For those who read Chinese and are interested to read on demonstrations of ingenuity in Chinese warfare from Eastern Zhou until Qing Dynasty, I recommend 古代故事大观. 铁骑 (盛巽昌、耿发友编著.上海 : 汉语大词典出版社, 1997).

It is a compilation of lesser known battles in Chinese history, where wits rivalling those manifested in more famous engagements were employed.

One instance was when Xixia's ruler Li Yuanhao (西夏李元昊) tricked the Song army into giving itself away the moment they arrived at a vulnerable location, as a signal to launch an ambush from a distant range. Li deliberately led his army into disadvantageous terrain where the Song army thought they could trap him. He chose the ambush spot and left trunks for the Song forces to find. When the Song soldiers could not resist opening the trunks, pigeons kept within the trunks flew loose into the sky, signalling to Xixia forces, waiting beyond Song's scouts reconn range, the moment to spring the trap.

What distinguished this book from many other similar books published in China for the general public is that each anecdote had its primary source quoted, mostly from the books of 24 histories, ZiZhiTongJian (资治通鉴) or other references.

This book is available from the National Library of Singapore.

Thanks for the recommendation.. this is certainly a good source for chinese military history

I am posting a list of the stories covered. I've added the year and battle/location. I am still in the process of counter-checking the stories with the references cited. English translations and synopsis will follow. Anyone wants to help?

胥臣假虎吓倒敌马 - 据《左传·僖公二十八年》
632 BC, 城濮之战

韩信木罂横渡黄河 - 据《史记·淮阴侯列传》
205BC 安邑

虞诩增灶羌人丧胆 - 据《后汉书·虞诩传》
AD 115

杨璇顺风巧散石灰 - 据《后汉书·杨璇传》
AD 180 陵郡

刘馥草苫鱼膏护城 - 据《三国志·魏书·刘馥传》
AD 208 合淝

甘宁驱羊攻上山寨 - 据沈伯俊、谭良啸《三国演义辞典·传说》
?? 阳新 (may be fictional)

郝昭火箭固守陈仓 - 据《三国志·魏书·明帝纪》注引《魏略》
AD 229 陈仓

诸葛亮连弩杀张郃 - 据《三国志·魏书·张郃传》
AD 231 木门道

丁奉雪地奇袭魏军 - 据《三国志·吴书·丁奉传》
AD 252 徐塘

马隆磁石吸盔引甲 - 据《晋书·马隆传》
AD 279

江逌火鸡焚烧坚栅 - 据《晋书·江逌传》
AD 353 山桑

傅永葫芦瓢灯诈浅 - 据《魏书·傅永传》
AD 497

高长恭假面具逞威 - 据《资治通鉴》卷一六九
AD 564 洛阳

章昭达木排毁水营 - 据《资治通鉴》卷一七〇
AD 569 洭口

王雄诞树林充疑兵 - 据《旧唐书·杜伏威传》
AD 621 独松关 (杭州)

薛仁贵放雀送火药 - 据《旧唐书·薛仁贵传》
岩州城 (may be fictional)

