32
32nd Stratagem
空城计
(kōng chéng jì)
The Empty City Stratagem
A well known example is a fictional incident from the novel 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' (三国演义), attributed to Luo Guanzhong (罗贯中, 1330-1400 A.D.), which romanticizes events in the Three Kingdoms Period. There it is written that, in 228 A.D., when Zhuge Liang of Shu was attacking Wei, the Wei general Sima Yi (司马懿, 179-251 A.D.) created a distraction by capturing the small Shu town of Jieting. This alarmed Zhuge Liang, and so he sent troops to help, and kept only 2,500 in his capital, Xicheng. Sima Yi then left Jieting and moved into Xicheng with 150,000 troops, determined to sack his rival. On seeing the vast columns of dust of the approaching troops, Zhuge Liang took down all of the Shu banners, opened all the city gates, and had his soldiers dress as commoners to hang around sweeping floors as the Wei troops approached. Zhuge Liang was supposedly sitting on the ramparts of the high tower playing his lute when Sima Yi first laid eyes on the city. Believing this was a trap, Sima Yi fled [15].
The Empty City Stratagem is associated with the 39th hexagram, Water over Mountain. Water signifies a danger that lies ahead, while the Mountain signifies an obstruction from behind, making futile any attempt at retreat. To persevere in this situation one must turn inward and wait in the stillness of the Mountain. The yang line in the third position cannot content with that in the fifth, stronger position It pauses, conceals the weaker yin lines within, and creates an illusion of strength [1], [28].
VOCAB LIST 32:
peanut: 花生: huāshēng
nut: 坚果: jiānguǒ
helmet: 头盔: tóukuī
prison: 监狱: jiānyù
...is closer to...than...is: ...比...离...近: ...bǐ...lí...jìn
to press (e.g. a button): 按: àn
button (e.g. on a keyboard): 按钮: ànniǔ
Three Kingdoms: 三国演义: sānguó yǎnyì
Christmas: 圣诞: shèngdàn
star: 星星: xīngxīng
merry Christmas: 圣诞快乐: shèngdàn kuàilè
strawberry: 草莓: cǎoméi
to defeat: 打败: dǎbài
taste (flavor): 味/味道: wèi/wèidào
deliberate: 故意: gùyì
to punish: 惩罚: chéngfá
taste/style: 样子: yàngzi
Luo Guanzhong: 罗贯中: luōguànzhōng
chess (international): 国际象棋: guójì xiàngqí
gift: 礼物: lǐwù
Chinese chess: 象棋: xiàngqí
buffet: 自助餐: zìzhùcān
various: 各种各样: gè zhǒng gè yàng
resume: 简历: jiǎnlì
at least: 至少: zhìshǎo
project: 项目: xiàngmù
coin: 硬币: yìngbì
Mexico: 墨西哥: mòxīgē
patient: 耐心: nàixīn
each other: 互相: hùxiāng
to give (e.g. a gift): 送: sòng
it doesn’t take too long: 不需要太长时间了: bu xūyào tài cháng shìjiànle
New Characters:
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Sample Sentences 32:
1) 我比你离他近。
2) Q: 你怎么来晚了？
A: 我上电梯的时候，按错了按钮。
Trans.: I’ve heard that one shouldn’t drink strawberry milk unless it is natural.
4)《三国演义》是一本很好的书，它的作者是罗贯中。
5) 我来中国之前没玩过象棋，只玩过国际象棋。
Trans.: Before I came to China I never played Chinese chess, I only played (international) chess.
6) 在这里看不到星星。
7) I. 我没有那么多时间在这里等你。
II. 不需要太长时间。
8) Q: 你说的玉米片是什么样子的？
A: 墨西哥玉米片，是这个样子的。
9) 圣诞节，大家互相说“圣诞快乐”，送礼物。
10) 那个自助餐有各种各样好吃的。
14) 没有棋子的时候，我们用硬币当象棋。
16) 他不是故意弄丢你的简历的。
17) 她刚刚开始了一个新的项目。
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