Use when reforming harsh punishments or transitioning a legal system to humane alternatives. Guides abolishing corporal punishment (废除肉刑) using Tiying's (缇萦) petition model under Emperor Wen.

Use when navigating a hostile banquet, diplomatic ambush, or dangerous political gathering. Guides escape from the Hongmen Banquet (鸿门宴) scenario using alliances, deference, and covert withdrawal.

Use when establishing control over a newly conquered territory or winning popular support quickly. Simplifies harsh legal codes to three basic laws (约法三章) following Liu Bang's model at Xianyang to build rapid legitimacy.

Use when commanding troops in a decisive battle requiring total commitment. Applies the 破釜沉舟 (break cauldrons, sink boats) technique to eliminate retreat, limit provisions to 3 days, and force maximum engagement. Based on Xiang Yu at Julu (钜鹿之战).

Use when comparing competing states or explaining why weaker parties prevail. Analyzes material resources, leadership quality, and intangible factors like popular support, governance quality, moral legitimacy, and application of benevolence (仁义).

Use when analyzing rebellion risk or diagnosing why uprisings succeed or fail. Applies the principle 安民可与行义而危民易与为非 to assess popular contentment vs. endangerment using economic, legal, and safety indicators. References Chen She's rebellion.

Use when a new ruler inherits a troubled state and must restore stability. Covers personnel reform (任忠贤), correcting predecessor's wrongs (正先帝之过), economic relief (发仓廪/轻赋), legal simplification (约法/省刑), and moral governance.

Use when transitioning from conquest to stabilization or diagnosing dynastic failure. Applies the principle that 取与守不同术也 (taking and keeping power require different methods), shifting from military force (诈力) to benevolence and adaptability (顺权).

Use when implementing comprehensive reforms to strengthen a state's governance and external position. Combines internal reforms (legal codification, agriculture/weaving promotion, military readiness) with external horizontal alliance strategy (连衡) from Shang Yang's model.

Use when abolishing the posthumous title system (谥法) to prevent subjects from judging rulers. Establishes sequential numbering from 始皇帝 onward as an alternative naming convention. Abolished by Qin Shi Huang in 221 BCE.

Use when replacing feudal states with centralized commandery-county (郡县) administration. Establishes 36 commanderies with three-tier governance (守/尉/监), merit-based appointments, and centralized treasury stipends per Li Si's rationale.

Use when planning an imperial inspection tour (巡游) to demonstrate authority and inspect territories. Covers route planning, Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Tai, stele erection, local scholar consultation, and governance issue resolution.

Use when implementing uniform standards across a newly unified empire. Covers weights and measures (衡石丈尺), writing system (书同文字), transportation (车同轨), Five Elements cosmology, and symbolic renaming of rivers and populace.

Use when creating a new imperial title or establishing governance terminology for a unified empire. Guides council deliberation, historical precedent review, title composition (皇帝), imperial terminology (制/诏/朕), and succession numbering from 始皇帝 onward.

Use when besieging a fortified city resistant to conventional assault. Plans river diversion to compromise walls through hydraulic pressure. Based on Wang Ben's 225 BCE flooding of Daliang that forced Wei's surrender.

Use when standardizing education or controlling historical narratives across a unified empire. Categorizes texts for destruction vs. exemption, establishes enforcement timelines and punishments, and redirects education through officials (以吏为师).

Use when facing a coalition of rival states or planning to disrupt enemy alliances (合从). Allocates resources for bribing key officials (豪臣), sowing discord to prevent unified action, then executing military conquest. Proposed by Wei Liao to Qin Shi Huang.

Use when evaluating the feasibility of a long-distance surprise military attack. Assesses distance risks, intelligence reliability, supply line vulnerabilities, and contingency planning. Based on Qin's failed attack on Zheng as a cautionary example.

Use when recovering from a major military defeat or rebuilding forces after a loss. Based on Duke Mu's response to the Xiao defeat, covers personal accountability, commander restoration, public acknowledgment, and rebuilding strategy.

Use when performing state sacrificial rituals (畤) to establish religious legitimacy or mark significant occasions. Guides altar preparation, sacrificial animal selection (三牢), ritual conduct, and event documentation. Based on Qin's sacrificial traditions.