate clever tactics and cunning plans. Far more than just military theory, this classic text on strategy is deeply embedded in Chinese culture and is applied metaphorically to everything from business negotiations and political maneuvering to everyday problem-solving. It's a guide to outsmarting opponents and navigating complex situations with intelligence and flexibility, making it a cornerstone of Chinese strategic thinking. +
-===== Core Meaning ===== +
-  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** sān shí liù jì +
-  * **Part of Speech:** Noun +
-  * **HSK Level:** N/A +
-  * **Concise Definition:** A classic Chinese text detailing 36 stratagems or tactical schemes used in warfare, politics, and civil interaction. +
-  * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine a secret playbook of 36 clever tricks to win any conflict, not with brute force, but with brains. That's the **三十六计**. It's a collection of ancient tactics for deception, escape, and gaining an advantage when you're the underdog. While its origins are in warfare, today it's used to talk about clever moves in business, office politics, or even just getting out of an awkward situation. The most famous stratagem is the last one: "If all else fails, run away!" +
-===== Character Breakdown ===== +
-  * **三 (sān):** The number "three." +
-  * **十 (shí):** The number "ten." Together, **三十 (sānshí)** means "thirty." +
-  * **六 (liù):** The number "six." +
-  * **计 (jì):** A plan, stratagem, scheme, or to calculate. It implies a clever, thought-out plan. +
-  * The characters literally combine to mean "Thirty-Six Stratagems" or "Thirty-Six Plans." +
-===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== +
-  * **Importance:** The **三十六计** is a cultural touchstone in China, symbolizing the value placed on intelligence, adaptability, and pragmatism over raw power. It's often referenced alongside Sun Tzu's //The Art of War// as a pillar of Chinese strategic thought. The core idea is that victory is achieved through superior planning and psychological insight, not just superior force. It teaches one to assess the situation, know the opponent, and use deception or indirect approaches to achieve a goal. +
-  * **Comparison to Western Concepts:** In the West, one might think of "Machiavellian" tactics. However, this comparison is incomplete. While some stratagems are indeed about ruthless deception, many are about survival, patience, and creating opportunities from a position of weakness. A key Western ideal, especially in sports or conflict, is the idea of a "fair fight." The **三十六计** comes from a different perspective, where "playing fair" against a stronger or unscrupulous opponent is seen as foolish. The goal is to win effectively and efficiently, and using your wits to do so is considered a virtue. +
-  * **Related Values:** The text reflects the cultural value of **flexibility (灵活, línghuó)**. Instead of rigid rules, it offers a toolkit of adaptable plans. It highlights the idea that the seemingly weak can defeat the strong through cleverness, a theme beloved in Chinese history and folklore. +
-===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== +
-  * **In Conversation:** People rarely discuss the entire list, but they frequently reference the concept or a specific stratagem (often by name) to describe a clever or cunning situation. Saying "他这是在用三十六计啊 (tā zhè shì zài yòng sānshíliùjì a)" means "He's using one of the Thirty-Six Stratagems on us!" It can be said admiringly, suspiciously, or humorously. +
-  * **In Business:** The world of Chinese business is rife with metaphors from the **三十六计**. A company might use a "decoy" product to distract competitors (声东击西, sheng dōng jī xī – "make a sound in the east, then strike in the west"). A negotiator might "toss out a brick to attract a jade" (抛砖引玉, pāo zhuān yǐn yù) by making a small concession to get a larger one in return. +
-  * **In Daily Life:** The most common application by far is the 36th stratagem: **走为上策 (zǒu wéi shàng cè)**, which means "running away is the best policy." This is used constantly to advise someone to exit an unwinnable argument, a bad investment, a toxic relationship, or any no-win situation. +
-===== Example Sentences ===== +
-  * **Example 1:** +
-    * 中国商人常常把《**三十六计**》里的策略用在谈判中。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhōngguó shāngrén chángcháng bǎ "Sānshíliùjì" lǐ de cèlüè yòng zài tánpàn zhōng. +
-    * English: Chinese businesspeople often use the strategies from "The Thirty-Six Stratagems" in negotiations. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence shows the direct application of the text as a source of practical strategy in a modern context like business. +
-  * **Example 2:** +
-    * 面对这么强大的对手，我们只能用**三十六计**，走为上策了。 +
-    * Pinyin: Miànduì zhème qiángdà de duìshǒu, wǒmen zhǐ néng yòng Sānshíliùjì, zǒu wéi shàng cè le. +
-    * English: Facing such a powerful opponent, our only option is to use the Thirty-Six Stratagems—retreating is the best stratagem. +
-    * Analysis: This example directly quotes the most famous stratagem, **走为上策 (zǒu wéi shàng cè)**, as a practical solution to an overwhelming problem. +
-  * **Example 3:** +
-    * 我看出来了，你这是在对我用美人计啊！ +
-    * Pinyin: Wǒ kàn chūlái le, nǐ zhè shì zài duì wǒ yòng měirénjì a! +
-    * English: I see what's going on, you're using the "honey trap" stratagem on me! +
-    * Analysis: A humorous and informal use of a specific stratagem (美人计, měirénjì - the beauty trap). It's often used jokingly when someone is being overly charming to get something. +
