Finely decorated around the exterior with a continuous scene of Zhuge Liang atop a brick wall nonchalantly playing his qin beside a sleeping attendant, the large gate beneath left open while heavily armed soldiers and generals on horseback approach with trepidation, the interior with a mythical qilin and phoenix, all beneath a floral band.

Provenance: An English private collection. 

Note: The 'Ruse of the Empty Fort' is a well known story involving reverse psychology from the Ming dynasty novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms romanticising historical events at the end of the Han dynasty.

In the face of imminent danger from the army of Wei led by Sima Yi, the renowned strategist Zhuge Liang came up with a ploy to hold off the approaching enemy. He ordered that all the gates of the city be opened and instructed soldiers disguised as civilians to sweep the roads while he sat on the ramparts above the gates with two page boys flanking him. He put on a calm image by playing his qin. When the Wei army led by Sima Yi arrived, Sima was surprised by the scene of open gates and Zhuge Liang relaxing by playing the qin, and he ordered a retreat after suspecting that there must be an ambush inside the city.