100 Unorthodox Strategies - Revision history

YellowHatGuy at 03:19, 30 March 2026

2026-03-30T03:19:53Z

YellowHatGuy at 03:19, 30 March 2026

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YellowHatGuy at 14:44, 2 May 2022

2022-05-02T14:44:34Z

YellowHatGuy at 14:44, 2 May 2022

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YellowHatGuy at 14:35, 2 May 2022

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YellowHatGuy at 14:33, 2 May 2022

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YellowHatGuy at 14:29, 2 May 2022

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YellowHatGuy at 14:17, 2 May 2022

2022-05-02T14:17:53Z

YellowHatGuy at 20:30, 29 April 2022

2022-04-29T20:30:48Z

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 * ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Strategies_of_Huang_Shigong Three Strategies of Huang Shigong]''
 * ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questions_and_Replies_between_Tang_Taizong_and_Li_Weigong Questions and Replies between Tang Taizong and Li Weigong]
-Since these seven books comprised the core of Chinese battle doctrine, and the basis for the Ming Dynasty civil service exams required for admission to officer candidate school. This page is a gloss-of-a-gloss, listing the core concepts for quick reference. English translations of the ''100 Unorthodox Strategies'' are now available in print for those who want the additional commentary and historical examples.
+Since these seven books comprised the core of Chinese battle doctrine, and the basis for the Ming Dynasty civil service exams required for admission to officer candidate school. This page is a gloss-of-a-gloss, listing the core concepts for quick reference. English translations of ''100 Unorthodox Strategies'' are now available in print for those who want the additional commentary and historical examples.
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@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 * ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Strategies_of_Huang_Shigong Three Strategies of Huang Shigong]''
 * ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questions_and_Replies_between_Tang_Taizong_and_Li_Weigong Questions and Replies between Tang Taizong and Li Weigong]
-Since these seven books comprised the core of Chinese battle doctrine, they were the basis for the Ming Dynasty civil service exams required for admission to officer candidate school. This page is a gloss-of-a-gloss, listing the core concepts for quick reference. English translations of the ''100 Unorthodox Strategies'' are now available in print for those who want the additional commentary and historical examples.
+Since these seven books comprised the core of Chinese battle doctrine, and the basis for the Ming Dynasty civil service exams required for admission to officer candidate school. This page is a gloss-of-a-gloss, listing the core concepts for quick reference. English translations of the ''100 Unorthodox Strategies'' are now available in print for those who want the additional commentary and historical examples.
 {| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 '''''100 Unorthodox Strategies''''' (''Pai-chan Ch’i Lüeh''), by Liu Po-wen or Liu Chi, was a popular strategy book in 1500s China. It essentially a Cliff’s Notes version of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Military_Classics Seven Military Classics]:
-* ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Secret_Teachings Six Secret Teachings]]''
+* ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Secret_Teachings Six Secret Teachings]''
-* ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Methods_of_the_Sima The Methods of the Sima]]''
+* ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Methods_of_the_Sima The Methods of the Sima]''
 * ''[[The Art of War]]''
 * ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuzi Wuzi]''

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 '''''100 Unorthodox Strategies''''' (''Pai-chan Ch’i Lüeh''), by Liu Po-wen or Liu Chi, was a popular strategy book in 1500s China. It essentially a Cliff’s Notes version of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Military_Classics Seven Military Classics]:
-* [[Jiang Ziya|Jiang Ziya (Taigong)]]'s ''[[Six Secret Teachings]] (六韜)''
+* ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Secret_Teachings Six Secret Teachings]]''
-* ''[[The Methods of the Sima]] (司馬法)'' (also known as ''Sima Rangju Art of War'')
+* ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Methods_of_the_Sima The Methods of the Sima]]''
 * ''[[The Art of War]]''
 * ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuzi Wuzi]''
@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 * ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Strategies_of_Huang_Shigong Three Strategies of Huang Shigong]''
 * ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questions_and_Replies_between_Tang_Taizong_and_Li_Weigong Questions and Replies between Tang Taizong and Li Weigong]
 Since these seven books comprised the core of Chinese battle doctrine, they were the basis for the Ming Dynasty civil service exams required for admission to officer candidate school. This page is a gloss-of-a-gloss, listing the core concepts for quick reference. English translations of the ''100 Unorthodox Strategies'' are now available in print for those who want the additional commentary and historical examples.
 {| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
@@ Line 291: / Line 289: @@
 | 100 || Forgetting Warfare ||  Maintain every aspect of military preparation in peacetime, to maintain readiness for defending against unanticipated future attacks.
 |}

