Ancient Chinese Battle Tactics: Using the Enemy's Ammo Against Them

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In the midst of the Three Kingdoms period, a brilliant military strategist named Zhuge Liang found himself facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Surrounded by enemies, his troops were running low on arrows and faced defeat.

As his boats went out towards the enemy camp, enemy arrows rained down, piercing the exterior of his boats. They were truly overwhelmed by the enemy's power… (cut music) or were they?

Hey everybody, welcome to Learn Chinese Now, I’m Jared Madsen, and today we have a classic military story from the Three Kingdoms era roughly eighteen hundred years ago. The Three Kingdoms period was a time of great turmoil and warfare in China, with three rival states vying for dominance: Wei, Shu, and Wu. 魏 蜀 吳 Wèi shǔ wú

This story is called 草船借箭 Cǎo chuán jiè jiàn - which literally means “grass boat borrowing arrows”

To understand the legend of 草船借箭, we must first step back in time to the tumultuous era of the Three Kingdoms. China was divided, and war raged on. It was during this chaos that Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮 Zhū gé liàng, the strategic genius of the Shu Kingdom, found himself in a dire situation.

Zhuge Liang's forces were surrounded by the formidable general Cao Cao 曹操 Cáo cāo, of the Wei Kingdom, who had cut off their supply lines. Arrows, a crucial resource for any army, had become a scarce commodity.

But Zhuge Liang was not one to back down from a challenge. He knew that to turn the tide of battle, he had to find a way to replenish his arrow stockpile.

Now, this is where the legend truly begins. Zhuge Liang hatched an audacious plan – one that would go down in history as a testament to his brilliance.

He called his trusted generals and explained his vision. They were to construct boats made of straw, not for battle, but for a covert mission.

These straw boats served an unusual purpose…

Under the cover of night, Zhuge Liang's straw boats silently floated downstream towards Cao Cao's camp. His soldiers were incredibly anxious, knowing that their lives depended on the success of this daring endeavor.

As the boats approached and emerged from thick fog beating battle drums, Cao Cao's forces mistook them for an attack and began firing arrows – arrows that Zhuge Liang's army eagerly collected, filling their empty quivers.

The mission was a resounding success! Zhuge Liang's army returned with 100,000 arrows, according to the historical story, strengthening their position and boosting their morale. They then used these 100,000 arrows at the battle of the Red Cliff, perhaps the most famous battle of the Three Kingdoms period.

The legend of 草船借箭 has endured through the ages, celebrated not only for its audacity but also for the enduring lessons it imparts – the power of clever strategy, unwavering determination, and unity in the face of adversity.

Today, the phrase 草船借箭 is used to show that you used someone else's resources to advance your own cause. You’ll often hear this phrase used in business or sports.

I am the MC for Shen Yun performing arts, and we performed this dance live on stage several years ago. In the description below I have included a link to buy tickets to Shen Yun and have the booking fee waived. We tour every year from late December to mid May. If we are not on tour when you see this video, you can watch traditional Chinese dance and music online at Shen Yun Zuo Pin, or Shen Yun Creations. I have also included a link in the description below.

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Shen Yun article for reference:
https://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/explore/view/article/e/-iFdXfJV1Es/romance-of-the-three-kingdoms-zhuge-liang-capturing-arrows





Brollls :
Red Cliff (2009)
Music credits:
The New Order - Aaron Kenny
Emperor's Battle - Yangkaiji
Edited by @iwestez ​