Zhang Yi wished to cede Hanzhong to the State of Chu, and thus petitioned the King of Qin, saying: "This land of Hanzhong benefits Shu, yet brings calamity upon Chu. If we now grant Hanzhong to Chu, Chu will surely rejoice and grow lax in vigilance against Qin. Qin may then seize the opportunity to dispatch its troops, striking when they are unprepared—this is precisely what I desire." The King of Qin said, "Well spoken." Thereupon, he ceded Hanzhong to Chu. The King of Chu, overjoyed, forgot the threat posed by Qin. Qin indeed launched an assault, routing the Chu army in a great defeat.
💡 商战启示录
Zhang Yi's strategy manifests in modern business warfare as a fusion of "strategic concession" and "lulling the opponent into complacency." By voluntarily yielding non-core interests (such as Hanzhong), he induces a sense of satisfaction in the rival (the state of Chu), lowering their vigilance, thereby creating the opportunity for a subsequent decisive strike. A quintessential business case is Intel's exit from the DRAM memory chip market in the 1980s to focus on microprocessors. At that time, Japanese firms dominated the memory market with low prices; Intel seemingly "ceded" this domain, yet in reality redirected its resources toward high-margin CPUs while covertly advancing its technology. As Japanese companies reveled in their memory chip triumph, Intel launched the 386 processor, securing its hegemony in one stroke. The crux of this strategy lies in ensuring that the concession is controlled, non-core, and capable of inducing the opponent's laxity; simultaneously, the enterprise must hold reserves (such as technological or market advantages) to strike swiftly when the opponent is off guard. However, caution is warranted—if the concession is excessive or the opponent grows wary, it may backfire. Therefore, managers must assess their own core strengths and the cost of concession, ensuring that "Hanzhong" is a strategic sacrifice rather than a crippling loss.