Strategy

Just a few questions for everyone...

Q1. In your opinion, what do you think Kongming's definiton of strategy was?

Q2. What is your definition of strategy?

Q3. How do you apply strategy in your life? I.e family, friends, work , sport... e.t.c


thanx

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Just to fill out your curiousity...

Huang Yue Ying is a rumored lady who was betrothed to Zhuge Liang, a hermit, during the period of peace around the outskirts of war before Lord Liu Bei recognize his abilities.

The reason behind this is because the noble Zhuge had a father-in-law by the Huang and not the usual Zhuge. The prove to this was an old man by the name Huang Chen Yan helped the strategist Lu Xun who exclaimed himself as Zhuge Liang's father in-law.

At this point, we only have prove that a gentlemen by the family name Huang was the father-in-law of Zhuge Liang but not the rumored mysterious Lady Yue Ying who call herself as the wife. So in process I myself do not understand the circumstances as to why she was confirm with a name Huang Yue Ying. Either this is the reason that the lady is the only blood-related daughter of Huang Chen Yan.

While in the Dynasty Warriors session, Yue Ying is a playable character in Dynasty Warriors 4 and 5. A loyal and faithful wife who weild a deadliy sycthe. She assist her husband and protect him with all her willpower. In the beginning she resisted the fact that a man such as himself would like someone like her who has appereances of too plain delicate and a unlimited wisdom. But in the end she accepted her fate and help in almost all battles which, if you compare to the real era is highly impossible.

If I'm not mistaken, the family Huang is a noble family at that generation also. So in this case, of those who are noble have maidens with bind feet at a young age to fit into those small gorgeous shoes/slippers. This practice was passdown from generations to generations.

Me: Well almost like a version of Cinderella's glass slippers. And man does it hurt! Imagine having your own feet crush into half and walk around on it.

But it's true that Lady Huang did study and obtain knowlegde which she probably did for her whole life. Since women are not important during the old times, there was nothing much about her we can fine unless she has a diary for it. Most probably she owns one.

BEING MARRIED TO ZHUGE LIANG: At the deadbed she told her son "be loyal and filial" before dieing after Zhuge Liang's death as if following him.

Reference:
Tales and Legends of Yue Ying, Dynasty Warrior 4 and 5 (GAME)
Paragraph 128, Chapter 84, Novel Romance of The Three Kingdoms
www.threekingdoms.com

__________________
Providing knowlegde is a gift from Heavens above

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Hey that's cool, Zhuge Liang was my ancestor also, My chinese name is Zhuge yang ling, sorry getting off of topic...

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One of the greatest minds in Chinese history. A great diplomat, politician, and military strategist. Highly respected in modern Shu, Sichuan province where he served the warlord Liu Bei after being visited to Longzhong and decided to serve him after making 3 visits. He was inspired by a cause to restore the Han dynasty that had influenced Chinese cultures for 400 years.

A great statesman of the Three Kingdoms period, after being recruited by Liu Bei(Xuande) he followed Liu Bei from Changbanpo retreating from Cao Cao's massive army that was attacking Liu Bei. By this time Cao Cao had control of the Northern Heartland and Sun Quan to the South. Liu Bei at this time was relatively weak and had no many troops in his army. He was defeated, and Zhuge Kongming advised Liu Bei to establish and alliance with Sun Quan in the South to fight against Cao Cao's massive force and his grip on the Han emperor.

Zhuge Liang helped formed the alliance with Sun Quan and together with Zhou Yu, he defeated Cao Cao at one of China's most memorable and greatest naval Battle of Chibi. Before Chibi, Zhuge Kongming along with Zhou Yu plan the defeat of Cao Cao's massive force with the Southeast wind and the work of fire. Zhuge Liang was said to have summon the Southeast wind that would have never appeared if it was not to his strange ways on doing so.(Most of this event can be reccounted in Sanguo Yanyi or Romance of the Three Kingdoms).

In later times, Zhuge Liang advise Liu Bei to take Jingzhou and establish Jingzhou as Liu Bei's foothold to fight off against Cao Cao, but Liu Bei was too benevolent to take the land that belong to his relative Liu Biao.

After Chibi, Zhuge Liang advise plans for Liu Bei recapture Jingzhou from Cao Cao. With Zhuge Liang's strategies, Liu Bei capture the 4 Southern Jing prefectures of Lingling, Wuling, Guiyang, and Changsha, and Jiangling. With Jingzhou in the hands of Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang next advised Liu Bei to move Westward to capture Yizhou(Shu or Sichuan) that belonged to another relative of his. Liu Bei was reluctant to do so because his relative Liu Zhang had control Yi province. Zhuge Liang advised Liu Bei that, in order to restore the Han and bring the rebel Cao Cao to justice Yizhou must be taken and you must establish your base there, with thus doing so ally with Sun Quan in the Southland and advance your army to bring the usruper Cao Cao to the light.

