The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 59
Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at 11:33PM The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 59:
Xu Chu Strips For A Fight With Ma Chao;
Cao Cao Writes A Letter To Han Sui.
Listen:
WARNING: READING AND UNDERSTANDING CLASSICAL LITERATURE CAN CAUSE INTENSE INTELLECTUAL GROWTH, CRITICAL THINKING, SOCIAL DISCONTENT, VOTE-BOYCOTTING, MARIJUANA USAGE, REVOLUTIONARY TENDENCIES, SPOILERS, AND IN SOME CASES, DEATH.
Chapter 59 of the Sanguo Yanyi is a chapter which has much to do with human psychology, and how it can affect the actions of men and armies alike. For in this Chapter, Cao Cao uses his mind, and the minds of his top advisers, far more than he uses swords and axes.
A maxim to remember in the execution of any war, is the maxim that says "Where main force may fail, guile may succeed." If I were the leader of an army, I would probably value my soldiers. To not do so would be a huge blow to morale. But probably even above the soldiers, I would prize a talented, charismatic, and convincing group of spies and diplomats even more, because with a mere word, a good talker might neutralize an entire enemy army, and not even a nuke can do that.
