10 masterpieces in traditional Peking Opera repertoire

The Ruse of the Empty City is staged in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, April 14, 2010. [Photo/VCG]

7. The Ruse of the Empty City

The Ruse of the Empty City is a very famous story from the Chinese novel The Romance of Three Kingdoms. The whole play consists of three parts: Lost of Jie-Ting Pass, Empty City Strategy, and Execution of Ma Su.

The empty city strategy is one of the many examples demonstrating military chancellor Zhuge Liang's incredible resourcefulness. It means to open the gate of a poorly-armed city and meet the powerful enemy with unexpected composure. The suspicious leader of the opposing army, Sima Yi, judging from Zhuge's calmness, concludes the city is a trap with a huge army hidden inside. Sima turns back and the city is saved.

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