In 225 AD, during the third year of the Jianxing era in Shu Han, Zhuge Liang launched a southern campaign to secure his kingdom's rear. The campaign went smoothly and was nearing completion. However, just as he prepared to withdraw, Meng Huo, the chieftain of the southern Yi tribes, rallied the scattered remnants of defeated warlords and fiercely resisted the Shu forces.
The brilliant strategist Zhuge Liang, learning that the tribal leader Meng Huo was not only brave and resilient but also deeply respected by his people for his loyalty and kindness, decided he must win him over as an ally rather than simply defeat him.
Despite his bravery and considerable forces, Meng Huo relied solely on brute force and lacked strategic skill. In his first battle, seeing the Shu troops retreat, he assumed they were no match for him and recklessly pursued, only to charge straight into an ambush and be captured.
When Meng Huo was brought before Zhuge Liang's command tent, he braced for execution, telling himself he would die like a hero. To his surprise, Zhuge Liang personally untied his bonds and urged him to surrender. Meng Huo refused with contempt.
Zhuge Liang did not press Meng Huo, but instead accompanied him to view the already arranged military camp. After viewing it, he specifically asked him, "What do you think of this camp?"
Meng Huo observed carefully. He saw only old and weak soldiers and said, "Previously, I didn't know your true strength, so you won once. Now that I've seen your camp, if this is all you have, defeating you won't be difficult."
Zhuge Liang simply smiled without explanation and released Meng Huo. He was certain Meng Huo would attempt a night raid, so he immediately set an ambush.
After returning, Meng Huo told his men, "The Shu army is nothing but old and weak soldiers, and I've already seen their camp layout clearly—nothing to fear. Tonight, at the third watch, we'll raid their camp and surely capture Zhuge Liang."
That night, Meng Huo led five hundred armed warriors, stealthily sneaking into the Shu camp without any resistance. As Meng Huo rejoiced, Shu's ambush troops rose from all sides, and Meng Huo was captured once again.
At dawn, Meng Huo and his men were brought to Zhuge Liang's camp. Zhuge Liang had prepared a feast for them and asked, "This time you've been captured again—are you convinced in your heart?" Meng Huo replied, "I was tricked, not defeated in battle, so I am not convinced." So Zhuge Liang released him and his men, even returning their seized weapons.
Having suffered two defeats, Meng Huo no longer acted recklessly. This time, he withdrew all his forces to the south bank of the Lu River, defending without attacking. The Shu army reached the Lu River but had no boats to cross, and the scorching heat added to their difficulties. Zhuge Liang ordered the construction of wooden and bamboo rafts, then sent a small detachment to feign a crossing. As soon as they reached mid-river, enemy arrows forced them to retreat, only to try again. Meanwhile, Zhuge Liang split the main army into two groups, sending them upstream and downstream to cross at narrow points and surround Meng Huo's earthen fortress. As a result, Meng Huo was captured for the third time.
Meng Huo remained defiant, and Zhuge Liang still refused to kill him, instead treating him to a feast before releasing him again. Some officers questioned this strategy, so Zhuge Liang explained, "To pacify the south, we must win over men like Meng Huo. If he willingly unites the southern tribes to serve the imperial court, that's worth an army of a hundred thousand. Endure a little more hardship now, and you won't have to fight here again."
After being captured and released for the fifth time, Meng Huo resolved to avoid further battles with Shu forces. But as time passed, his camp ran dangerously low on supplies, forcing him to send a messenger requesting grain from Zhuge Liang. The Shu chancellor agreed, but on one condition: Meng Huo must personally come out to duel Shu generals one-on-one. Meng Huo defeated several Shu warriors in succession, but as he approached the grain piles, a tripwire sent him crashing to the ground, captured once more. A Shu general immediately relayed Zhuge Liang's order: "Let Meng Huo return, and take the grain with him."
At last, Meng Huo came to truly admire Zhuge Liang from the bottom of his heart. To win over all the tribes for Shu, he gathered their chieftains and led them into battle together, only to be lured into an ambush and captured entirely. A messenger from Shu camp announced that Meng Huo and his men were free to leave. Many chieftains looked to Meng Huo for a decision, and he wept, saying, "Seven captures and seven releases—such a thing has never been heard of since ancient times. The Prime Minister has shown us the utmost kindness and justice. I have no face left to return." Thus, Meng Huo and his followers finally submitted to Shu Han and accepted its rule.
Later, people used the idiom "Seven Captures, Seven Releases" to describe using the right strategy to win someone's genuine submission.
Source: *Records of the Three Kingdoms*, "Biography of Zhuge Liang" in the "Book of Shu"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "七擒七纵" came to describe using the right strategy to win someone's genuine submission.