Use when transitioning power from a regent to a young ruler coming of age. Follows Zhou Gong's model: south-facing authority during regency, formal return of power at maturity, and north-facing minister position post-transition.
Use when commanding an inferior force that needs maximum motivation against a superior enemy. Applies Han Xin's 井陉之战 tactic: position troops in death ground (陷之死地而后生) with hidden cavalry to capture the enemy camp.
Use when planning to gain close access to a heavily guarded target through diplomatic channels. Based on Jing Ke's approach to the Qin King, covers intelligence gathering, asset acquisition, intermediary cultivation, and access execution.
Use when advising a powerful figure to change course or retire gracefully. Systematically presents cautionary and positive historical examples to illustrate the wisdom of timely withdrawal before success reverses.
Use when facing a superior mobile enemy force, especially nomadic cavalry like the Xiongnu. Builds long-term deception through feigned cowardice, resource stockpiling, and a devastating ambush when the enemy grows overconfident.
Use when extracting a VIP from hostile territory under surveillance. Covers disguise preparation, cover stories, timing extraction with legitimate travel, and the facilitator's willingness to accept consequences.
Use when your homeland faces an existential threat despite personal grievances with its leadership. Guides the decision to set aside conflicts, mobilize resources, and reconcile with former adversaries for collective survival.
Use when locating capable individuals who have withdrawn from public life. Covers intelligence gathering, informal approach, and relationship-building with reclusive talent in humble occupations.
Use when navigating credit for achievements that involved rule-breaking or complex loyalties. Guides appropriate demeanor, ritual humility, and relationship preservation after morally ambiguous successes.
Use when assessing whether to enter peace talks or risk signaling weakness. Evaluates adversary incentives, ally perceptions, and negotiation leverage to determine if peace overtures will succeed or backfire.
Use when advocating for your own inclusion in a mission or opportunity after being overlooked. Applies the 'point in a sheath' (锥处囊中) metaphor — reframing obscurity as lack of opportunity rather than lack of ability, and requesting a chance for talent to emerge.
Use when resolving disputed succession with multiple claimants or absent heirs. Provides priority ordering (太子, eldest legitimate son, talented son, brother), a resolution process with ministerial council, external power assessment, and rival neutralization protocols.
Use when handling foreign royals or nobles seeking asylum or refuge. Covers assessment of political status, evaluation of ally potential, and three response tiers: full hospitality with marriage alliance, basic courtesy with safe passage, or diplomatic refusal based on risk calculus.
Use when studying Han-Xiongnu peace diplomacy. Covers the Heqin (和亲) system of marriage alliances, annual silk and grain tribute, border market establishment, and territorial boundary protocols along the Great Wall.
Use when interpreting Zhou Yi (I Ching) hexagram readings or analyzing divination results. Covers hexagram transformation (本卦 to 之卦), line text analysis, fulfillment location and timing determination, and clan affiliation prediction, as demonstrated in Chen Li Gong's divination.
Use when selecting an heir among multiple candidates with equal legitimacy. Employs a ritual involving a hidden jade bi (璧) to determine divine selection while maintaining fairness. Based on King Gong of Chu's method of testing his five sons through concealed ritual objects.
Use when deciding the fate of a defeated general who returns after losing their forces. Convenes advisors, weighs strict versus lenient views, and defers to higher authority rather than unilateral execution.
Use when maintaining long-term motivation after humiliation or defeat. Based on Goujian's 'tasting gall' (卧薪尝胆) practice: physical reminders, daily verbal affirmations of past shame, personal austerity, and sharing hardships with the people to build loyalty for eventual recovery.
Use when deciding whether to exit after achieving major success to avoid becoming a threat. Based on Fan Li's departure from Yue: recognize danger signals ('when birds are gone, the bow is hidden'), assess your superior's character, resign formally, and leave completely with portable wealth.
Use when planning rapid cavalry raids deep into enemy territory. Based on Huo Qubing's campaigns: select elite riders, travel light (约轻赍), live off enemy resources (取食於敌), strike symbolic targets like 狼居胥山, and return before enemy concentrates.
Use when evaluating military achievements for reward conferral. Systematically compiles kill counts (斩首), captures (捕虏), and territory gained to determine appropriate titles (侯), fief increases, and punishments for failures.
Use when sowing discord between enemy commanders and their trusted advisors or conducting disinformation campaigns. Deploys substantial resources to spread defection rumors, stages differential envoy treatment, and exploits resulting trust breakdowns to degrade enemy decision-making.
Use when weakening powerful feudal lords without military confrontation. Implements the Tui'en (推恩) decree to divide territories among all heirs, progressively fragmenting large fiefs into minor holdings across generations.
Use when besieging a fortified enemy or planning encirclement warfare. Based on Bai Qi's victory at Changping (长平) — feign retreat to draw the enemy out, deploy hidden forces to cut retreat routes, sever supply lines, and wait 40+ days for starvation-driven collapse.
