Chen Ping
Chen Ping (陈平, d. 178 B.C.) was a politician and military strategist who served as a chancellor in early Western Han Dynasty. As an advisor, he played an important role in helping Liu Bang, the founding emperor of Han Dynasty, to overcome his rival, Xiang Yu, during the Chu–Han Contention.
There are six main strategies for which Chen Ping is best known. One of these -- namely, Chen Ping’s Sixth Strategy -- we have already mentioned (cf. Stratagem 31). The preceding five strategies of Chen Ping we discuss in these remaining chapters.
37
Chen Ping’s First Strategy
Sowing Discord Between Xiang Yu and His Advisor Fan Zeng
During the latter part of the Chu-Han contention, on the southern front, Liu Bang's forces had begun forging supply routes from Xingyang to Aocang. In 204 B.C., after suffering losses from Chu attacks on these routes, the Han army ran short of supplies. Liu Bang subsequently negotiated for peace with Xiang Yu, and offered to cede to him all of the lands east of Xingyang. Fan Zeng (范增, 277-204 B.C.) advised Xiang Yu to reject this offer, and to use the opportunity to destroy Liu Bang. Xiang Yu heeded Fan Zeng, pressed an attack on Xingyang and besieged Liu Bang's forces inside the city. Liu Bang then took Chen Ping's suggestion and bribed Xiang Yu's men with 40,000 catties of gold, having them spread rumors that Fan Zeng intended to betray Xiang Yu. Falling for the ruse, Xiang Yu dismissed Fan Zeng, who then died of an illness on his journey home. The loss of Fan Zeng was one of the factors that contributed to Xiang Yu's eventual defeat [18], [20].
Sowing Discord Between Xiang Yu and His Advisor Fan Zeng is an application of the seventh stratagem, Create Something out of Nothing, which is associated with the second hexagram, Earth over Earth, and the 24th hexagram, Earth over Thunder [1], [28].
VOCAB LIST 37:
breaststroke: 蛙泳: wāyǒng
to lift weights: 举重: jǔzhòng
New Zealand: 新⻄兰: xīn xīlán
wolf: 狼: láng
right (e.g. the right to free speech): 权利: quánlì
human rights: 人权: rénquán
to float (e.g. the boat will not float): 漂浮: piāofú
prisoner: 囚犯: qiúfàn
freedom: 自由: zìyóu
to maintain: 保持: bǎochí
balance: 平衡: pínghéng
tub/pot: 盆: pén
bathtub: 澡盆: zǎopén
to throw away: 扔掉: rēng diào
to delete: 删除: shānchú
electric stove: 电磁炉: diàncílú
tax: 税: shuì
to betray: 背叛/出卖: bèipàn/chūmài
electric kettle: 电水壶: diàn shuǐhú
boat/ship: 船: chuán
<measure word for boat>: 艘: sōu
liquid: 液体: yètǐ
solid: 固体: gùtǐ
gas: 气体: qìtǐ
unfamiliar: 陌生: mòshēng
slavery: 奴隶制: núlì zhì
tea: 茶: chá
rumor (which has been proven false): 谣言: yáoyán
New Characters:
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Sample Sentences 37:
2) 站在球上，她不能保持平衡。
Trans.: Standing on the ball, she can’t keep her balance.
3) 不应该和陌生人说话。
Trans.: One should not talk to strangers.
4) 有传闻说他背叛了自己的国家。
5) 那艘船漂浮在海上。
6) Q: 你为什么扔掉电磁炉？
A: 弄坏了。
7) 对不起，这里没有澡盆。
8) 有危险的自由比和平的奴隶制更好。
9) 新西兰没有狼。
10) 好多中国人喜欢用电水壶泡茶。
11) 哪个国家有最好的人权？
12) 请不要相信那些关于我的谣言。
13) 囚犯的权力很少。
16) 我们需不需要交税？
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