Learn Mandarin & Chinese History

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Poem by Tang Dynasty renowned Poet - Tu Fu, his admiration of Zhu GeLiang's (諸葛亮) ingenius military strategy.

八阵图 - 杜甫

功盖三分国①，
名成八阵图②。
江流石不转③，
遣恨失吞吴④。


①三分国：指三国时魏 (Wei)、蜀 (Shu)、吴 (Wu) 三国。
②八阵图：由八种阵势组成的图形，用来操练军队或作战。

八阵图，指由天、地、风、云、龙、虎、鸟、蛇八种阵势所组成的军事操练和作战的阵图，是诸葛亮的一项创造，反映了他卓越的军事才能。

③石不转：指涨水时，八阵图的石块仍然不动。(remember Israelites crossed River Jordan - twelve stones/rocks?)
④失吞吴：是吞吴失策的意思。In the very beginning the kingdom of Wu (under Xun Qun and Chow Yu) forged alliance with Kingdom of Shu (Zhu Ge Liang) to counter the all powerful late Han Dynasty (魏 -Wei) prime minister Caocao (曹操) in battle of the Red Cliff (赤壁之戰),After establishment of "detente" among the three kingdoms: 魏、蜀 、吴 , Zhu Ge Liang regretted that he did not conquer Kingdom of Wu, as subsequently the Kingdom of Wu grew more powerful and ambitious and attempted to destroy the other two kingdoms (Shu and Wei) captured and beheaded Zhu Geliang's general Kuan Yu - 關羽 - no forever friends or enemies!

八阵图 strategy being adopted and proven by latter military strategists, including, Tang Dynasty (Emperor Li Shi Min), Qing Dynasty Emperor KangXi (八旗軍) when he defeated the Russian Tsar. Others who applied similar strategy include French Napoleon, Nazi Hilter, etc - conquest of Europe and Central Asia.

If I have not mistaken, I believe the approach of 八阵图 was applied in the Joshua leading the Israelites crossed River Jordan.

To defeat the incumbent, one has to apply the wisdom: 以柔制剛, 以少勝多, 以弱勝强.