@@ Line 184: / Line 184: @@
 | 58 || Defeat || Instead of dwelling on defeat, look for the advantages which the new situation brings (i.e., regroup and attack when they are celebration.)
 |-
-| 59 || Example || Example
+| 59 || Advancing || Quickly, brutally attack enemy weaknesses/openings as soon as they appear.
 |-
-| 60 || Example || Example
+| 60 || Retreating || Retreat from numerically superior enemies if you have less strength and unfavorable positions. You cannot win a no-win scenario.
 |-
-| 61 || Example || Example
+| 61 || Provocation || A far-away enemy’s provocation is to manipulate you into advancing, and wearing yourselves out before the fight from the traveling.
 |-
-| 62 || Example || Example
+| 62 || Compulsion || Render enemies powerless by forcing them to unwillingly act when  unprepared.
 |-
-| 63 || Example || Example
+| 63 || The Distant || Before attacking distant targets, show the enemy that you are planning to attack something nearby. The enemy will muster their troops in the wrong location, augmenting your true attack, which comes as a surprise.
 |-
-| 64 || Example || Example
+| 64 || The Nearby  || Before attacking nearby targets, show the enemy that you are going far away. Ideally, move in different directions and converge upon the enemy, who  either falls for the pincer, or sends a raiding party after your smaller group, who can lead them into a trap.
 |-
-| 65 || Example || Example
+| 65 || Rivers || Deploying forces too close to a riverbank makes enemies suspicious about fording there. If the enemy is fording, then attack them right at the bank.
 |-
-| 66 || Example || Example
+| 66 || Fire Attacks || Set fires, and attack while the enemy is distracted with firefighting.
 |-
 | 67 || Slowness || Attacking fortified cities is the worst of all strategies, which is only to be used when there is no alternative. Instead, cut off their supply lines and rescuers.

@@ Line 200: / Line 200: @@
 | 66 || Example || Example
 |-
-| 67 || Example || Example
+| 67 || Slowness || Attacking fortified cities is the worst of all strategies, which is only to be used when there is no alternative. Instead, cut off their supply lines and rescuers.
 |-
-| 68 || Example || Example
+| 68 || Quickness  || Supplies and other external aid must be quickly intercepted and assaulted.
 |-
-| 69 || Example || Example
+| 69 || Order || Do not attack well-ordered, well-organized enemies; wait for them to change.
 |-
-| 70 || Example || Example
+| 70 || Disorder || Attack disordered, poorly-organized enemies; they are unable to resist.
 |-
-| 71 || Example || Example
+| 71 || Segmenting  || Segment numerically-superior forces into smaller fighting groups to let the rear guard perform flank and maneuver rather than be stuck behind the vanguard.
 |-
-| 72 || Example || Example
+| 72 || Uniting ||
 |-
-| 73 || Example || Example
+| 73 || Anger || Anger alone is what convinces others to kill.
 |-
-| 74 || Example || Example
+| 74 || Spirit  || Music “pumps-up” soldiers, unleashing their potential.
 |-
-| 75 || Example || Example
+| 75 || Retreats || If the enemy retreats for no apparent reason, send elite troops to investigate;
 |-
 | 76 || Pursuits || Do not pursue organized retreats; they are often ruses, and they can still fight; their desperation may lead them to fight with increased ferocity. A disorganized, chaotic enemy retreat should be pursued and destroyed.

@@ Line 218: / Line 218: @@
 | 75 || Example || Example
 |-
-| 76 || Example || Example
+| 76 || Pursuits || Do not pursue organized retreats; they are often ruses, and they can still fight; their desperation may lead them to fight with increased ferocity. A disorganized, chaotic enemy retreat should be pursued and destroyed.
 |-
-| 77 || Example || Example
+| 77 || Refusing Battle || Do not fight stronger, numerically-superior enemies with intact supply lines. Instead, use this time to reinforce your position and augment your defense.
 |-
-| 78 || Example || Example
+| 78 || Inevitable Combat  || Indirectly attack fortified enemies by attacking their home base, supply lines, etc., to lure them out of their fort to launch a rescue mission.
 |-
-| 79 || Example || Example
+| 79 || Avoidance  || The weak must avoid fighting strong, highly-motivated enemies.
 |-
-| 80 || Example || Example
+| 80 || Sieges || Always give enemies a way out. This demoralizes them, because the thought of escaping will replace the desire for an all-out fights-to-finish. The enemy will escape, but they’ll escape on your terms, and this can be used to set up traps.
 |-
-| 81 || Example || Example
+| 81 || Utterances  || State false intentions, coaxing the enemy to move their defense to places you had no intention of attacking. “Speak about the East, but strike to the West.”
 |-
-| 82 || Example || Example
+| 82 || Peace Negotiations  || Peace negotiations can be used as a distraction to drops an enemy’s guard.
 |-
-| 83 || Example || Example
+| 83 || Enduring Attacks || If you are surrounded, escape is impossible. Instead, attack outward in all directions, in a gapless uniformly-expanding circle.
 |-
-| 84 || Example || Example
+| 84 || Surrenders || Treat an enemy’s surrender like an attack; it’s likely a ruse, so have your spies and intelligence operation independently verify their claim. Never let your guard down, and never stop fortifying.
 |-
-| 85 || Example || Example
+| 85 || The Heavens  || Immoral/incompetent/arrogant leaders who fail to respond to civil crises and hardships will lose their followers, and are thus doomed to fail.
 |-
-| 86 || Example || Example
+| 86 || The Human  || Commanders must solely rely upon reason, ignoring omens and soothsayers. Boldly squash superstitions or rumors before they destroy morale.
 |-
-| 87 || Example || Example
+| 87 || The Difficult  || Leaders must equally endure their subordinate’s hardships to preserve morale. Leaders must be part of the situation to make real-time corrections.
 |-
-| 88 || Example || Example
+| 88 || The Easy  || Concentrate on easy victories, targeting weak spots away from main forces.
 |-
 | 89 || Bait  ||
@@ Line 253: / Line 255: @@
 * Create the appearance of larger forces to intimidate your enemy.
 * Give the enemy a false impression of where you will attack to set up pincers.
-(“Prepare the enemy to set up in the east, then attack from the west.”)
+** “Prepare the enemy to set up in the east, then attack from the west.”
 * Construct a small fortress before retreating; so your pursuers will garrison your worthless fortress and think its a victory, rather than pursue you.
 |-

