Ally with Distant States to Attack Nearby Ones

Befriend the Distant and Attack the Near When geographic configuration or objective circumstances restrict freedom of action, it is advantageous to attack nearby targets, while bypassing the near to strike at the distant brings harm. This is like fire burning upward and pool water flowing downward—a natural principle dictated by circumstances. Allusion:During the Warring States period, Fan Ju of Wei entered Qin and presented to King Zhao of Qin the strategy of “befriending the distant and attacking the near.” At the time, Qin had bypassed Han and Wei to attack distant Qi. Fan Ju pointed out that even if the land were taken, it would be difficult to hold because it was isolated abroad, and that the attack would instead prompt the feudal lords to unite against Qin. He advocated: temporarily cultivate friendly relations with distant Qi and Chu to keep them stable; concentrate forces to attack neighboring Han and Wei first—every inch of land gained would be a solid inch for Qin, with a firm foundation and defensible gains. King Zhao adopted this strategy, and Qin......