Thirty-Six Stratagems

1.瞞天過海　Cross the sea under camouflage.
2.圍魏救趙　Relieve the state of Zhao by besieging the state of Wei. 3.借刀殺人　Kill someone with a borrowed knife.
4.以逸待勞　Wait for the exhausted enemy at one's ease.
5.趁火打劫　Loot a burning house.
6.聲東擊西　Clamour in the east, attack in the west.
7.無中生有　Create something out of nothing.
8.暗渡陳倉　Pretend to take one path while sneaking down the other.
9.隔岸觀火　Watch a fire burning from the other side of the river.
10.笑里藏刀　Knife hidden under the smiling face.
11.李代桃僵　Sacrifice the plum for the peach.
12.順手牽羊　Take the opportunity to pilfer a goat.
13.打草驚蛇　Disturb the snake by hitting the grass.
14.借尸還魂　Borrow another's body to return the soul.
15.調虎離山　Entice the tiger to leave the mountain.
16.欲擒故縱　To catch something, first let it go.
17.拋磚引玉　Bait a piece of jade with a brick.
18.擒賊擒王　To catch the bandit ,first capture their leader.
19.釜底抽薪　Take away the firewood under the cooking pot.
20.混水摸魚　Fish in troubled water.
21.金蟬脫殼　Get away like the cicada sloughing its skin.
22.關門捉賊　Shut the door to catch the thief.
23.遠交近攻　Befriend a distant state while attacking a neighbor.
24.假途伐虢　Obtain safe passage to conquer the enemy.
25.偷梁換柱　Replace the beams with rotten timbers.
26.指桑罵槐　Revile the locust tree while pointing at the mulberry.
27.假癡不癲　Play dumb, remain smart.
28.上屋抽梯　Pull down the ladder after ascent.
29.樹上開花　Deck the tree with bogus blossom.
30.反客為主　Make the guest and host change places.
31.美人計　The beauty trap; Use seductive women to corrupt the enemy.
32.空城計　Present a bold front to conceal unpreparedness.
33.反間計　Sow discord among the enemy; Use double agent.
34.苦肉計　Inflict injury upon oneself to gain trust.
35.連環計　Chain together the enemy's ships.
36.走為上　Run away to fight another day; Escape is the best policy.