Zhuge Liang's Dream of the Empty City

Zhuge Liang's Dream of the Empty City is a legendary story illustrating his strategic calm and humility. During a military campaign, Zhuge Liang intentionally displayed calmness and confidence by opening the city gates and playing the guqin to appear unthreatening, despite an enemy approaching. This act convinced the enemy commander that a trap or ambush was in place, causing them to withdraw. The story highlights Zhuge Liang’s mastery of psychological tactics, displaying a combination of strategic ingenuity and self-control to avoid conflict through deception and wit.