策

Ideogrammatic compound formed from:

竹 (대나무 죽) — representing bamboo, material used for rods and writing slips.

朿 (가시 자) — representing thorns or spikes, indicating something pointed or pricking.

Together, they depict a bundle of pointed bamboo rods — tools used as either a whip for urging animals onward or bamboo slips bound for writing plans and records.

Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):

「策，馬箠也。从竹朿聲。」

“策 means a horse whip. Composed of 竹 (bamboo) and 朿 (thorn).”

Originally thus denoting a bamboo whip, the word expanded metaphorically to mean to drive or urge forward, and then further to a plan or device for guiding affairs — hence “strategy” or “policy.”

Semantic development:

The evolution of meaning proceeds through several stages:

Concrete object — bamboo whip or rod (馬策, horse whip).

Writing instrument — bamboo slip or tally used for recording ideas or laws (書策).

Abstract sense — a plan, policy, or scheme devised to direct action.

Intellectual test — by extension, the “策問” in imperial examinations, where candidates were tested on statecraft and governance.

This progression reflects the shift from physical guidance (urging a horse forward) to intellectual guidance (urging the mind or government forward).

策 is used in formal writing to mean “plans,” “countermeasures,” or “methods,” as in ‘方策’ (plans) or “計策” (strategies), and appears very frequently in history, politics, and military strategy.

方策 (방책) — method, plan, policy

對策 (대책) — countermeasure, response

計策 (계책) — strategy, stratagem

謀策 (모책) — plotting, political or military scheme

策動 (책동) — instigation, manipulation

策馬 (책마) — to spur a horse; to ride swiftly

策勵 (책려) — to encourage, to spur on

策問 (책문) — written examination question (esp. in ancient imperial exams)

In Confucian political theory, 策 refers to the art of statecraft — the ability to devise prudent, moral policies (方策).

To govern without策 meant to lack vision or practical wisdom.

「君子之策，先德而後法。」

“The plans of a noble man place virtue before law.”

In imperial bureaucracy, the term 策問 (책문) denoted the formal questions posed in the civil service examination, testing a candidate’s ability to propose sound governance strategies.

「以策治國。」 (Book of Han, 漢書)

“To govern the state by plan and policy.”

In military texts such as the Art of War (孫子兵法), 策 acquires the sense of tactical cunning:

「上策攻謀，其次攻交，其下攻城。」 (Sunzi, ch.3)

“The highest strategy is to attack plans, next to attack alliances, and lowest to attack cities.”

Symbolic interpretation:

The dual imagery of 策 — both the whip that drives movement and the bamboo tablet that records thought — makes it a powerful symbol of action guided by wisdom.

It represents:

- Motion (the whip urging forward)

- Intellect (the plan written on bamboo)

- Governance (policy that directs a state)

「無策而行，必困；無行而策，亦虛。」

“To act without plan leads to ruin; to plan without action is empty.”

Thus 策 unites discipline and intellect, motion and purpose, serving as a metaphor for both leadership and foresight.

In both classical and modern usage, 策 stands for intelligent action — the meeting point between thought and movement, wisdom and will.