Borrowing a Corpse to Resurrrect a Soul, 借尸还魂 - 36 Strategies
From World's Chinese Wiki
36 Strategies - Strategy No 14: Borrowing a corpse to resurrrect a soul, 借尸还魂
Original: 有用者,不可借;不能用者,求借。借不能用者而用之。匪我求童蒙,童蒙求我。
Modern: 有作为的,不求助于别人;没作为的,求助于别人。利用无所作为的并顺势利用它,不是我受别人支配,而是我支配别人。
English: A person that is capable would not ask for help. A person who is incapable would ask for help. By using those that are incapable, I am able to control people and not controlled by people.
Contents |
Illustration
Towards the end of the Qin Dynasty, most of the people hated the tyranny of the Qin, but there was no one to gather and lead the people to rebel against Qin until the first year of the second Qin Emperor.
Cheng Sheng and Wu Guang was conscripted and sent to Yu Yang. During the journey, their group encountered heavy rain and flood. So there was no way they can arrive at the destination on time. During that time, the Qin laws state that for those who are conscripted, if they are not able to reach the designated destination on time, the whole group will be beheaded. Cheng Sheng and Wu Guang on seeing that it is impossible to reach Yu Yang on time, decided to fight for their lives instead. They know that the rest of the group members also have such thoughts, so it is a good time to gather them to revolt against Qin.
But Cheng Sheng realized that he has no power or authority to lead these people to revolt against Qin. During that time, there were two popular figures among the population and they are the eldest prince of the first Qin Emperor and the other was General Xiang Yan who was from the former State of Chu. So both Cheng Sheng and Wu Guang decided to use the superstitious mindset of the people.
When the group was preparing fish for dinner, they found a note inside the belly of the wish. On the note was written,"Emperor Chen Sheng". The group was shocked and news of it spread within the group. During the night, Wu Guang mimic the cry of the wolf. People on hearing the wolf cry could vaguely hear the words,"Revive Chu, Emperor Cheng Sheng." With both this happening, most of the group memeber thinks that Cheng Sheng must be somebody sent from heaven to lead them. On seeing the opportunity was ripe. Cheng Sheng and Wu Guang shouted,"Since death awaits us if we go to Yu Yang, let us revolt now and fight for a chance to live!" Cheng Sheng proclaimed himself as the General and together with Wu Guang started the first peasant rebellion in China's history.
秦朝实行暴政,天下百姓“欲为乱者,十室有五。”大家都有反秦的愿望,但是如果没有强有力的领导者和组织者,也就难成大事。秦二世元年,陈胜、吴广被征发到渔阳戍边。当这些戌卒走到大泽乡时,连降大雨,道路被水淹没,眼看无法按时到达渔阳了。秦朝法律规定,凡是不能按时到达指定地点的戌卒,一律处斩。陈胜、吴广知道,即使到达渔阳,也会误期被杀,不如一拼,寻求一条活路。他们知道同去的戍卒也都有这种思想,正是举兵起义的大好时机。
陈胜又想到,自己地位低下,恐怕没有号召力。当时有两位名人深受人民尊敬,一个是秦始皇的大儿子扶苏,温良贤明,已被阴险狠毒的秦二世暗中杀害,老百姓却不知情,另一个是楚将项燕,功勋卓著,爱护将士,威望极高,在秦灭六国之后不知去向。于是陈胜,公开打出他们的旗号,以期能够得到大家拥护。他们还利用当时人们的迷信心理,巧妙地作了其它安排。有一天,士兵做饭时,在鱼腹中发现一块丝帛,上写“陈胜王”(这个王字是称王的意思),士兵大惊,暗中传开。吴广又趁夜深人静之时,在旷野荒庙中学狐狸叫,士兵们还隐隐约约地听到空中有“大楚兴,陈胜王”的口号。他们以为陈胜不是一般的人,肯定是“天意”让他来领导大家的。陈胜、吴广见时机已到,率领戍卒杀死朝廷派来的将尉。陈胜登高一呼.揭竿而起。他说:我们反正活不成了,不如和他们拼个你死我活,就是死,也要死出个样儿来。于是,陈胜自号为将军,吴广为都尉,攻占大泽乡,天下云集响应,节节胜利,所向披靡。后来,部下拥立陈胜为王,国号“张楚”。