32. Empty Fort Strategy
This stratagem means to appear empty in order to ambush the enemy. This could also mean the opposite where you suspiciously appear empty in order to arouse suspicion from the enemy. This stratagem is used in order to deceive the enemy. When full appear empty, when empty appear full.
The empty fort strategy got its name during a battle between Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi. Zhuge had only a few hundred men while Sima Yi was fast approaching the fort with an army of a hundred and fifty thousand. In a short while, Zhuge made the fort look empty by putting away the flags and banners while having two dozen men sweeping the floor outside the open gates. Zhuge appeared on top of the fort, playing the guqin while sitting. This made Sima Yi suspicious and ordered a full retreat, thinking it was an ambush. Later on, Sima Yi went back and questioned the villagers who told him that Zhuge Liang only had a few hundred men at the time. That is how the “empty fort strategy” came into play.
