Ancient China
Battle of Maling
Henan, China
Qi dealt Wei a bloody defeat. The Battle of Maling took place in Maling, currently Dazhangjia Town, Shen County, Henan Province, in 342 BC during the Warring States period (476–221 BC). The combatants were the State of Qi, who fought on behalf of the State of Han, and the State of Wei. This battle is well recorded in history texts and is famous for the tactics of Sun Bin, known as the "Tactic of Missing Stoves", in which one side is led to underestimate the other by creating an illusion of soldiers running away from the army.