Have you ever heard of "the only general who broke through the Hangu Pass of Qin", a mysterious historical figure? In 323 BC, during the reign of King Qi Wei, there was a fierce conflict between Qin and Qi. Although the Qin army is known as the Iron Army, they encountered an unprecedented predicament on this expedition. And all of this is related to a Qi general named Kuang Zhang. Kuang Zhang not only had a superb art of war, but also used a series of ingenious tactics to put the Qin army in a dilemma.
Back in 323 BC, in order to expand its power, the Qin State decided to launch an attack on the Qi State, and chose Sanqiu, which was not far from the Qi State, as the battlefield. The Qin army, with its usual strong combat style, was ready to annex the state of Qi in one fell swoop. However, the Qin army's campaign this time can be described as shy, and the long-distance journey and the problem of logistics and supply make this team seem strong, but in fact it has exposed many shortcomings.
The morale of the Qin army was originally maintained by strict military discipline and extremely high rewards. They even stipulated that whoever could capture the head of King Qi Wei would receive a heavy reward. This Confucian general, who studied under Mencius in his early years, was not only full of books, but also knew how to use the art of war. Kuang Zhang knew that although the Qin army was strong, it would inevitably suffer huge losses in long-term operations, so he adopted delaying tactics and did not clash head-on with the Qin army, but frequently sent envoys into the Qin camp for peace talks.
You may think, what's the big deal about sending envoys and talks? But there's a lot of mystery in that. Kuang Zhang's envoys carried gifts and smiled every time, seemingly harmless, but in fact they were conducting psychological and intelligence warfare. Because of the principle of "the two countries are at war, do not kill the envoys", the Qin army had to accept these envoys. And these envoys eating, drinking, and having fun in the Qin camp were actually secretly infiltrating the Qi soldiers into the Qin army.
Not only that, but these Qi soldiers who were sent to the Qin camp later disguised themselves as the Qin army and quietly blended into the Qin army, joining forces from the inside and outside, which greatly shook the Qin army's military morale. Through this ingenious strategy, Kuang Zhang gradually exposed the problems of the Qin army itself. The soldiers' mental state was much worse than before, and they even began to raise prices and steal military rations. The generals of the Qin army also began to feel anxious, they originally thought that they could easily achieve victory, but they did not expect the war to drag on so much.
And Kuang Zhang's ingenious layout doesn't stop there. He knew very well that the Qin army was behind Han and Wei, and if these two countries found that the Qin army was mired in a quagmire, they would probably take the opportunity to sneak attack. He also secretly sent an envoy to deliver a message to Han and Wei, suggesting that this was a rare opportunity. Although Han Wei did not take immediate action in the end, this unstable external pressure undoubtedly gave the Qin army more psychological burden.
In this way, Kuang Zhang, through a series of psychological and strategic layouts, succeeded in placing the Qin army in an extremely passive position. Moreover, the Qi army, under the command of Kuang Zhang, always maintained a high degree of flexibility and mobility, so that the Qin army was never able to seize the initiative in the battle.
Kuang Zhang also pays special attention to the protection of cultural heritage and respect for historical figures. He banned soldiers from lighting fires around the grave of the famous thinker Megumi Yanagishita, a move that not only protected cultural heritage, but also enhanced soldiers' cultural literacy and morality, and strengthened the cohesion of the army.
Eventually, through a series of well-planned strategies and tactics, Kuang Zhang succeeded in bringing the Qin army into a difficult situation, and the Qi state was thus saved from a rapid demise. Kuang Zhang's success lies not only in his military talent, but also in his wisdom and foresight.
Through this in-depth analysis of General Kuang Zhang, we can see that war is not just a simple confrontation of forces. The real master lies in the use of various means, including psychological warfare, strategic layout, etc., to achieve the ultimate goal of war. Kuang Zhang's story teaches us that even in the face of disparities in power, the use of wisdom and strategy can turn things around. This history not only shows the bravery of a general, but also a contest of wisdom. In the face of difficulties and challenges, can we also find our own 'Kuangzhang-style' solutions?