Use when evaluating whether to wage war against nomadic or mobile enemies. Applies cost-benefit analysis using distance, terrain, force degradation, and the crossbow metaphor (彊弩之极) to recommend diplomacy or engagement.
Use when analyzing rebellion risk or diagnosing why uprisings succeed or fail. Applies the principle 安民可与行义而危民易与为非 to assess popular contentment vs. endangerment using economic, legal, and safety indicators. References Chen She's rebellion.
Use when comparing competing states or explaining why weaker parties prevail. Analyzes material resources, leadership quality, and intangible factors like popular support, governance quality, moral legitimacy, and application of benevolence (仁义).
Use when evaluating siege feasibility or deciding whether to continue besieging a fortified city. Based on Xu Jia's advice against attacking Daliang (大梁) — systematically assessing defender strength, fortification quality, historical precedent, and cost of failure before committing.
Use when seeking lasting historical reputation or understanding how names endure across generations. Applies the 附骥尾 (attaching to the horse's tail) principle — cultivating personal virtue while associating with eminent figures to ensure one's legacy is recorded and transmitted.
Use when planning a righteous military campaign against a tyrannical ruler. Covers just-cause verification, alliance building, troop declaration, combat rules of engagement, and post-victory administration based on Tang and Wu Wang's campaigns.
Use when deciding whether to provide famine aid to a rival state. Balances humanitarian and strategic interests by consulting multiple advisors, weighing long-term diplomatic reputation against short-term military opportunity. Based on Qin's aid to Jin.
Use when probing enemy leadership's judgment quality and decision-making state. Based on Zhong's grain-request test against Wu: make a resource request, observe whether wise counsel is heeded or ignored, and interpret the response to assess arrogance and internal divisions for attack timing.
Use when analyzing whether virtue correlates with worldly success or questioning cosmic justice (天道). Compares virtuous sufferers (伯夷, 颜回) against prosperous villains (盗跖) using Sima Qian's method to assess 天道无亲常与善人 and inform ethical decision-making.
Use when responding to internal rebellion, coup attempts, or revolts against legitimate authority. Covers initial assessment of rebel forces and loyalist strength, response options (negotiation, military action, external intervention), and post-rebellion protocols for punishment, pardon, and institutional reform.
Use when evaluating whether a political contender can seize power successfully. Applies the five-difficulty framework: 有宠无人, 有人无主, 有主无谋, 有谋而无民, 有民而无德. Compares against Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin as successful benchmarks.
Use when advising leaders on self-discipline, virtue maintenance, or preventing institutional decline. Applies Zhou Gong's teachings to King Cheng with models from Yin dynasty rulers like Zhong Zong, Gao Zong, and Zu Jia to identify habits that sustain or destroy long-term rule.
Use when arguing against appeasement of an aggressive power demanding supremacy. Frames submission as total loss of sovereignty, cites historical precedents of destruction through capitulation, and proposes coalition resistance.
Use when analyzing historical power transitions through targeted action, such as Prince Guang's (King Helu) removal of King Liao. Covers legitimacy claims, agent recruitment, timing, operational security, and consolidation.
Use when defending against accusations of disloyalty or treason. Employs a rhetorical framework of family service records, historical precedents of wrongful execution (Bigan, Wu Zixu), and principle-based appeals to preserve reputation.
Use when determining proper succession order or preventing political instability from improper succession. Applies Fan Zhongshan's counsel to King Xuan: eldest-first principle, chain of consequences from violation, and the teaching effect on subjects.
Use when choosing between transformative and adaptive governance for a new territory. Compares Bo Qin's 3-year reform approach in Lu with Taigong's 5-month adaptive method in Qi, guided by the principle: 政不简不易，民不近.
Use when vetting subordinates or appointees for trustworthiness. Applies Guan Zhong's humanity test (非人情) to identify dangerous individuals who violate natural bonds — parental, family, and self-preservation — to gain power.
Use when building a leadership team, delegating authority, or evaluating why leaders succeed or fail. Applies Liu Bang's talent utilization model (用人之道) with Zhang Liang, Xiao He, and Han Xin.
Use when cultivating personal virtue through ritual and music practice (礼乐修身). Integrates 致乐以治心 (music for the heart) with 致礼以治躬 (ritual for conduct) in a daily morning-to-evening practice schedule.
