Chinese Idiom: 兵不厌诈 (Bing Bu Yan Zha)
English Translation: All’s fair in war
pīn yīn: bīng bù yàn zhà
Idiom Meaning: This idiom emphasizes the importance of using strategies and deception in warfare. It conveys the idea that in military operations, employing clever tactics to mislead the enemy is essential.
Historical Source: Sun Tzu’s Art of War (《孙子 ·计篇》)
Idiom Story:
In 115 AD, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Emperor An appointed Yu Xu as the governor of Wudu to defend against incursions by the Qiang tribes in the northwest. When the Han army arrived at the Chen Cang and Xiao Valley area, they were blocked by a large Qiang force.
Recognizing his troops were outnumbered, Yu Xu ordered his men to halt their advance and spread the word that he had requested reinforcements from the court, intending to wait for additional troops before proceeding. The Qiang, hearing this news and unable to verify its truth, decided to split their forces to raid nearby counties.
Seizing the opportunity, Yu Xu commanded his troops to march day and night toward the Wudu frontline. He instructed his soldiers to set up two cooking stoves at their camp each day, doubling the number of stoves as they progressed. The Qiang soldiers, seeing the increasing number of stoves, mistakenly believed the Han forces were swelling in size and chose to retreat without engaging in battle.
When questioned about this strategy, Yu Xu explained, “The Qiang outnumber us. If they see our stoves increasing daily, they will assume that reinforcements from Wudu have arrived and will not dare to pursue us. In the past, the Qi general Sun Bin used a strategy of reducing stoves to feign weakness. I am increasing stoves to feign strength. Each situation is different, and we must adapt our tactics accordingly.”
Ultimately, Yu Xu successfully defeated the invading Qiang forces, demonstrating that the principles of deception in warfare are crucial for achieving victory.