There were many other tales of Zhuge Liang afterwards. Later Zhuge Liang helped Liu Bei take Yizhou and took Hanzhong to establish a powerful base in Western China near the mountain regions and his capital was at the modern day city of Chengdu.

Much of these stories can later been read in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Zhuge Kongming was indeed a great scholar, he was a great political statesman, military strategist, diplomat and a great army commander.

He was said to have invented a machine that was called the Zhuge Nu(The repeated crossbow), the Wooden Bulls and Floating horses that supplied grain to the army's front line and it never stop moving which helped the Shu army to collect grain as they advance north to attack Sima Yi and reclaim the Northern Heartland under Han rule again.

Other works done by Zhuge Liang was his Mastering of the Art of War, along with the commentaries by great strategist of the Ming dynasty Liu Ji.

If anyone is interested in reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms, here is a link to an online site where you can read the novel.

http://threekingdoms.com/

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As we should also know, 70-80% of Romance is historical, but the great achievements of Zhuge Kongming as a military stragiest, political statesman were non-fiction. It was proven in the Sanguo Zhi, there are few exception such as the summoning of the wind in Chibi. The novel made him a god-like figure as a hero of the Han Chinese, Luo Guanzhong wrote this novel in order to promote Chinese nationality against the foreign ruling dynasty, the Yuan dynasty ruled by Genghis Khan's descendant.

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In military action, there are men who like to fight and enjoy battle, singlehandedly taking on powerful opponents; gather them into one squad and call them "the warriors who repay the nation." - Zhuge Kongming

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I know this guy zhuge liang from the 3kingdoms book. Also i have played this playstation2 game Romnce of the three kingdoms and he was may favorite character. Also there was this book called 24 books of zhuge liang... it is a military treatise similar to the AoW but i don't know if this book really did exist but if it did im sure it can live up to standards of the AoW as zhuge liang was a brilliant strategiest. But im not even sure if zhuge really did exist.

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He exists

Animal_Instinct Zhuge Liang did exist.There's a nice shrine for him tooomewhere in China, I've forgotten the place.

I've heard about the "24 Volumes of Military Strategy" and I think it was somewhere in the novel. It was said to have been passed down to his successor, Jiang Wei before he passed away. But then something happened to it I think. Still I'm not sure about that part.

Another story that interested me was the Zhuge Liang's wit. The plan was simple yet brilliant. It was said that Zhou Yu have divided several tasks in the preparations for the Battle of Chibi. One of them was preparing 100,000 (I'm not really sure of the amount because I was told by my brother) arrows in 3 days. This task was given to Zhuge Liang. He could only accept the 'challenge' that Zhou Yu was waving at him graciously. Of course during the old times, they don't have special machines or mechanisme to build a massive arrows in such a short time.

On the first day, Zhuge Liang the brilliant strategist did NOTHING. He only did his usual routine feeling relaxed. He was then visited by one of Zhou Yu's men. When the man asked how was the progress of his task, Zhuge Liang just replied that he will definitely get those arrows ready by the third day.

The next day, it was the same thing. But on the third day, he gathered a few of his men and asked them to build puppets out of hay and sticks, wooden sheilds and boats. By night, he set his men out on a journey through the river, heading towards Wei's camp site. At that same night, the mist was very thick. This was an advantage to execute Zhuge Liangs plan.

Instructing his men to sheild themselves with those puppets and wooden sheild they made, they also lit some latterns. Being dangerously near to the camp site of their enemy, Wei immediately rained thundering arrows at their enemies. The arrows were so many that the puppets was pierced so many times by these arrows. Sooner later the latterns vanished and everything became silent.

Quietly, Zhuge Liang's men sailed back to with massive of arrows, ready to be delivered to Zhou Yu. With Zhuge Liang witful mind, he have just saved man power, saved up his land resources by using his enemy's, and saved up a lot of time. Truly simple but brilliant!

__________________
Providing knowlegde is a gift from Heavens above

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Hey now. All these people claiming to be ancestors of Zhuge Liang has brought on a little disdain on my part. I have seen ample numbers stating to be the ancestor of Zhuge Liang. To have the uncommon name Zhuge as your family name is certainly an honor, and due to the fame of Zhuge Liang the name has become a symbol of intelligence, wisdom and tactical ability even to this day. But the name is becoming more popular today as more and more people learn of Zhuge Liang's aspirations and attainments. But having his name does not mean you are an ancestor. Take no offense, but the syntax of many of those claiming to be ancestors of the former Prime Minister, is conspiciously abyssmal. Most of them have none or a vague concept of strategy, debating, and little density in their apprehension of literature. Condescending as I might sound, but the theory of natural selection states that the descendant of another will be superior to their predecessors. None of those stating to be ancestors of Kongming seem of no comparison to the Prime Minister - in my own humble opinion. Despite my commonplaced abilities, I have walked in the shadow of the Prime Minister, I have studied his achievements, and his strong apprehension of warfare. Kongming is truly the only soul I have not been able to refute as of yet. Not one error in his strategies, or his ethics - and I can refute anyone that says otherwise. Not because I am superior in any way, but because despite my commonplaced abilities I see the exigencies of our time. Only due to the teachings of Zhuge Liang. The reason I am set against people claiming to be his ancestor is because they have provided prejudice information and have contributed no proof to their claims.
Sharing the same family name is very frail evidence for your claims. Might I be so brusque as to inquire if you have a good reason for your claims? One claims he has looked through the family tree, but has not shown the tree nor has he stated why it conveys what it does. I can solemnly say that I do not see truth in your claims - provide us all with strong evidence, and I shall analyze it ostensibly.
If one person quotes the same again and does not provide hard evidence, it shan't do anything to convert my beliefs.

