The Secret Canon of China

9 hrs. 8 min.

Miscellaneous

Language Russian

Author Vladimir Malyavin

Narrator Boris Tokarev

Description

Since ancient times, China had an advanced strategy of communication and confrontation, which made it possible for those who mastered it to successfully manipulate people around them—partners, subordinates, and superiors.

This tricky science was kept secret and was little known even within China itself. Now Russian readers can get acquainted with it in newly revised translations by one of the leading Russian sinologists. V. V. Malyavin presents here three classic works on Chinese strategy: the ancient treatise “Gui Gu-zi,” the famous collection “Thirty-Six Stratagems,” and the treatise by Zhe Xuan “One Hundred Chapters of the Military Canon.”

These writings are an indispensable aid not only for government officials, the military, and business people, but for everyone who values the practical value of Eastern wisdom and wants to know reliable ways to achieve success in life.

Contents:

Foreword by the compiler
Gui Gu-zi
Foreword
Editions and studies of “Gui Gu-zi”
Chapter One. Openness and Secrecy
Chapter Two. Response and Correspondence
Chapter Three. A Hook Within
Chapter Four. Anticipating the Emergence of Ravines
Chapter Five. Encourage in order to Subdue
Chapter Six. Confrontation in Agreement
Chapter Seven. About Penetrating Insight
Chapter Eight. Favoring
Chapter Nine. An Ass’s Wording
Chapter Ten. Plans
Chapter Eleven. Making Decisions
Chapter Twelve. On Correspondence Between Words and Deeds
Appendix 1. The chapter “Nine Specimens from the Book ‘Guan Zi’
Chapter Thirteen. The Seven Arts of Secret Correspondence in Ruling from the Root
Supplementing the Spirit
Nurturing the Will
Fullness of the Will
Dividing Force
Scattering Force
Turning in a Circle
Diminishing and Increasing
Chapter Fourteen. Holding to the Axis
Chapter Fifteen. Management from Within
Zhe Xuan. The Chinese Military Canon in One Hundred Chapters
Translator’s Foreword
Section “Knowledge”
1. Foreseeing
2. Turning Point
3. Strategic Advantage
4. Knowledge
5. Reconnaissance
6. Rivalry
7. Education
8. Speech
9. Creation
10. Art
11. Tricks
12. Stratagems
13. Vitality
14. Changes
15. Accumulating Force
16. Reversal
17. Spiritfulness
18. Suspicion
19. Delusion
20. Actions not by the Rules
21. Unskillfulness
22. Prescience
23. Multiplicity of Plans
24. All-Embracing Completeness
25. Vigilance
26. Knowledge
27. Diversions
28. Secrecy
Section “Rules”
29. Preparations for War
30. Trust
31. Command
32. Agreement
33. Types of Service
34. Abilities
35. Strike Units
36. Cohesion
37. Attracting People
38. Training
39. Encouragement
40. Administration
41. Merciful Attitude
42. Comparisons
43. Fighting Spirit
44. Provisions
45. Place for Camp
46. March
47. Movement
48. Rapid Deployment
49. Terrain
50. Benefit
51. Battle Formation
52. Strictness
53. Fighting in the Wilderness
54. False Shout
55. Secrecy
56. Doing Favors
57. Outstepping
58. Repulse
59. Luring
60. Battle
61. Opposition
62. Division
63. Changing Tactics
64. Dragging Out
65. Accelerating
66. Binding
67. Drawing Over to One’s Side
68. Sacrifice
69. Command
70. Victory
71. Keeping Everything Intact
72. Secrecy
Additional Section
73. Natural Conditions
74. Numbers
75. Determination
76. Deception
77. Women
78. Literacy
79. Using Others
80. Communication
81. Comparison
82. Hopeless Situation
83. Vision
84. Sounds
85. Patience
86. Camouflage
87. Repetition
88. Incompleteness
89. One
90. Action in Reverse
91. Emptiness
92. Absence
93. Secrecy
94. Calmness
95. Thriftiness
96. Forgetfulness
97. Ability to Terrify
98. Initiative
99. By Itself
100. Suchness
Thirty-Six Stratagems. Chinese Secrets of Success
Translator’s Foreword
Thirty-Six Stratagems
First Section. Stratagems of Victorious Battles
Stratagem One. Deceive the Ruler and Cross the Sea
Stratagem Two. Lay Siege to Wei to Save Zhao
Stratagem Three. Using the Knife from Another—Kill a Man
Stratagem Four. Wait Quietly until the Enemy Gets Tired
Stratagem Five. Plunder Amid the Fire
Stratagem Six. Raise an Uproar in the East and Attack in the West
Second Section. Stratagems for Battles in Balance of Strength
Stratagem Seven. Create Something from Nothing
Stratagem Eight. Secretly Attack in Chen-yang
Stratagem Nine. Watching the Fire from the Opposite Shore
Stratagem Ten. Hide the Knife in a Smile
Stratagem Eleven. Offer a Plum to Save a Peach
Stratagem Twelve. Lead Away the Sheep that Has Run Under Your Hand
Third Section. Stratagems for Offensive Battles
Stratagem Thirteen. Beat the Grass to Scare the Snake
Stratagem Fourteen. Seize a Corpse to Take Back Life
Stratagem Fifteen. Force the Tiger to Leave the Mountain
Stratagem Sixteen. If You Want to Seize, First Let It Go
Stratagem Seventeen. Throw a Brick to Get the Jade
Stratagem Eighteen. To Catch Bandits, First Catch the Ringleader
Fourth Section. Stratagems for Battles Involving Several Parties
Stratagem Nineteen. Pull Out Firewood from Under the Cauldron
Stratagem Twenty. Muddy the Water to Catch the Fish
Stratagem Twenty-One. The Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell
Stratagem Twenty-Two. Shut the Gates to Catch the Thief
Stratagem Twenty-Three. Befriend the Far One and Fight the Near One
Stratagem Twenty-Four. Demand Passage through Guo to Attack It
Fifth Section. Stratagems of Battle Alongside a Third Party
Stratagem Twenty-Five. Steal the Beam and Replace the Columns Without Moving the House
Stratagem Twenty-Six. Threaten the Sophora by Pointing at the Mulberry Tree
Stratagem Twenty-Seven. Pretend to Be a Fool Without Giving In to Lust
Stratagem Twenty-Eight. Lead to the Roof and Remove the Ladder
Stratagem Twenty-Nine. Hang Flowers on a Dead Tree
Stratagem Thirty. Transplant the Guest to the Place of the Host
Sixth Section. Stratagems for Losing Battles
Stratagem Thirty-One. “The Beauty”
Stratagem Thirty-Two. “An Empty City”
Stratagem Thirty-Three. “The Returned Spy”
Stratagem Thirty-Four. “Mutilating Oneself”
Stratagem Thirty-Five. “Chains”