戰國時，一位名辯士陳軫剛好來到秦國，秦惠王便將是否要出面調停韓、魏兩國之間多年戰爭的難題告訴陳軫，請他幫忙想想解決的辦法，陳軫想了想，便告訴秦惠王一個有關「卞莊子刺虎」的故事。故事內容是說有個叫卞莊子的人，有一次看到兩隻老虎在爭一頭牛，便想拔劍來刺虎，結果僕人阻止他說：「等一下，你看兩虎爭一牛，表示一定會有廝殺，結果一定是強者受傷獲勝，弱者死掉，這時你再出面刺殺受傷的老虎，這不是一舉得兩虎嗎？」陳軫接著說：「現在韓、魏爭戰就像兩虎相鬥，遲早弱國會被強國消滅的，大王您不如效法卞莊子的做法吧！」果然，秦成了最後的大贏家。
三十六計之第九計：隔岸觀火
一般指不採取任何行動，不過這裡還有更深一層的意義，指任由對方不利的情勢發展，一直到最後，自己再來坐收漁翁之利的意思；也就是靜觀其變，終能得利。
In the Warring States Period, there was a famous advisor named Chen Jhen. Once, while Chen Jhen was visiting the country of Cin , King Cin Huei took the opportunity to ask Chen Jhen for advice on whether he should intervene as an arbitrator in conflict between the countries of Han and Wei. Chen Jhen then told King Cin Huei a story about how Bian Jhuang Zih killed the tiger.
The story was about a man named Bian Jhuang Zih. One day he saw two tigers fighting over a cow. He was about to pull out his sword to kill the tigers when his servant stopped him. His servant said, "Wait a moment, master. Look, two tigers are fighting over the same cow. This means a bloody fight between the two is inevitable. No doubt the stronger will win, and the weaker will die. But the stronger will also be wounded as a result. So why not wait until then, and you will just need to kill the wounded tiger that remains? "
Chen Jhen continued, "Now Han and Wei are fighting each other just like those two tigers. Sooner or later the weaker will be vanquished by the stronger. Your Majesty, why not do what Bian Jhuang Zih did and wait until then? " As Chen Jhen predicted, Cin ended up being the ultimate winner in this conflict between Han and Wei.
Strategy 9: Watch the Fire from Across the Shore
Generally speaking it means neither responding nor taking any actions. But it has a deeper meaning, which is to let a situation that is detrimental to your enemy develop so that you could benefit from it. In other words, wait and see how an event that will work in your favor develops to its natural end. The spoils belong to those who have the patience to wait until a situation changes to their advantage.