"I've heard about the "24 Volumes of Military Strategy" and I think it was somewhere in the novel. It was said to have been passed down to his successor, Jiang Wei before he passed away. But then something happened to it I think. Still I'm not sure about that part."

The 24 Volumes of Military Strategy were mentioned in the Three Kingdoms novels. They were said to be passed unto his successor, Jiang Wei. But it has as of yet not had reliable evidence to contribute to this, and it is unknown what happened to the residue or location of the 24 Volumes.

"As we should also know, 70-80% of Romance is historical, but the great achievements of Zhuge Kongming as a military stragiest, political statesman were non-fiction. It was proven in the Sanguo Zhi, there are few exception such as the summoning of the wind in Chibi."

Not necessarily. Some of those achievements were questionable. Such as the debating scene in Volume 2. The incantations prior to the Battle of Chi Bi that conjured the wind are said to be true - though we can never know if any of these histories are true without being present, I believe the histories are true and thus, the history of Zhuge Liang ordering a temple built and his promise to Zhou Yu was witnessed and passed on in memorial. Most evidence would point to the fact that he was the cause of the wind that day. Also, take in mind he didn't actually 'summon' the wind that day, he performed a ritual to convey it in another direction.

"Q1. In your opinion, what do you think Kongming's definiton of strategy was?"

None should take offence. But I shall be so crude as to say that not one here or even alive today has the merit or the versatility to answer that. I could never surmise Kongming's definition of strategy. Only Kongming has the grandeur to answer such a question.

"Q2. What is your definition of strategy?"

Strategy is an ample sized, long-term plan which is often mistaken with tactics. Strategy is a concotion of tactics and in a much larger scale. Strategy is applied in all situations no matter what the circumstance, so in one light, life revolves around strategy. A wise strategist once said: "Those who fail to see the exigencies of our time will fall."
Lo! It was the ancient Sun Tzu and Zhuge Liang! Both deserve mention for taking this immensely to heart.
Henceforth, looking at it from one light, strategy is life; life is strategy. Not one situation does not require strategy as a fundamental.


Q3. How do you apply strategy in your life? I.e family, friends, work , sport...

I apply strategy in all circumstances. Life revolves around strategy, or at least part of it. Everything requires methods and tactics, which are all part of a larger scale - being strategy. Zhuge Liang once said to his elder brother, Zhuge Jin: "... you speak of the realm of sentiment. Whereas I follow the realm of honour." Ethics should always come before sentiment, no matter what the circumstances.
Moral law, as stated by Sun Tzu, comes before the Heavens itself. No matter what the movies convey, not even love should come before Moral law. I believe their is a difference betweeen current legislation and moral law. Moral law is moral, and done by your own morals. Thus not even today's modern law should outweigh your own morals. However, if you condone these laws in order to play out your own morals for a time, this would be acceptable. As Sun Tzu once said: "All war is based on deception.". That is how I apply strategy to my life. Thank you sonshi for creating this forum. So many people could learn, and come to understand and see the exigencies of our time. You have warranted them to do so. You only need those who have a the ability to learn them.

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The Way of the General

Hi all,

I've started a blog on the use of the 36 stratagems in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms setting. It might be interesting for those who are interested in knowing more about that era.

I'll also be reviewing snippets of Zhuge Liang's Way of the General treatise and its' application in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms setting, so drop by when you are free.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

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Should the fans of Zhuge Liang, ghostwrite about Z.L's life?

Should the fans of Zhuge Liang, ghostwrite about Z.L's life? I think that should happen. Why? To hopefully inspire directors and producers in the film business to make Z.L's life story more well known to the world.

It would be fun to see the fans' usual quirks become incorporated into Z.L's personality within their fictional stories.

Not intending to offend the grandson of Z.L, the possible fan fictions about Z.L could slightly over exaggerate Z.L. Whether the fan fiction could be bad or good, that should be discussed between Z.L's grandson and fans of Z.L. Maybe I should write my own fan fiction about Z.L too.

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Next idea is the parody of Z.L's life. Am I treading on wafer-thin ice because I'm suggesting that Z.L's life story should become similar to the parody of "The Spartans" movie?

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