Wisdom's Way. Walton C. Lee

compete against one another. With the accused eunuch out of favor, he will be alienated by the others. None of them will re-admit him to their circles. We can sit back and enjoy watching these eunuchs weaken themselves as they jockey for position. After the whole investigation is over, even if it proves that the eunuch is innocent, on returning to the palace he will, to his distress, find out that his influence has been greatly reduced, if not totally destroyed by his rivals and peers.” Laughing and applauding, the general shouted with joy and praised this official for his insight.

      Divide and create contradictions among your opponents. You can sit back and watch as they compete with one another. Their internal dispute will eventually lead to their destruction.

       Local Maps

       Northern Sung Dynasty960 A.D. to 1127 A.D.

      We should encourage friendship and do our best to assist our friends. However, when too much cordiality might harm national security, we must draw a line. This episode happened in the middle of the eleventh century A.D. In that period, transportation was human legs or horseback. Printing was in its primitive stage. Maps were hand-drawn and primarily used for military purposes.

      A team of Korean diplomats, on an annual visit, came to China’s capital city to present gifts to the emperor. Passing through cities and towns, they courteously requested the local mayors or regional commanders to supply them with territorial maps. They claimed that they could study those maps for sightseeing along their route. As a gesture of good will, this solicitation, which had never been made before, was promptly granted.

      Before approaching a mid-sized southern city, these diplomats sent the same request by messenger.

      “I don’t have one on hand. And, to tell you the truth, I don’t even know how to prepare one,” said Chern Shen-Jee,⁶ a commander in the city. Feigning embarrassment, he suggested to the messenger “If you can let me see the other maps, I will be more than delighted to imitate them and draw one with similar details for you.” The messenger returned and reported this to his masters. A few days later, the messenger came back with the maps that had been collected.

      Accepting the maps, the commander immediately ordered his guards to burn them all, regardless of the astonished messenger’s violent protest. The messenger was expelled from the city after a solid reprimand. This incident was abruptly reported to the central government. The commander was highly praised for his alertness and others, for their heedlessness, were punished according to the laws.

      As an old Chinese expression says: If you hold your sword or spear at the wrong end, another person can easily grasp the handle and threaten your life with it. Giving maps to assist the foreigners on their trips, those local officials foolishly exposed the locations of mountains, rivers, harbors and other strategically important facts, which would have given potential invaders a military advantage.

       With a Sense of Discreteness

       Northern Sung Dynasty960 A.D. to 1127 A.D.

      Most people dream of a tranquil and wealthy life. However, a far-sighted man will feel uneasy about that tranquillity and wealth. Why? Allow me to present this case. In the eleventh century A.D. China was frequently disturbed by neighboring barbarians. One night while working late, the vice prime minister Wong Dan,⁷ who didn’t even have time to eat his dinner, sighed and murmured “Alas! The heavy load of work is killing me. Sooner or later I will die of exhaustion. When will our country enjoy peace again?”

      “Oh, you are not joking, are you?” interrupted the prime minister Lee Hang⁸ with a profound smile. “You should consider yourself lucky. Constant but manageable trouble is actually a good thing for a person as well as a country. With a few problems on our shoulders, we keep alert all the time. If the country eventually becomes peaceful, it will only develop hidden crises, which will be much more difficult to deal with in the future. After I retire, you probably will assume my position. At that time, our current skirmishes will most likely be over. Our country will be strong and prosperous. Our young Majesty will be spoiled by absolute power and carefree prosperity. Please, be aware of that.”

      Though disagreeing with his superior, the fatigued vice prime minister dared not to argue, and merely responded with a courteous nod. The farsighted prime minister often deliberately presented all the current disasters, such as floods, fire, drought, or mutiny, to the emperor, who was frightened and dumbfounded.

      “Your Highness,” the vice prime minister privately asked, “Why should we present those misfortunes to annoy Our Majesty? In my humble opinion, it is not decent….”

      “You are much in mistake,” the prime minister immediately cut him short. “Our emperor is in his early teens, an age of innocent optimism. Without those calamities to constantly remind him that governing the dynasty is a demanding and strenuous job, I am afraid that Our Majesty will gradually become lax, and even neglectful of his duty. I will be retired very soon. It will become your responsibility. Be careful.”

      A few months later, the prime minister retired and the vice prime minister was promoted. Northern barbarians made peace treaties with China. Without war or other natural disasters, the national economy grew rapidly. The country enjoyed prosperity. With few matters of state to worry him, the young emperor began to visit famous mountains and rivers. Cunning eunuchs and crafty officials, who knew how to flatter their master, clandestinely approached the unsophisticated emperor and quickly won his trust. Favoritism developed. Regardless of their ability, unscrupulous power mongers employed their compatriots in government positions. Gradually, they occupied most of the influential positions. They encouraged the young emperor to build another grand-scale imperial palace and many extravagant mansions. The new prime minister was powerless to control this rapidly deteriorating situation. He wanted to resign but couldn’t bear to watch the dynasty collapse. He then understood that his predecessor’s farsighted concern had been most warranted.

      A similar case happened in the chaotic Spring and Autumn period, 770 B.C. to 476 B.C. A strong country, after years of struggle and numerous bloody battles, finally conquered one of its equal-sized neighbors. The triumphant lord Gin-Li⁹ intended to massacre every single one of the prisoners of war and enslave all of the citizens.

      “Please, Your Lordship, for our own ultimate benefit, spare your enemy,” a commissioner named Fan Shieh (Fan Win-Zye)¹⁰ politely suggested. “Only an all-wise man could always keep a country free of troubles. For an ordinary statesman, there are always troubles either externally or internally. But by sparing our enemies, keeping them alive but weakened, we shrewdly create an opponent, which will constantly remind us of the importance of our self-existence and keep us alert. Otherwise, a carefree period will follow. We might become spoiled and even, if I may say, be destroyed by our own prosperity.”

      The lord sneered at this prediction and mercilessly ordered his soldiers to slaughter the conquered people and devastate the city. After this absolute victory, the country’s reputation and prestige was at its peak. Ranking among a handful of the most powerful rulers, the lord became arrogant and wasteful. His people felt glamorized by their new status among the nations. They became egotistic and extravagant. Government became corruptive and citizens greedy. Lots of money was wasted in needless projects. As a result, heavy taxes were imposed on the laboring class, who had no political voice and suffered greatly.

      During a period of natural disaster, many farmers, who couldn’t pay their overdue taxes, rebelled against the government. Soldiers were called to handle them. Thousands of people died in the conflict. In another rebellion, the lord was murdered and his regime was overthrown.

      An ambitious person must always possess a sense of discretion. He or she has to be fully prepared to confront any trouble, and to be aware of potential crises. Too much carefree living can gradually corrode discretion and eventually become a source of ruin.

       We Manipulate It

       Tang Dynasty618 A.D. to 907 A.D.

      In the late eighth century A.D., China was suffering through period of chaos and confusion. The emperor Tang-Teh¹¹ was