2
Second Stratagem
围魏救赵
(wéi wèi jiù zhào)
Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao
Sun Bin (孙膑, died 316 B.C.) was an advisor to the Kingdom of Wei during the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), and descendant of Sun Tzu (孙子, 544-496 B.C.), the author of The Art of War. He had fallen under the designs of the envious Pang Juan (庞涓, died 342 B.C.), chief military advisor to Wei, who tampered with a letter to make it seem as though Sun Bin had plans to defect. After enduring harsh punishment, Sun Bin was eventually saved by people from the State of Qi. Pang Juan was sent some years later to attack the State of Zhao, and Zhao subsequently went to Qi for aid.
The phrase ‘Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao’ refers to the following year, the entirety of which Wei's forces were weakened under a siege lead by Sun Bin, and after which Sun Bin coordinated an attack on Wei's capital. Pang Juan took the bait, and tried rushing back with 20,000 troops, but was assailed from behind by Zhao forces, and then decimated by an ambush led by Sun Bin [17], [29].
Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao is associated with 53rd hexagram, Wind over Mountain. Do not move forward in haste, but use the immovability of the Mountain together with Wind's penetrating force to discern the most opportune time and place to act [1], [28].
VOCAB LIST 2:
to listen: 听: tīng
to surround: 围: wéi
seems: 似乎: sì hū
or: 或者/还是: huòzhě/háishì
while: 当...的时候: dāng...de shíhòu
to save/to rescue: 救: jiù
only: 只: zhǐ
more: 更/更多: gèng/gèng duō
already: 已经: yǐjīng
there is: 有: yǒu
wood: 木头: mùtou
there is not/no: 没有: méiyǒu
to rest: 休息: xiūxí
forest/woods: 森林: sēnlín
time: 时候: shíhòu
sometimes: 有时/有的时候: yǒushí/yǒu de shíhòu
about: 关于: guānyú
should: 应该: yīnggāi
Sun (e.g. Sun Tzu): 孙: sūn
Zhao (e.g. State of Zhao): 赵: zhào
to need: 需要: xūyào
to know: 知道: zhīdào
time: 时间: shíjiān
on.../under...: 在...上/在...下: zài...shàng/zài...xià
a little (e.g. we should rest a little): 一会: yī huì
above/below: 上面/下面: shàngmiàn/xiàmiàn
to get on/to get off: 上/下: shàng/ xià
window: 窗户: chuānghù
before/after: 以前(or 之前)/以后: yǐqián (or zhī qián)/yǐhòu
how does one go to...?: ...怎么走？: ...zěnme zǒu?
New Characters:
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Sample Sentences 2:
1) 当我在跑步的时候我喜欢听音乐。
Trans.: When I’m running, I like to listen to music.
2) 他有时在那棵树下休息。
Trans.: He is always resting under that tree.
3) 我没有时间。
4) 需不需要买木头的桌子和椅子？
5) 我们应该去森林里走一会。
6) 他救了小女孩的狗。
7) 小孩们围在那里买橙汁。
8) 关于这个，我不太知道。
9) 你为什么下车？你需要去小店吗？
10) 哪一个小店？
11) 只有一个小店。
12) 那扇窗户似乎太小了。
13) Q: 猫在哪？
A: 在椅子下。
14) 我们要更多香蕉。
16) Q: 好的。它们在哪？
A: 在桌子上。
17) 三号门怎么走？
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