24
24th Stratagem
假道伐虢
(jiǎ dào fá guó)
Obtain Safe Passage to Conquer the State of Guo
Duke Xian (晋献公, died 651 B.C.) of Jin, in 658 B.C., wanted to conquer the smaller states of Yu and Guo, but could not while these remained allied to each other. Following the advice of his officer Xun Xi (荀息), Duke Xian sent beautiful women to the Duke of Guo, and a beautiful young man to the Duke of Yu, with special instructions to distract them from government affairs. Meanwhile, men were sent to stir up trouble on Guo's northern border. As was expected, officials in Guo blamed Duke Xian for this new trouble on the northern border. Duke Xian then feigned insult by sending Xun Xi to the State of Yu to request safe passage for avenging the insult. Xun Xi arrived in the State of Yu bearing gifts of Jade and horses to formally request passage. The Duke of Yu, now under the influence of his new lover, immediately agreed -- even over the protests of his own advisors. The Duke of Jin then distracted the Duke of Yu with a hunting trip while having his general, who had been faking illness, conquer Yu while the duke and his best men were away [12].
Obtain Safe Passage to Conquer the State of Guo is associated with the 47th hexagram, Lake over Water. Here the Lake has been emptied -- drained or dried up, suggesting a state of exhaustion. Communication between the second and fifth yang lines marks an alliance where the resources of two states have been combined to prevent such exhaustion [1], [28].
VOCAB LIST 24:
closet/cabinet: 柜子: guìzi
gloves: 手套: shǒutào
blanket/quilt: 被子: bèizi
washing machine: 洗衣机: xǐyījī
to make use of: 假借: jiǎjiè
mess: 糟: zāo
<measure word for mess>: 团: tuán
test paper: 试卷: shìjuàn
to grade (e.g. a test paper): 改/批改: gǎi/pīgǎi
liver: 肝: gān
road: 道路: dàolù
Guo: 虢: guó
turtle/tortoise: 乌龟: wūguī
tape (e.g. for scotch tape): 胶带: jiāodài
<measure word for a roll of something>: 卷: juàn
to roll up: 卷起来: juǎn qǐlái
to roll...up: 把...卷起来: bǎ...juǎn qǐlái
to campaign/to crusade: 讨伐: tǎofá
cockroach: 蟑螂: zhāngláng
to draw (e.g. a picture): 画: huà
<measure word for picture or painting>: 幅: fú
belt: 腰带: yāodài
drawing: 画: huà
humid/moist: 潮湿: cháoshī
<measure word for papers, tickets, cards, flat things, etc.>: 张: zhāng
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New Characters:
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Sample Sentences 24:
1) 把手套带给我，可以吗？它们在柜子里。
Trans.: Can you bring me the gloves? They are in the closet.
2) 那个被子你应该自己洗， 对洗衣机来说它太大了。
3) 我不能那么早下班，我有很多试卷要改。
Trans.: I cannot get off work that early, I have many tests to grade.
4) 他假借父母之名给我老师打电话。
5) 道路两边有很多不同的植物。
6) Q: 我去小店买东西，你需要什么吗？
A: 一卷胶带。
7) I. 我的腰带丢了。
II. 你记不记得，最后一次看到它是什么时候？
8) Q: 我们需要多少张火车票？
A: 四张。
9) 他们好像不会停止对他的讨伐。
10) 这里怎么一团糟？
11) Q: 你画得这一副画是什么？
A: 是乌龟。
12) 这个羊肝好吃。
13) 蟑螂喜欢潮湿的地方。
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