9. The Empty Fort Strategy
Zhuge Liang as also known for another daring bluff, which became proverbial in China as the “empty fort strategy”. It came about when he was tasked with defending a walled city with a severely undermanned garrison. A vastly superior enemy army approached – one against which Zhuge Liang’s tiny garrison stood no chance.
Rather than barricade the city gates, he threw them open. He then grabbed a musical instrument, and proceeded to nonchalantly play it while seated atop the gates. When scouts informed the enemy commander what they saw, he rode to the gates and saw that they were indeed wide open. He looked up at the walls, and saw that they were unmanned, while Zhuge Liang nonchalantly played music above. Suspecting a trap, the enemy commander turned his army around and left the defenseless city.