In the Battle of Yiyang, the state of Chu turned against Qin and allied with Han. King Wu of Qin was alarmed, and Gan Mao said: "Though Chu has allied with Han, it will not thereby grow stronger—why? Because Han's forces have not increased, nor have Chu's diminished, and the two states have long held mutual disdain. Now Chu's alliance with Han is not for their mutual benefit, but rather a scheme to ensnare Qin. The might of Qin is what all the feudal lords dread. Chu joining with Han is like a tiger pairing with a sheep—they are not of the same kind. Allow me to observe how the situation unfolds." Qin indeed dispatched its troops, and the combined forces of Chu and Han were defeated at Yiyang.
💡 商战启示录
This strategy reveals the game between "bluffing" and "substantive assessment" in commercial warfare. The alliance between Chu and Han appeared formidable, yet was riddled with internal contradictions—much like modern corporate "strategic alliances" that, lacking a foundation of shared interests, are nothing more than paper tigers. For instance, before the 2015 merger of Didi and Kuaidi, the two waged fierce price wars for market share, yet when confronted by an external threat (such as Uber), their post-merger strength grew immensely. Conversely, if an alliance is forged solely for short-term resistance against a powerful foe, while neglecting one's own advantages and the opponent's weaknesses, it may collapse at the slightest touch. Gan Mao's wisdom lay in his cool-headed analysis of substance: the troops of Han and Chu had not increased, and mutual suspicion prevailed, rendering the alliance non-threatening. Modern enterprises facing a competitor's "united front" should see through the surface clamor and assess the degree of resource integration and internal synergy. As when Alibaba and Tencent respectively backed Kuaidi and Didi, the surface rivalry was intense, but deep down both were backed by ample capital—yet if one side relies merely on a "patchwork" alliance lacking core competency, it is destined to fail. Managers should, like Gan Mao, discern the fragility of alliances and act decisively, rather than be cowed by bluster.