capture and release seven times(qī qín qī zòng)

capture and release seven times

The Chinese idiom, Q ī Q í NQ ī Z ò ng, means that during the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang sent troops to the south to capture and release Meng Huo, the local chief, seven times, so that he really admitted defeat and was no longer the enemy. The metaphor uses the strategy, causes the other party to be convinced. It comes from the annals of the Three Kingdoms, the annals of Shu, the biography of Zhuge Liang and the spring and Autumn Annals of Han, Jin and Jin.

The origin of Idioms

According to the biography of Zhuge Liang in the annals of the Three Kingdoms, Shu annals, it is said that "Liang led all the people to March south, and his autumn was flat." Pei Songzhi wrote in the spring and Autumn Annals of the Han, Jin and Qing Dynasties: "if you smile, even if you fight more, you will be able to capture seven times, but you will still be able to capture them."

Idioms and allusions

In 225 ad, Zhuge Liang, the Prime Minister of Shu Han Dynasty, led the army to the south in order to consolidate the rear. Just when he was ready to withdraw, Meng Huo, the leader of the southern Yi people, gathered the defeated scattered soldiers to attack the Shu army. Zhuge Liang learned that Meng Huo was not only brave in fighting, strong willed, but also loyal to others. He was very popular among the Yi people, and even among the Han people, many people admired him, so he decided to win him over. Although Meng Huo was brave, he was not good at using troops. The first time he went to battle, he saw that the Shu soldiers were defeated and retreated. He thought that the Shu soldiers were no match for himself, so he rushed to catch up with them. As a result, he broke into the ambush and was captured. Meng Huo decided that he was going to be executed by Zhuge Liang, so he said to himself that he should die like a hero and not be humiliated. Unexpectedly, Zhuge Liang himself untied him and urged him to surrender. Meng Huo refused to accept the failure and refused arrogantly. Zhuge Liang did not force him, but accompanied him to watch the barracks that had been set up. Then he asked him, "how do you think the barracks are set up?". Meng Huo watched carefully. He found that the barracks were full of old and weak soldiers, so he said bluntly, "I didn't know you were real before, so I was defeated. Now I see your barracks. If it's like this, I want to win you It's not difficult! "ZHUGE Liang didn't explain, so he laughed and let Meng Huo go back. He expected that Yu would come to camp tonight and set up an ambush immediately. When Meng Huo went back, he was elated to say to his subordinates that the Shu army were all old and weak soldiers, and the layout of the barracks had been clearly seen. It's no big deal. If you rob the Barracks at the third shift tonight, you will be able to catch Zhuge Liang. On that night, Meng Huo selected 500 swordsmen and hatchets and quietly entered the camp of the Shu army without any obstruction. Meng Huo was secretly happy, thinking that success was imminent. Unexpectedly, Shu army ambushed everywhere, and Meng Huo was captured again. Meng Huo was arrested one after another, and he did not dare to act rashly any more. He led all the troops back to the South Bank of the Shanghai River, only defending but not attacking. When Shu soldiers arrived in Shanghai, they couldn't pass without a boat. It was hot and difficult. " Zhuge Liang ordered to build some wooden rafts and bamboo rafts. On the one hand, he sent a small number of soldiers to pretend to cross the river, but when they came to the middle of the river, they immediately returned when they met the arrow from the other bank, and then they crossed the river. On the other hand, he divided the army into two routes, and went around the narrow places upstream and downstream to cross the river to encircle the upper city of Menghuo. Later, Meng Huo was arrested again. Although Meng Huo was arrested for the third time, he was still unconvinced. Zhuge Liang still didn't kill him, entertained him and then let him go back. Some of the soldiers didn't understand Zhuge Liang's practice. They thought that he was too kind and lenient to Menghuo. Zhuge Liang explained to everyone, "if our army wants to completely pacify the south, we must reuse men like Menghuo. If he could sincerely contact Nanren to serve the imperial court, he would be worth 100000 troops. If you work harder now, you won't have to fight here any more. " After Meng Huo was captured and released this time, he made up his mind not to fight with Shu soldiers any more. But over time. The camp was running out of food. He sent someone to borrow food from Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang agreed, but Meng Huo was asked to come out in person to compete with the general of Shu army one on one. Meng Huo defeated several Shu generals one after another, but when he arrived at a large amount of grain, he was tripped and captured. Shu general immediately sent Zhuge Liang's order to let Meng Huo go back and move the grain away. In this case, Meng Huo finally admired Zhuge Liang from his heart. In order to make all the tribes submit to Shu, he invited the leaders of all the tribes to take them to battle. As a result, they were introduced into the ambush circle by the Shu soldiers, and all of them were caught. It came out from the camp of Shu that Meng Huo was asked to wait for him to go back. Many leaders of the Department asked Meng Huo to decide what to do. With tears in his eyes, Meng Huo said, "in the war, we have never heard of seven escapes (i.e. six returns and seven arrests) since ancient times. The prime minister is very kind to us. I have no face to go back. " In this way, Meng Huo and others finally obeyed the Shu Han Dynasty.

Idiom usage

It is used as a combination, a clause or an adverbial, and a metaphor to convince the other party

Chinese PinYin : qī qín qī zòng