The Plum Dies in Place of the Peach, 李代桃僵 - 36 Strategies
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36 Strategies - Strategy No 11: The plum dies in place of the peach, 李代桃僵
Original: 势必有损，损阴以益阳。
Modern: 当局势发展必须有所损失的地步时，应该牺牲局部以换取全局的胜利。
English: When the situation has come to a point where sacrifices have to be made, sacrifice a battle to achieve victory in war.
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Illustration
During the Warring States period, General Tian Ji of the state of Qi had a very good advisor, Sun Bin. Often Tian Ji would race and bet his horses against those of Lord of Qi, and most of the time his horse would fail to win. Sun Bin on knowing that the horses are split into three categories, Upper, Middle and Lower with the Upper horse being the fastest. Sun Bin told Tian Ji he has a plan and ask Tian Ji to put in high stakes for the next race. Tian Ji followed Sun Bin's plan and that is to pit Tian Ji's Lower Class horse against Lord's Upper Class horse, pit Tian Ji's Upper Class horse against Lord's Middle Class horse and pit Tian Ji's Middle Class horse against Lord's Lower Class horse.
In the end, Tian Ji won the two out of the three races and emerged the winner of the races and won thousands taels of gold from the Lord and Sun Bin also gained favor from the Lord as well.
齐国将军田忌赏识孙膑的才能，收他为门客。田忌经常与齐王赛马，却屡次败阵。孙膑在得知赛马分上中下三等进行后，便向田忌建议，要与齐王赌上千金，并且保证必胜。田忌信任孙膑，照其话做了。孙膑便叫田忌以其下等马装作上等马与齐王的上等马比赛，这场会大败，接著，将其上等马装作中等马，将其中等马装作下等马，分别与齐王的中等马及下等马比赛，便可反胜两场，获得最终胜利。田忌结果赢了这场赛马，得了齐王千金，而孙膑亦因此名震齐国。