-  * **Example 4:** +
-    * 他假装同意我们的计划，其实是想抛砖引玉，让我们说出真正的底牌。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā jiǎzhuāng tóngyì wǒmen de jìhuà, qíshí shì xiǎng pāo zhuān yǐn yù, ràng wǒmen shuō chū zhēnzhèng de dǐpái. +
-    * English: He pretended to agree with our plan, but actually he wanted to "toss out a brick to get a jade," making us reveal our true trump card. +
-    * Analysis: This demonstrates another specific stratagem being used metaphorically in a strategic context, like a business meeting. +
-  * **Example 5:** +
-    * 老板突然在会议上批评我，我怀疑是杀鸡儆猴，警告其他员工。 +
-    * Pinyin: Lǎobǎn tūrán zài huìyì shàng pīpíng wǒ, wǒ huáiyí shì shā jī jǐng hóu, jǐnggào qítā yuángōng. +
-    * English: The boss suddenly criticized me in the meeting; I suspect it was "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" to warn the other employees. +
-    * Analysis: **杀鸡儆猴 (shā jī jǐng hóu)** is another famous stratagem. This shows its application in office politics. +
-  * **Example 6:** +
-    * 你别被他的小恩小惠骗了，这可能只是他的苦肉计。 +
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ bié bèi tā de xiǎo ēn xiǎo huì piàn le, zhè kěnéng zhǐshì tā de kǔròujì. +
-    * English: Don't be fooled by his small favors, this might just be his "self-harm" stratagem. +
-    * Analysis: The **苦肉计 (kǔròujì)** involves inflicting harm upon oneself to win the enemy's trust. Here, it's used metaphorically to mean someone is pretending to make a sacrifice to deceive others. +
-  * **Example 7:** +
-    * 想要赢得这场商业战争，你需要好好研究一下《**三十六计**》。 +
-    * Pinyin: Xiǎng yào yíngdé zhè chǎng shāngyè zhànzhēng, nǐ xūyào hǎohǎo yánjiū yīxià "Sānshíliùjì". +
-    * English: If you want to win this business war, you need to seriously study "The Thirty-Six Stratagems." +
-    * Analysis: This treats the **三十六计** as a manual or textbook for strategic thinking. +
-  * **Example 8:** +
-    * 诸葛亮的空城计是**三十六计**中非常经典的案例。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhūgě Liàng de kōngchéngjì shì Sānshíliùjì zhōng fēicháng jīngdiǎn de ànlì. +
-    * English: Zhuge Liang's "empty fort stratagem" is a very classic case from the Thirty-Six Stratagems. +
-    * Analysis: This links the collection to a famous historical story from the Three Kingdoms period, adding cultural depth. The **空城计 (kōngchéngjì)** involves using an enemy's suspicion against them by presenting an undefended position as a trap. +
-  * **Example 9:** +
-    * 每次我妈让我做家务，我就用“金蝉脱壳”之计溜出去玩。 +
-    * Pinyin: Měi cì wǒ mā ràng wǒ zuò jiāwù, wǒ jiù yòng “jīn chán tuō qiào” zhī jì liū chūqù wán. +
-    * English: Every time my mom asks me to do chores, I use the "golden cicada sheds its shell" stratagem to sneak out and play. +
-    * Analysis: This is a highly informal and humorous use of a specific stratagem (**金蝉脱壳, jīn chán tuō qiào** - to escape by leaving a decoy behind) in a simple, everyday situation. +
-  * **Example 10:** +
-    * 这位政客的手段真是高明，把**三十六计**用得炉火纯青。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhè wèi zhèngkè de shǒuduàn zhēnshi gāomíng, bǎ Sānshíliùjì yòng de lú huǒ chún qīng. +
-    * English: This politician's methods are truly brilliant; he has mastered the use of the Thirty-Six Stratagems. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence uses a positive tone to admire someone's strategic skill, linking the **三十六计** to political savvy. The idiom **炉火纯青 (lú huǒ chún qīng)** means "to have reached perfection." +
-===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== +
-  * **Not Just About War:** The biggest mistake is thinking the **三十六计** is only a military manual. While it uses the language of war, its principles are applied to almost any competitive or complex social situation in modern China. It's a philosophy of interaction. +
-  * **Not Inherently "Evil":** While many stratagems involve deception, it's a mistake to view the collection as purely immoral. It's a neutral toolkit. Stratagems like "Befriend a distant state while attacking a neighbor" (远交近攻) are pragmatic, while "Retreating is the best policy" (走为上策) is about self-preservation. The morality lies in the user's intent. +
-  * **False Friend: "Strategy":** While `三十六计` involves strategy, it's not a perfect synonym. The English word "strategy" is a broad and often neutral term for a high-level plan. **三十六计** refers specifically to a collection of named, often deceptive or unconventional, "ploys," "schemes," or "tricks." It carries a much stronger connotation of cunning and cleverness. +
-===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== +
-  * [[孙子兵法]] (Sūnzǐ Bīngfǎ) - //The Art of War//. The foundational philosophical text on strategy. The **三十六计** can be seen as a more practical, tactical "cookbook" that puts Sun Tzu's principles into action. +
-  * [[计谋]] (jìmóu) - A scheme, a plot. A general term for a clever plan, often used with a slightly negative or suspicious connotation. +
-  * [[策略]] (cèlüè) - Strategy, tactics. A modern, neutral, and formal word very close in meaning to the English "strategy." +
-  * [[走为上策]] (zǒu wéi shàng cè) - The 36th stratagem and a very common idiom meaning "Retreating is the best option." +
-  * [[兵不厌诈]] (bīng bù yàn zhà) - An idiom meaning "All's fair in war" or "Nothing is too deceitful in warfare." It perfectly captures the spirit of many stratagems. +
-  * [[空城计]] (kōng chéng jì) - The "Empty Fort Stratagem," a famous plan of psychological warfare from the collection. +
-  * [[手段]] (shǒuduàn) - Method, means, trick. A term for how something is done. It can be neutral but often carries a negative connotation of being a "ploy" or "trick."+