straw boat borrows arrows

The act of using someone's strength against them.

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The term is said to have originated from the Chinese strategist, Zhuge Liang, during the Battle of Red Cliff against the army of Cao Cao.

Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhuge Liang went to visit the Wu camp to assist Wu strategist Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu saw Zhuge Liang as a threat to Eastern Wu and was also jealous of Zhuge Liang's talent. Therefore, he assigned Zhuge Liang the task to make 100,000 arrows in ten days or face execution. Zhuge Liang, however, swore he would finish this seemingly impossible task in three days. He requested 20 large boats, each manned with many straw men and a few soldiers. Before dawn, Zhuge Liang ordered his soldiers to beat war drums and shout orders, to imitate the noise of an attack.

Zhuge Liang sat with Lu Su inside one of the boats drinking wine. The Wei soldiers, unable to see in the fog, fired many volleys of arrows at the sound of the drums. The straw men were soon filled with arrows, and Zhuge Liang returned to Wu having fulfilled his promise.

(Jin blocks Mike's punch to the face, and in seconds brings his friend to the ground)

Jin: Straw boat borrows arrows, eh?
Mike: That's not one of those Chinese proverbs, is it?
Jin: >:)

straw boat borrows arrows by seizure_salad January 8, 2010