LURE THE TIGER OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS - The Thirty-Six (36) Stratagems of Ancient China by Yuan, Gao - 1991

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1991. 205 pp. Quarter-bound in burgundy cloth on beige boards; lettered in gilt on the spine; headband. Illustrated with drawings by Zheng Qinghua. Light rubbing on the corners of the dustjacket with a short tear at the foot of the front flap; price intact; no interior markings. If business is war, this explains how to win the war. The Contents are: Introduction; Stratagems When Commanding Superiority: Stratagem 1: Cross the sea by fooling the sky; Stratagem 2: Besiege the kingdom of Wei to save the kingdom of Zhao; Stratagem 3: Kill with a borrowed knife; Stratagem 4: Relax while the enemy exhausts himself; Stratagem 5: Loot a burning house; Stratagem 6: Make a feint to the east while attacking in the west. Stratagems for Confrontation: Stratagem 7: Create something out of nothing; Stratagem 8: Pretend to take one path while sneaking down another; Stratagem 9: Watch the fires burning across the river; Stratagem 10: Conceal a dagger in a smile; Stratagem 11: Sacrifice the plum tree for the peach tree; Stratagem 12: Take the opportunity to pilfer a goat. Stratagems for Attack: Stratagem 13: Beat the grass to startle the snake; Stratagem 14: Raise a corpse from the dead; Stratagem 15: Lure the tiger out of the mountains; Stratagem 16: Snag the enemy by letting him off the hook; Stratagem 17: Cast a brick to attract jade; Stratagem 18: Catch the ringleader to nab the bandits. Stratagems for Confused Situations: Stratagem 19: Steal the firewood from under the cauldron; Stratagem 20: Fish in troubled waters; Stratagem 21: Slough off the cicada's shell; Stratagem 22: Shut the door to catch the thief; Stratagem 23: Befriend a distant state while attacking a neighbour; Stratagem 24: Obtain safe passage to conquer the kingdom of Guo. Stratagems for Gaining Ground: Stratagem 25: Replace the beams and pillars with rotten timber; Stratagem 26: Point at the mulberry and curse the locust; Stratagem 27: Play dumb while remaining smart; Stratagem 28: Pull down the ladder after the ascent; Stratagem 29: Deck the tree with bogus blossoms; Stratagem 30: Make the host and the guest exchange places. Stratagems for Desperate Straits: Stratagem 31: Use a woman to ensnare a man; Stratagem 32: Fling open the gates to the empty city; Stratagem 33: Let the enemy's own spy sow discord in the enemy camp; Stratagem 34: Inflict injury on oneself to win the enemy's trust; Stratagem 35: Chain together the enemy's warships; Stratagem 36: Run away; and Appendix: Chronology of Chinese Dynasties.. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good+/Very Good+. Illus. by Zheng Qinghua;. 8vo. Book.