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-''''100 Unorthodox Strategies''''' (''Pai-chan Ch’i Lüeh''), by Liu Po-wen or Liu Chi, was a popular strategy book in 1500s China. It essentially a Cliff’s Notes version of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Military_Classics Seven Military Classics]:
+'''''100 Unorthodox Strategies''''' (''Pai-chan Ch’i Lüeh''), by Liu Po-wen or Liu Chi, was a popular strategy book in 1500s China. It essentially a Cliff’s Notes version of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Military_Classics Seven Military Classics]:
 * [[Jiang Ziya|Jiang Ziya (Taigong)]]'s ''[[Six Secret Teachings]] (六韜)''
 * ''[[The Methods of the Sima]] (司馬法)'' (also known as ''Sima Rangju Art of War'')
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 * ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questions_and_Replies_between_Tang_Taizong_and_Li_Weigong Questions and Replies between Tang Taizong and Li Weigong]
-Since these seven books comprised the core of Chinese battle doctrine, they were the basis for the Ming Dynasty civil service exams required for admission to officer candidate school. This page is a gloss-of-a-gloss, listing the core concepts for quick reference. English translations of the 100 Unorthodox Strategies are available for those wanting to read the additional commentary and historical examples.
+Since these seven books comprised the core of Chinese battle doctrine, they were the basis for the Ming Dynasty civil service exams required for admission to officer candidate school. This page is a gloss-of-a-gloss, listing the core concepts for quick reference. English translations of the ''100 Unorthodox Strategies'' are now available in print for those who want the additional commentary and historical examples.
@@ Line 244: / Line 244: @@
 | 88 || Example || Example
 |-
-| 89 || Example || Example
+| 89 || Bait  ||
 |-
-| 90 || Example || Example
+| 90 || Estrangement || Attack when there is discord among enemy leadership, or between enemy leaders and their forces. If there is no discord, have your spies create some.
 |-
-| 91 || Example || Example
+| 91 || Doubt  ||
 |-
-| 92 || Example || Example
+| 93 || Wind || Every plan and strategy is weather-dependent. Plans must be expedited or delayed to exploit the advantages/disadvantages of changing weather conditions.
 |-
-| 93 || Example || Example
+| 94 || Snow ||  The misery of prolonged rain, snow, or cold destroys morale.
 |-
-| 94 || Example || Example
+| 95 || Nurturing Spirit || Evaluate the morale of your defeated forces. If their fighting spirit is broken, then your top priority is restoring morale before you re-engaging the enemy.
 |-
-| 95 || Example || Example
+| 96 || Fear ||
 |-
-| 96 || Example || Example
+| 98 || Change  ||
 |-
-| 97 || Example || Example
+| 99 || Enthralled with Warfare  ||
 |-
-| 98 || Example || Example
+| 100 || Forgetting Warfare ||  Maintain every aspect of military preparation in peacetime, to maintain readiness for defending against unanticipated future attacks.
 |}

@@ Line 116: / Line 116: @@
 | 32 || Marshes||
 * Avoid marshes or wetlands. If unavoidable, pass through quickly.
-** The soft, muddy ground impedes mobility, creating a bottleneck
+** The soft, muddy ground impedes mobility, creating a bottleneck.
 ** Enemies can divert dams, rivers, and streams can be to flood wetlands, and drown your immobilized forces.
-* If you must make camp, seek high ground a circular perimeter, to allow for drainage and defense from all directions
+* If you must make camp, seek high ground a circular perimeter, to allow for drainage and defense from all directions.
 |-
 | 33 || Contentious Terrain ||