张巡射蒿秆辨敌帅 - 据《旧唐书·张巡传》
AD 757 睢阳

李光弼地道摧叛军 - 据《旧唐书·李光弼传》
AD 756 太原

雌马放逐诱引雄马 - 据《资治通鉴》卷二二一
AD 759 洛阳

张伾风筝飞传情报 - 据《新唐书·田悦传》
AD 781

王处存扮羊复易州 - 据《旧唐书·李可举传》
AD 885 易州

许德勋借荷叶登船 - 据《资治通鉴》卷二六六
AD 907

李存审树枝充鹿角 - 据《资治通鉴》卷二七〇
AD 917 幽州

孙琰渔网护持水关 - 据《资治通鉴》卷二六七
AD 909 苏州

刘鄩毛驴代守空城 - 据《资治通鉴》卷二六九
AD 915 魏州城

钱传瓘顺风放烟雾 - 据《资治通鉴》卷二七〇
AD 919 狼山

王建及沃油烧贺瓖 - 据《资治通鉴》卷二七〇
AD 919 濮阳

苏章铁链滑轮拦江 - 据《资治通鉴》卷二七六
AD 928 封州

吴权潮汐诱船入彀 - 据《资治通鉴》卷二八一
AD 938 交州

张永德铁锁制船舵 - 据《资治通鉴》卷二九三
AD 956 下蔡

樊若水长江架浮桥 - 据《宋史·樊若水传》
AD 974 和州

李允则冰弹显神威 - 据沈括《梦溪笔谈》
沧州

李元昊鸽子报信号 - 据《宋史·外国传·夏国上》
AD 1041 渭州

杨幺车船湖中逞雄 - 据鼎澧人逸民叙述《杨幺事迹》
AD 1132 洞庭湖

陈规火枪屡败李横 - 据陈规《德安守城录》卷五、《宋史·陈规传》
AD 1132 德安

韩世忠铁钩俘金船 - 据邓广铭《韩世忠年谱》
AD 1130

张浚碎冰捕鱼阻敌 - 据冯梦龙《智囊补》
?? 楚州

王夜叉识破水牛计 - 据《宋史·王德传》
崇明岛

刘錡抛豆筒乱追骑 - 据明·茅元仪《二十一史战略考·南宋》
AD 1140 顺昌

魏胜战车驰骋敌后 - 据《宋史·魏胜传》
AD 1161 海州

毕再遇青伞盖借箭 - 据《宋史·毕再遇传》
AD 1206 六合

孟珙芦苇铺道沼泽 - 据《宋史·孟珙传》
蔡州

张贵巧制无底木船 - 据冯梦龙《智囊补》
AD 1272 襄阳

亦思马因巨炮轰城 - 据《元史·亦思马传》
AD 1273 襄阳

高兴燃柴围烧高安 - 据《续资治通鉴》卷一八三

刘国杰布钉盾扎马 - 据《元史·刘国杰传》

刘伯温天桥充云梯 - 据冯梦龙《智囊补》
AD 1361 江州

马云叶旺奇筑冰墙 - 据《明史·叶旺传》
AD 1375 金州城

曾铣定时炮弹开花 - 据《续通典》卷一〇四

任圜抛烂泥歼倭寇 - 据冯梦龙《智囊补》

青竹竿倚长克倭刀 - 据《浙江民间传说》

戚继光训练猴子兵 - 据沈德符《万历野获编》卷十七
AD 1562

阎应元燃灯获万箭 - 据清·邵长蘅《阎典史传》
AD 1645 江阴

藤牌军凯歌雅克萨 - 据清·魏源《圣武记》
AD 1685 雅克萨

康熙帝智破骆驼营 - 据清·魏源《圣武记》
AD 1690

姚莹诱英船撞礁石 - 据清·魏源《圣武记》
??

林则徐黄蜂螫洋鬼 - 据唐麟《中国古代智慧故事大全》
??

韦绍光冒雨斩英酋 - 据《广东三元里抗英史料》
AD 1841 三元里

翼王令泥菩萨冲锋 - 据《太平军初占江南史录》
AD 1853 南京

陈玉成乘雾破湘军 - 据《李秀成自述》、《同治东华续录》
AD 1858 皖南

刘永福竹签歼法兵 - 据《刘永福纪事草》
AD 1882

王德标密布土雷阵 - 据《台湾乙未战纪》
AD 1895

胥臣假虎吓倒敌马 - 据《左传·僖公二十八年》

Xū Chén using fake tigers to frighten enemy horses Zuozhuan - 28th year of Lord Xī of Lŭ (鲁)

The Battle of ChéngPú circa 632BC pitted two rival factions seeking hegemony over the realms. One faction was led by the State of Jìn (晋), the other was led by the State of Chŭ (楚).

The Jìn left column deputy commander, Xū Chén, had the unenviable task of dealing against the more numerous chariots of the opponent's right column composed of forces from states of Chén (陈) and Cài (蔡).

韩信木罂横渡黄河 - 据《史记·淮阴侯列传》
205BC 安邑

Hán Xìn river-crossing his army using wooden barrels Shiji - Accounts of Marquis of HuáiYīn

205 BC was the year when Liú Bāng (刘邦) launched a campaign from his domain of Hàn (汉), against the hegemonist overlord Xiàng Yŭ. In the 3rd month, Liu Bang crossed the Yellow River, marched east and received the surrender of the warlord Wèi Bào (魏豹).

In the 4th month, Liu Bang was defeated by Xiang Yü at the battle of PéngChéng (彭城), present day Xuzhou city in Shandong province.

In the 5th month, Wei Bao left for the city of PíngYáng (平阳) to care for the his ailing mother. Upon arrival, Wei Bao double-crossed Liu Bang and realigned with Xiang Yü, turned against Liu Bang. Wei Bao closed off Lingjin Pass (临晋关), a ford crossing of the Yellow River, denying retreat/supply route of the Han army.

To In the 8th month, Liu Bang despatched Han Xin to eliminate Wei Bao. Wei Bao had stationed forces along all river crossings and confiscated most boats in the vicinity. Han Xin had to find way to bring his army across the river.

虞诩增灶羌人丧胆 - 据《后汉书·虞诩传》
AD 115

Yú Xŭ deceived the pursuing foes by increasing the hearths Later Book of Han - Accounts of Yú Xŭ

In AD 115, the Qiāng people in present day Gansu region rebelled against the Imperial Court of Eastern Hàn (东汉). This was not the first time they did so, and many ministers had seriously considered giving up the region in the face of heavy expenditure necessary to recover it. Yú Xŭ had been one of the opponents of such a move.

Appointed by the Empress Dowager Dèng (邓太后), who remained in power despite formally stepping down as regent when the emperor Liú Hù (汉安帝刘祜, known as Emperor Ān of Hàn) came of age, Yú Xŭ was sent to quell the rebellion with only a force of 3,000 against the far numerically Qiāng superior rebels.

The rebels stationed troops at ChénCāng (陈仓) to block his march to the besieged WŭDū (武都), Gansu's then provincial capital. Yú Xŭ halted his army and had it widely proclaimed that they would proceed pending strong reinforcements from the Court. The rebels were fooled and relaxed their vigilance, and even sent out raiding parties to plunder nearby settlements.

Seizing the opportunity, Yú Xŭ marched his forces day and night, covering more than "100 li" (百余里) daily, which was roughly 50 kms. In addition, he ordered his men to dig increasing numbers of hearths when they encamped.

He finally explained to his subordinates that this was to prevent the true of size of his force to be known and hence deter the pursuing rebels from closing in.