Xiangqi 36 Strategems

Xiangqi and the 36 Strategems

In 2020, the Chinese Xiangqi Association came out with a series of 36 videos to explain each of the 36 Stratagems and how it could be used in Xiangqi. Several women's Chinese Grandmasters, Masters, and players explained the stratagems. The short video clips were made in Chinese and can be reached on this website in the Chinese section.

International Grandmaster Jia Dan who was the women's World Champion in 2019 used the same material from the boards and explained, in English, the concepts of the Strategem and the intricacies of the examples given. There were 28 stratagems that she did. The material presented well explained and should serve to inspire Xiangqi lovers.

Jia Dan's videos were uploaded to the Youtube Channel of the Xiangqi Association of Quebec. They have been rearranged and presented on this website. The translations given on Wikipedia will be used.

In a nutshell, it is common to classify the 36 stratagems in to 6 different groups. Please click on the headings of different groups where all the videos of the relevant stratagems in that group will be presented.

  • 01 Deceive the heavens to cross the sea (瞒天过海, Mán tiān guò hǎi)
  • 02 Besiege Wèi to rescue Zhào (围魏救赵, Wéi Wèi jiù Zhào)
  • 03 Kill with a borrowed knife (借刀杀人, Jiè dāo shā rén)04
  • 04 Wait at leisure while the enemy labors (以逸待劳, Yǐ yì dài láo)
  • 05 Loot a burning house (趁火打劫, Chèn huǒ dǎ jié)
  • 06 Make a sound in the east, then strike in the west (声东击西, Shēng dōng jī xī)
  • 07 Create something from nothing (无中生有, Wú zhōng shēng yǒu)
  • 08 Openly repair the gallery roads, but sneak through the passage of Chencang (明修栈道,暗渡陈仓, Míng xiū zhàn dào, àn dù Chéncāng)
  • 09 Watch the fires burning across the river (隔岸观火, Gé àn guān huǒ)
  • 10 Hide a knife behind a smile (笑里藏刀, Xiào lǐ cáng dāo)
  • 11 Sacrifice the plum tree to preserve the peach tree (李代桃僵, Lǐ dài táo jiāng)
  • 12 Take the opportunity to pilfer a goat (顺手牵羊, Shùn shǒu qiān yáng)

 

  • 13 Stomp the grass to scare the snake (打草惊蛇, Dǎ cǎo jīng shé)
  • 14 Borrow a corpse to resurrect the soul (借尸还魂, Jiè shī huán hún)
  • 15 Lure the tiger down the mountain (调虎离山, Diào hǔ lí shān)
  • 16 In order to capture, one must let loose (欲擒故纵, Yù qín gù zòng)
  • 17 Tossing out a brick to get a jade gem (抛砖引玉, Pāo zhuān yǐn yù)
  • 18 Defeat the enemy by capturing their chief (擒贼擒王, Qín zéi qín wáng)
  • 19 Remove the firewood from under the pot (釜底抽薪, Fǔ dǐ chōu xīn)
  • 20 Disturb the water and catch a fish (浑水摸鱼/混水摸鱼, Hùn shuǐ mō yú)
  • 21 Slough off the cicada's golden shell (金蝉脱壳, Jīn chán tuō qiào)
  • 22 Shut the door to catch the thief (关门捉贼, Guān mén zhuō zéi)
  • 23 Befriend a distant state and strike a neighbouring one (远交近攻, Yuǎn jiāo jìn gōng)
  • 24 Obtain safe passage to conquer the State of Guo (假途伐虢, Jiǎ tú fá Guó)
  • 25 Replace the beams with rotten timbers (偷梁换柱, Tōu liáng huàn zhù)
  • 26 Point at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree (指桑骂槐, Zhǐ sāng mà huái)
  • 27 Feign madness but keep your balance (假痴不癫, Jiǎ chī bù diān)
  • 28 Remove the ladder when the enemy has ascended to the roof (上屋抽梯, Shàng wū chōu tī)
  • 29 Decorate the tree with false blossoms (树上开花, Shù shàng kāi huā)
  • 30 Make the host and the guest exchange roles (反客为主, Fǎn kè wéi zhǔ)

06 Defeat Stratagems (败战计, Bài zhàn jì)

  • 31 The beauty trap (Honeypot) (美人计, Měi rén jì)
  • 32 The empty fort strategy (空城计, Kōng chéng jì)
  • 33 Let the enemy's own spy sow discord in the enemy camp (反间计, Fǎn jiàn jì)
  • 34 Inflict injury on oneself to win the enemy's trust (苦肉计, Kǔ ròu jì)
  • 35 Chain stratagems (连环计, Lián huán jì)
  • 36 If all else fails, retreat (走为上策, Zǒu wéi shàng cè)